Byron Bay has some seriously cool beach vibes, like no other place we have experienced yet. It seems like something is always going on no matter where you are. A surf shoot at Tallows, a drone meet at Broken Head, or a couple playing their guitar at Wategos. The place is just bustling with creatives!
My partner James and I spent a little over two weeks here on our way up, and then back down the Australian east coast. Our favourite aspects of Byron Bay? We adore the crystal clear blue waters, the many chances to spot a shark on our drone, and the many beaches you can visit. It’s a place we love to immerse ourselves in over and over again! Here is how we spent our time adventuring.
Exploring picture perfect beaches
If you’ve been following along with our adventures, you’ll know James and I love exploring beautiful beaches. Byron Bay is the perfect place for this!
All of beaches are stunning. Every. Single. One. The sand is a light white, the water is clear and there are dolphins EVERYWHERE! With a beach umbrella and some lunch time snacks, you’ll have no problem spending all day by the sea.
We split most of our time between Tallows, Broken Head, Wategos and Whites. As well as a quick visit to The Pass for some early morning drone snaps without the crowds.
Surfing and droning at Tallows Beach
While we were here, Tallows Beach had some good swell come through. James spent most of his time surfing at the northern end of the beach. We also loved this spot during the morning golden hour. This beach was an amazing setting for taking the drone up and capturing the big waves in the light. We also captured a beautiful whale and her calf here.
Getting up close to the wallabies
If you want to see some Australian wildlife, head to Tallows Beach in the mornings. We saw little wallabies playing on the headland here everyday we visited. They are a darker brown than the wallabies we are used to seeing. They also don’t seem to mind if you wander up a little closer for a better look at the them while they munch on their greens!
Discovering Whites Beach by accident
Funnily enough, during all of our trips to Byron, both James and I had never visited Whites Beach! Although, we had heard of it.
One afternoon we took the dirt track up near Broken Head. We looked on Google Maps and saw we’d be able to access the beaches on the other side of the headland. So we jumped in the van straight away! We found this dirt road takes you down to quiet beaches with barely anyone in sight.
When we walked down the stairs and saw the view below of Whites Beach, we knew we had to come back for sunrise!
Surprise shark spotting
It was the sunrise visit to Whites Beach where we (finally) had our first shark encounter! It was a beautiful morning. The water was pristine, and the sun was shining. We took the drone up and saw a dark figure moving in the shallows.
We watched it on the screen before it started making its way around to Broken Head.
After being in awe of seeing the shark, we jumped in our van and headed straight there! Broken Head has a long stretch of beach, with a fun little surf spot in the right hand corner. Sure enough, the shark swam around just as we suspected it would. We watched (in a little bit of fear) before realising the shark had no interest in the surfers.
Enjoying sunsets at Wategos
I fell in love with Wategos at sunset. You can watch the sun drop just behind the town of Byron Bay. The sky lights up like crazy, with burnt oranges and deep purples colouring the horizon. It’s particularly amazing if there are clouds in the sky.
We usually headed around to the right side of the beach and sat in between the rocks. It’s a little quieter on this side and can be protected if the afternoon winds pick up.
We actually had another surprise shark encounter here. It was a hammerhead, swimming out the back behind the breaks. This was something you definitely don’t see everyday!
Swimming at The Wreck
The Wreck is a ship that has sunk just out behind the waves at Byron Bay beach. You can see it at low tide if you’re standing up on the main car park. James and his mate Saxon headed out here for a sunset swim and underwater shoot.
Trying out different food venues
Byron Bay is known for its healthy, wholesome food venues. And it did not disappoint. There were so many businesses here that support local produce and served up their delicious meals with these fresh ingredients. You can get Coconut Cold Brews at Bay Leaf, to die for Açai Bowls at Combi, and some pretty good burgers at BayGer, just around the corner from where we stayed.
You can try a new food venue for every meal if you wanted to!
Feeling salty? Find public showers in Byron Bay
Listening to street music at night
One of the coolest aspects about Byron Bay is that there are some amazing artists performing music on the street at night. Even during the week!
We spent a few nights stopping off and listening to all of the different types of music on our walks out to grab some dinner.
Where we stayed
During our time in Byron Bay we stayed at the First Sun Holiday Park. This park is great as it is literally right next door to all of the shops in the town of Byron Bay! It’s also beach front! You are in the heart of everything. Perfect if you just want to duck down to Woolworths, or grab a coffee at the local cafes. It’s also a stone’s throw away from the wreck where we enjoyed watching all of the surfers!
A little insider’s tip!
Every beach you visit in Byron Bay has metered parking and the cost can definitely add up if you’re like us and spend all day at the beach. An awesome solution, and something we’ve had for years, is the NSW National Parks Pass. As all these beaches fall within the National Parks, you are covered for parking with this pass. A year cost us $65 and we know we definitely would have spent that on 3 days worth of parking in Byron Bay. An added bonus is you’ll be able to continue to get use out of this pass as you continue your adventure around NSW!
First Sun Holiday Park – Book Now 
Discovery Parks Byron Bay – Book Now 
Reflections Holiday Parks Clarkes Beach – Book Now 
Glen Villa Resort Byron Bay – Book Now
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