From the first floury crunch of the sand beneath my toes, every detail of Byron Bay was a treasured moment for the soul.
The sounds of the ocean played the cords of my heart strings as I was transported to memories of my childhood. The laughter of seagulls flying overhead, the distant murmur of the waves crashing against the shore and texture of the weathered rocks was familiar. I closed my eyes, and took a deep breath to savour the moment. The perfume from the damp eucalyptus trees and native flora teased my senses. My memory was flooded with sensations. It was overwhelming – everything seemed so familiar and yet so foreign.
After 11 months I have returned to Australia, my home.
Planning an international relocation is not for the faint of heart. In-between the months of planning, I found myself drowning in an avalanche of “tasks”. Our days moulded into an eternal list of mediocre errands and deadlines. It’s funny how we become accustomed to being busy. You forget to exhale, taste or laugh.
Byron Bay was the break we needed. It offered us the opportunity to slow down, to reflect and to nourish our bodies with delicious cuisine, to dip our toes into the pristine water and to catch rare glimpses of whales dance effortlessly in the ocean. It offered us the opportunity to breathe and most importantly, to live.
Although there are many breathtaking places in Byron Bay that remain undiscovered, this is my little curated list of our favourite places to sleep, eat and wander.
SLEEP | We have stayed at the Byron Springs Guesthouse on a few occasions now and we consider it ‘our home away from home’. After a delicious breakfast on the veranda, we enjoy a tranquil stroll along the beach. There is no better way to enjoy a Sunday Morning! (2 Oodgeroo Gardens, Byron Bay)
EAT | Naked Treaties is an ambient café offering the perfect selection of raw, organic and vegan cuisine. Their raw pad thai, chia seed pudding and coffee was the best that I’ve tasted. By itself this café is worth the trip down the coast! (Daily: 8am to 4pm, 2/3 Marvell Street, Byron Bay.)
We discovered Chihuahua completely by mistake but I am grateful that we did! Nestled off the main street, their tacos are cheeky, refreshing and worth the quick stop. (Daily: 11am to 8:30pm, 25 Jonson St, Byron Bay.)
St Elmo offers an intimate yet relaxed experience offering Spanish wines and shared plates of delicious morsels. (Daily: 4pm – 12am, 22 Fletcher St, Byron Bay.)
WANDER | Byron Bay has an abundant of activities from surfing classes, whale watching, inland hikes or a leisurely walks up to the lighthouse.
I would love to hear how you relax in the comments below! Stay Amazing! 🙂
Hey There, I’m Kylie. My passion is plant-based recipes and I want to help you create something gorgeous!
I believe in taking a slow approach to food – to eat locally, seasonally and consciously.
When I’m not taking photos, you can find me wandering the coastal paths of South-East Australia.
Ram Kuizon says
The view is priceless!
I think life is taking us too fast and we forgot to pause from it.
One day I hope to visit this place, Australia looks incredible!
Betchie says
What lovely and stunning photos you have there! I personally love the lighthouse. It is open for visitors? It looks so beautiful from afar. Lighthouses here in the Philippines are not as stunning as the ones i see in other countries. They are not well maintained.
I love the views from Byron Bay and I would love to visit one day!
Kylie (Author) says
Thank you so much for your comment! Unfortunately the lighthouse isn’t open for visitors but it is frequently maintained. Last time we visited they were repainting it!
I hope if you visit, you have a wonderful time! 🙂
Johna says
Such stunning views. I love the color of the ocean! The blue and the white together. Ahhh, love it! 😀
Kylie (Author) says
Yes I adore the colours blue and white together, I think it’s so tranquil!
Laveena says
I have always known about the beauty of Australia, I have heard so much from many people.
I just want to visit Australia as soon as I can!!
Malaika says
Reading this post was like a flashback of all the stories I heard from a friend who did her masters in Queensland.
One day for sure I will travel and I’ll definitely put Bryon on the list. It looks like the perfect spot to be carefree!
Kylie (Author) says
My partner and I live in Queensland and it’s the best weekend away to loose yourself!
I hope you enjoy it when you can finally visit! 🙂
Veeyah says
This is making me homesick. 🙁
While I’m not Australian, I spent most of my childhood in Sydney and I’ve always said that those years were the best of my life. I only visited Byron Bay once as a kid, and all I can remember is the breeze. A calming, happy-i’m-alive kind of feeling.
These photos are making me want to visit – and probably stay for long. Aahhhh!!!! I really want to go back!
Kylie (Author) says
Gosh! I’m so sorry Veeyah! I’ve only visited Sydney once, but i loved it so I can see why you feel homesick. After all home is where the heart is. Perhaps one day you can come visit, or perhaps live? I don’t see why not.
The world is your oyster! 🙂
Virág says
You have a fantastic blog! I have never been in Australia it has always been on my dream list!
Seeing your pictures, no question, I must see Byron Bay.
I checked the coffee house what you shared and such a nice place! I’m going to visit as well! xx
Kylie (Author) says
Thank you so much! There are so many places to explore in Australia; trust me when I say Byron Bay is just one in a million! 😛
Berlin says
Coming home is such a beautiful feeling. It can be exciting and nervous at the same time. Seeing the place (through photographs) and imagining your smile made me think you must have love home. Truly. If i would be there, i will also find the lighthouse charming.
Maria says
I love to get lost here! The ocean, the view is just so amazing! It instantly calmed my nerves down. How I wish moving to another country is just so easy. So lucky of you to see this great view and breathe the fresh air!
Ferna says
I love checking out photos of Byron online because I always see stunning photos, mostly images of surfing areas or the beach.
Although I’m not a surfer yet, I still feel the beauty of the beach.
Tamshuk says
This is a wonderfully written post. The words in the first two paragraphs are actually quite poetic 🙂
Have heard of Byron bay as one of the most beautiful places Down Under. These photos show why. That first shot of the waves crashing on the edge of the cliff is amazing.
Zwitsy says
Wow, there are so many beautiful places in Australia and this Byron Bay is just among them!
I love your pictures and everything looks awesome and comforting to visit. I am sure it is something worth it to visit indeed.
Miera Nadhirah Tan says
Such serenity and tranquility can be seen in the photos above. I had not had the chance to visit Byron Bay when I was in Australia. I can only hope for another opportunity when I visit another time, hopefully…
It sure looks like a magnificent place, one where I could spend hours at…