6 Fabulous Byron Bay Beaches — The Legendary Beaches Of Australia — Our Wanders

Byron Bay beaches are among the most popular swimming and surfing beaches in Australia. This country is known for beaches and has countless of them, beautiful and unspoilt — sometimes dangerous, too. Most beaches at Byron Bay offer exactly those things that you expect from a dream beach: crystal clear, sheltered waters, soft sand, pleasant vibe, amazing coastal views and family-friendliness. Oh, and no deadly marine stingers, or estuarine crocodiles here.

Byron Bay is a popular beach-side town in the northeastern corner of New South Wales. It’s lively and offers plenty of services and facilities, but it’s not overdeveloped. You might call it a bit crowded, but only by Aussie standards — which means you’ll be surrounded by other human beings on these beaches. It’s nowhere near the crowds you see on any beaches in the Mediterranean in the summer.

It’s not in the hottest region in Australia, but a quite pleasant outdoor destination all year. Average temperature ranges from 18°C in the winter to 26°C in the summer.

Read this, too: Our 10 Favorite Swimming Beaches Along Australia’s Eastern Coastline

About the beaches in Byron Bay

In spite of the fact that the Australian coastline is a long series of wonderful beaches, it’s not obvious whether you can safely jump in for a swim just anywhere. The roughly 1000 kilometers long coastline between Sydney and Brisbane has many swimming beaches, and the beaches of Byron Bay are among the safest ones in the country. They’re also great for beginner surfers (that’s what we heard, but we didn’t surf).

So is it safe to swim in Byron Bay?

There’s no answer to that in general, because it depends on the currents. Yes, the most dangerous thing about swimming in Australia is not the deadly stingers, sharks or crocodiles, but the strong currents.

Byron Bay Main Beach is generally a safe place to swim, with gentle waves. It’s also patrolled in the summer, which means you can see the flag that indicates the current safety conditions, and you’ll also be within view of the lifeguards. Wategos and Little Wategos beaches are usually safe, too, with sheltered waters, but no lifeguards.

Best beaches in Byron Bay

A pretty beach is not that hard to find in Australia, and the best beaches of Byron Bay are close to town and right next to each other, so you can easily walk from one to the other. You should actually walk on the coast, because there’s a spectacular trail here (read on for details).

Main Beach Byron Bay

The largest and busiest of the beaches is the Main Beach. It has the name for a reason, it’s the main beach directly in front of the town of Byron Bay. It’s well-protected and patrolled all summer, and you can easily walk into the town to enjoy a cafe or lunch break. (Because beach days are tiring, and you deserve it, right?)

Right behind the beach is a grassy lawn where people come to picnic, socialize and watch the performing artists (they do it for tips).

Clarkes Beach

Clarkes Beach from Fisherman’s Lookout

As you walk eastward on Main Beach, it becomes Clarkes Beach. It’s also patrolled, but somewhat less protected, ideal for windsurfing and boogie boarding. It’s said to be one of the best Byron Bay beaches for beginners learning to surf, because it usually has relatively small, consistent waves. The rocky areas are great for snorkeling, too.

The Pass

As you walk further east, the next beach is The Pass. It’s a gap between Fisherman’s Lookout and the headland, and one of the most popular surf breaks. It’s not really suitable for swimming, but don’t miss it, because Fisherman’s Lookout has a wooden platform that offers a stunning view of the beaches.

Wategos Beach & Little Wategos Beach

Little Wategos Beach Byron Bay And here come our personal favorites: Wategos Beach and Little Wategos Beach, two secluded, sheltered, postcard perfect north-facing beaches.

As you can guess from the names, Wategos Beach is the larger, and it offers free electric barbecues and picnic tables. Still, it’s not a very large stretch of sand, and it can altogether disappear at high tide.

Little Wategos Beach is not accessible by car, but it’s a short walk from Wategos Beach on a wooden boardwalk. It’s the tiniest of the Byron Bay beaches, being only about 150 meters long, but it’s enchanting, and perfect for swimming, snorkeling or sunbathing. Fun fact: it’s Australia’s most easterly mainland beach.

Tallow Beach & Cosy Corner

Tallow Beach Byron Bay

Tallow Beach is a bit of an exception, not because it’s less beautiful, but because it’s further from the others, on the other side of Cape Byron, and it’s less protected, too. It’s not a typical swimming beach, but with 7 kilometers of soft sand and barely anyone around, it’s the place for romantic walks.

At the northern end of Tallows Beach you find Cosy Corner, another popular surfing spot, though not necessarily for beginners, because the rips can be strong.

