At TripADeal, our team loves getting out and exploring our chilled out hometown. Our HQ in Byron Bay means we’re spoiled for choice with an abundance of amazing restaurants and cafes, colourful boutiques and galleries, and the kind of natural beauty that needs to be seen to be believed.
Want to experience what all the fuss is about? Here are some of our staff’s must-dos.
Do the Cape Byron Lighthouse Walk
This is genuinely the best way to get a feel for Byron. It’s an easy to moderate trek weaving along the coast from The Pass, skirting Australia’s most easterly point up to the lighthouse and then down through rainforest to Captain Cook’s Lookout and back to the pass.
Our Brand Manager Carlos can regularly be seen pounding the pavement along the trail. Though beautiful at any time of the day, sunrise and sunset are the times you’ll really want to visit.
It’s also one of the best spots in the area for whale watching from June to November.
Eat your fill, and then go back for seconds
Byron locals don’t eat to live, we live to eat! The range of bars, restaurants and cafes in this tiny little town run the gamut from cheap and cheerful kebabs and burgers to hatted restaurants. Whatever your style or budget, it’s guaranteed you’ll find something to satiate your appetite.
Chris in Publishing recommends Japonaise Kitchen (no, it’s not a spelling mistake) on Fletcher Street, saying it’s like visiting a tiny hole-in-the-wall bar in Tokyo. Try the japadogs and caramelised karaage chicken! Wash them down with a Japanese beer or some sake.
Laurence in Marketing is also a big advocate of the chilled-out Combi on Fletcher St.
“No trip to Byron is complete without tasting the organic treats from Combi. Pro tip: get the pancake stack and raw caramel slice!”
Other must-visits are Main Street Burger Bar on Jonson Street (their burgers and loaded fries are epic); the Top Shop up on Massinger Street (say hi to barista Sean at the coffee machine); and Byron Bahn Mi next door to the RSL on Jonson Street. The lemongrass pork is to die for.
Enjoy some beach time
Byron’s beaches are all pretty gorgeous, but Wategos is a collective favourite. Located under the beam of the lighthouse, and home to some of the most expensive real estate in the shire, you can pretend you’re a millionaire picking out your next mansion or indulge with lunch and a few cheeky cocktails at iconic hotel and restaurant Rae’s on Wategos. The photos say it all!
“Perfect spot for those longboard-worthy waves”, says Rhian from Customer Service.
Stephen in Marketing also recommends checking out Broken Head, one of the best surf breaks in the shire. The adjacent Broken Head Nature Reserve is a great spot to get back to nature too.
If it’s an epic sunset over the beach you seek, find a nice rock at the Belongil Beach end of Main Beach carpark before sunset and prepare yourself for a spectacular display.
Oh, and horse riding along Belongil Beach with Zephyr Horses is another must too!
Take the family to The Farm
Travelling with the family in tow? Adam from IT recommends this uber-popular hangout at the entrance to town. It’s a great spot for every age group, with playground and farm animals for the kids, lush gardens, and a seriously great restaurant – Three Blue Ducks – for long lunches.
Want to dive deeper into Byron Bay? Here are five things you need to know first.
