Byron Bay, Australia: Beaches, What to See, and the Best Things to Do
- Mar 13
- 5 min read
The complete guide to visiting the most bohemian destination on Australia’s east coast.
Byron Bay is one of the most famous destinations in the state of New South Wales, known for its great surfing beaches, relaxed atmosphere, and bohemian vibe.
Located just one hour by car from the Gold Coast, it’s the perfect place to combine beach days, nature, and great food.
In this guide, we’ll share what to see, where to stay, and the best things to do in Byron Bay.
What You’ll Find in This Byron Bay Guide
📍Where Byron Bay is and how to get there – distances, transport and tips
🏠 Where to stay – Airbnb and beachfront hostels
🏖️ The best beaches – Main Beach, Tallow and surf spots
🐬 Things to do in Byron Bay – kayaking, viewpoints and The Farm
🍽️ Where to eat – cafés, beach bars and local favorites
💡 Travel tips – planning your trip to Byron Bay
✨ Our experience – honest thoughts and tips
Where Byron Bay Is and How to Get There
Byron Bay is located about two hours by car from Brisbane and one hour from the Gold Coast.
While the town center is small and easy to explore on foot, the areas around Byron Bay offer beautiful places that are worth visiting. For that reason, we always recommend having some type of transportation.
When we visited Byron Bay, we started our trip in Brisbane and rented a car directly from the airport, which made traveling to Gold Coast and Byron Bay much easier since these destinations are very close to each other.
📌 If you don’t have a car, don’t worry, you can always take a bus or train from Brisbane to Byron Bay.
👉 You can check train and bus options on Transport NSW.
If you’re traveling through Queensland, you can also combine this trip with our
GOLD COAST GUIDE.
Where to Stay in Byron Bay
Our preferred option when traveling with friends is always renting an Airbnb together. If you have a car, you don’t depend on staying in the city center, which usually makes accommodation much cheaper.
Airbnb
We stayed at Mindy's by the beach, and we highly recommend it.
It’s a bright and beautiful apartment for four people, with a small balcony and located about 20 minutes by car from downtown Byron Bay.
Hostels
If you prefer to stay in the center, we recommend WAKE UP BYRON BAY, It’s a hostel located right next to the beach and offers: Free shuttle service to the town center, free yoga classes, free surfboards and affordable bike rentals.
The Best Beaches in Byron Bay
Main Beach:
The town center leads directly to Main Beach, the most popular beach in Byron Bay.
It’s surrounded by green areas where you can relax and enjoy the day with a beautiful view of the lighthouse.
Tallow Beach:
One of our favorite beaches in Byron Bay.
If you’re looking for a quieter place, you can walk about 30 minutes from the center and you’ll find a peaceful beach that’s perfect for disconnecting.
The Pass Beach:
If you love surfing, this is the place to be.
It’s one of the best surf spots in the area, and nearby you’ll also find Fisherman’s Lookout, a beautiful viewpoint with incredible panoramic views of the coastline.
Things to Do in Byron Bay
Walk Around the Town Center
One of the first things you should do is simply walk around the center of Byron Bay.
It takes no more than 20 minutes on foot, and you’ll find a wide variety of restaurants, clothing shops, and of course plenty of acai bowls, a refreshing fruit snack that’s extremely popular in Australia.
The whole area has a very chill, bohemian vibe.
Kayak con delfines
These tours usually last around 2 hours and cost about 56 AUD per person.
You can also rent a kayak on your own
The Farm Byron Bay ⭐️
An unmissable experience.
Located about 10 minutes from the center by car, this farm serves breakfast and lunch made with organic products grown directly on the property.
You’ll also find a small market where they sell homemade products, and you can walk around the farm, meet the animals, and learn about its story.
Where to Eat in Byron Bay
With so many restaurants in town, these were some of our favorite places:
* High Life Byron: A specialty coffee shop that also serves breakfast and brunch. Great food and a really nice atmosphere.
* Beach Hotel Byron Bay: A great bar located right in front of the main beach. Perfect for ending a beach day with drinks and friends.
Just remember to check the kitchen hours if you want the full menu 😉
* II Buco Cafe & Pizzeria: Located in a charming alley in the heart of Byron Bay. They serve classic Italian dishes like cheese and charcuterie boards, pasta, and lots of pizza 🤤
Travel tips & practical info
how many days, transport and useful tips
If you’re planning your trip to Byron Bay, here are a few things we think are worth knowing before you go.
How many days do you need?
Byron Bay is quite small, so you don’t need many days to explore it.
We’d say:
2–3 days is perfect to see the main beaches, walk around town and do a couple of activities
4 days or more if you want to relax, surf, and take things slower
Byron Bay is one of those destinations where you go to slow down, with a laid-back, hippie-bohemian vibe where you can spend hours at the beach without even noticing.
Do you need a car?
Here we will answer two options:
Yes, if you want flexibility
The town itself is easy to explore on foot, but beaches like Tallow are a bit further away and places like The Farm are much easier to reach by car.
We had a car and it made everything much more comfortable.
If you don’t have one you can still enjoy Byro but you’ll be more limited to the center and Main Beach
Best time to visit
Byron Bay is a year-round destination, but the experience changes depending on the season:
Summer (Dec–Feb): hot, busy and more expensive
Shoulder seasons (Mar–May / Sep–Nov): best balance of weather and fewer crowds
Winter (Jun–Aug): quieter, slightly cooler, but still very enjoyable
Is Byron Bay expensive?
Yes, a bit. Accommodation can be pricey, especially in the center and restaurants and cafés are not cheap
As we always say:
Stay a bit outside the center (if you have a car)
Mix eating out with cooking at your accommodation
Our Experience in Byron Bay
Byron Bay really lives up to its reputation: it’s a small, relaxed, and very “hippie” town, perfect for beach life.
You don’t need many days to explore it completely.
What we absolutely recommend is visiting The Farm, which is a beautiful place surrounded by nature.
🇦🇺 Keep Exploring Australia
Byron Bay was part of our trip around Australia. If you're planning your route, you can explore all our guides here:
If you're traveling along Australia’s east coast, these destinations pair perfectly:
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