Things to do in Byron Bay, NSW
The best things to do in Byron Bay, NSW, include kayaking with dolphins, surfing lessons and walking to the Cape Byron Lighthouse. Also try night vision wildlife tours in the Nightcap National Park, chilling on Tallow Beach and diving at Julian Rocks.
Byron Bay in New South Wales has become one of Australia’s most popular resort towns. The alternative lifestylers came first, then the backpackers arrived in droves. Nowadays, though, everybody wants a piece of Byron.
If you can do just one thing in Byron Bay, make it kayaking with dolphins. The scenery’s beautiful, and you can get much closer to the dolphins than you would on a boat tour. BOOK HERE.
Some say the original charm has gone, others say it was overstated in the first place. Either way, forget the overly romantic visions of an untouched beach town. If you want that, try somewhere like Cabarita Beach nearby. Otherwise, enjoy Byron for what it is. It’s a fun place to hang out, with lots of excellent beaches, a distinctive feel, and droves of people who may well drive you mad.
There are also plenty of things to do in Byron Bay. The town is delightfully walkable, and it doesn’t take long to wander past the organic cafés, surfwear stores and independent boutiques to reach Main Beach. Belongil Beach is a little further north if you fancy the surf a little quieter.
Things to do in Byron Bay: Walking to Cape Byron
A practically obligatory Byron Bay activity is taking a walk along the beach to the photogenic lighthouse on the Cape Byron headland. This is the most easterly point on the Australian mainland. While walking, keep an eye out for dolphins – pods live in the area and often swim close to shore. Between May and October, you’ve also got a decent chance of seeing humpback whales breaching.
Should you wish to get closer to the dolphins, a Byron Bay kayaking tour is the best option. Cape Byron Kayaks runs $69, three hour tours – they’re unquestionably one of the most memorable things to do in Byron Bay, too. These kayak tours also include paddling through the breaking surf and snorkelling with turtles. They can be booked online.
The abundance of aquatic life make Byron Bay a popular spot for divers as well. The major hotspot is Julian Rocks. The Byron Bay Dive Centre offers certified dive tours to Julian Rocks for $150. There’s also a five hour introductory dive course that starts in a heated swimming pool then switches to Julian Rocks. This costs $215 and is suitable for beginners.
Things to do in Byron Bay: Surfing lessons
Another option for getting in the water is a surfing lesson. Byron Bay is a major surfing destination, partly due to having numerous beaches facing in different directions. This means there’s usually at least one with good surf. There are several Byron Bay surf schools, with Black Dog standing out due to its beginner lessons being three-and-a-half hours long. These Byron Bay surf lessons cost $65, with boards and wetsuits provided.
If it’s beaches you’re after, Byron Bay’s Main Beach is magnificent. So are Clarke’s, Watego’s and Little Watego’s, the three smaller beaches heading up to Cape Byron. But the truly impressive beach is 7km-long Tallow Beach on the other side of the headland. It is backed by thick bush and feels impressively remote. Tallow Beach -along with Whites Beach further south – is where Byron Bay locals go to escape the backpackers and surf schools. Others in the region prefer more chilled-out surf towns such as Cabarita Beach.
Night vision tours in Nightcap National Park
Away from the ocean, there are plenty of things to do in Byron Bay’s rainforest hinterland. The most novel option for exploring the region takes place at night. Vision Walks takes visitors out exploring Nightcap National Park with military night vision goggles. This allows you to both see in the dark and get up close to Australian native wildlife that might otherwise be spooked by torchlight. If you’ve ever wanted to see pademelons and bandicoots, this is your opportunity. The night vision wildlife tours cost $149. Other options in Nightcap National Park include the 13km Minyon Falls Walk.
Byron Bay also has a scarcely disguised arty streak. For ceramics, glass art, paintings and handcrafted jewellery, it’s best to go to the source. Many of the region’s artists and craftspeople have combined to form the Byron Shire Arts Trail. Several of these artists and craftspeople have studios in the Arts and Industry Estate, about 4km west of the town centre. The Stone and Wood brewery is here, too.
You can also see the hinterland on a hot air balloon tour, or take one of several great day trips from Byron Bay.
Getting to Byron Bay, NSW
The 759km drive from Sydney to Byron Bay takes at least eight hours. So, while Byron Bay is in New South Wales and Brisbane is in Queensland, it is much easier to get to Byron from Brisbane than Sydney. The drive from Brisbane Airport to Byron Bay is 174km long, and takes about two hours.
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