Byron Bay Lighthouse Walk Around Cape Byron

There are too many wonderful beaches tempting for a chilling day at Byron Bay, but there’s one coastal walk you don’t want to miss. It’s short, easy and very scenic, one of the most beautiful walks we’ve found along the eastern coastline. It’s simply bliss.

It’s called Byron Bay Lighthouse Walk or Byron Bay Walking Track. It starts from Fisherman’s Lookout, ends at the Cape Byron Lighthouse and passes the easternmost point of mainland Australia. Ribonning around the headland for about 4 kilometers, it offers spectacular coastal views! Allow a couple of hours to enjoy them. If you’re lucky, you might even spot dolphins or whales.

The Cape Byron Lighthouse was completed in 1901, and it’s still active today. From there you can continue on the Tallow Ridge track, a short walking path through pretty rainforest.

If you actually want to enjoy this walk, do it in the morning or around sunset, especially in the summer. There is very limited shade on the track, and it’s better to be on the beaches in the hotter part of the day.

Parking at Byron Bay

It’s one of the few places outside of large cities in Australia where we had to pay for parking, and the most convenient parking lots have a time limit.

Main Beach, Clarkes Beach, The Pass and Wategos Beach have car parks that cost $4 per hour, with a four-hour parking limit between 9 am to 6 pm. No parking is available at Little Wategos Beach, and the Wategos Beach car park has limited space, so you’ll likely need to walk (but walking here is lovely).

Tallow Beach has a larger car park which also costs $4 per hour. Paid parking is available on the streets in Byron Bay, and even free street parking is possible a bit further away from the town center if you’re willing to walk more.

Read this, too: Our Ultimate Guide To Plan A Road Trip In Australia

Where to stay? Byron Bay accommodation guide

Caravan parks, apartments, condos, luxurious suites, you choose. Byron Bay has all kinds of accommodation.

Holiday parks

Clarkes Beach Holiday Park is located opposite Clarkes Beach, so you can simply walk across the road for swimming (right, no parking hassle!). You can stay here in your own campervan, or book one of their cabins.

We stayed in Ingenia Holiday Parks right behind Tallow Beach, and enjoyed the long walks on this endless, wild beach in the mornings and evenings. We rented a campervan, so we chose a simple site, but they also offer cabins, and there’s an onsite swimming pool and a children’s playground, too.

First Sun Holiday Park is right by The Wreck, a surf break next to the Main Beach.

Hostels by the beach

“Backpackers Inn on the Beach” is just behind The Wreck and very close to Main Beach. It offers a pool, free parking, free wifi and a variety of venues for socializing.

The Surf House is about 300 feet from the Main Beach, has both dorm rooms and private rooms, a rooftop bar and excellent guest ratings. Wifi is free, but parking has a daily rate.

Rooms & suites by the beach

Victoria’s At Wategos offers rooms with classic furnishing, about 350 feet from Wategos Beach and 15 minutes walk from Cape Byron Lighthouse.

Beach Hotel Resort has comfortable suites 150 feet from the Main Beach, nice tropical gardens, free wifi (not a straightforward thing in Australia), a luxurious swimming pool and a hot tub, and complimentary bikes.

This treehouse studio is 3 minutes walk from Wategos Beach, an ideal romantic stay for couples.

Waterfront apartments

Bayview Beachfront Apartments has it in the name: they’re 1 minutes walk from the Main Beach. In addition to the private kitchen for every apartment, you’ll also have access to their outdoor pool, fully equipped barbecue and outdoor dining area.

Byron Pacific Apartments are 1 minute walk from Clarkes Beach. Every apartment comes with a fully equipped kitchen and a balcony.

Waterfront holiday homes

“ Belongil on the Beach “ is a holiday home with three bedrooms, located right behind Belongil Beach and ~3600 feet from Main Beach.

This two bedroom holiday home on Cavvanbah Street is also located by Belongil Beach and a casual walking distance from Main Beach.

How to get to Byron Bay?

Renting a car (or a campervan) is the most flexible and convenient way to travel Australia, and Byron Bay is a great road trip stop.

From Sydney to Byron Bay

It might seem to be close to Sydney at first glance (and first glance of the full map of Australia), but it’s actually a 9 hour drive to the north from Sydney. The closest large city is Brisbane, a two hour drive to the north from Byron Bay.

From the Gold Coast to Byron Bay

If you fly into Coolangatta Airport on the Gold Coast, Byron Bay is a 45-minute drive to the south.

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Originally published at https://ourwanders.com on April 27, 2022.