- Denise Langlands
Byron Bay
So we are attracted to various places around the planet, and Byron Bay is one of them. There's all that talk about ley lines and energy centres, which theoretically has science behind it, but you know I'm not that technically minded, I just know what feels good - and Byron is one of those feel good places for me.
We brought our daughter Bella and Dave's god daughter Rose here at the end of 2017 for an end of high school, 'wow you made it' celebration. Bella had been following bloggers who raved about Byron, and we'd heard about it through our mates too, so we booked the tickets and came. We liked it...
Well what's there not to like really - the beaches are delicious, the temperatures are heavenly, the people are beautiful and friendly and the food is amazing.
Bella and Rose near the end of our stay seemed a little detached and spent the last part of the trip in their room on their phones, teenagers...
Anyway, a couple of months on, Bella decided that it was a cool place after all and moved here, that was April 2018, and she has been here ever since. And well, we have been visiting here ever since.
On our first trip here after she moved, we said "sure we'll stay at your place - she lived with 4 other people in a share house in Lily Pilly in Blueberry lane - true story! She had that cheap room which was a garage, for $100 a week - we said, sure thanks.
After 2 nights on the king single mattress, we decided to decamp and moved into an Airbnb around the corner. WE LUCKED OUT!!!! So we booked a room in Abby's house, and she was/is fabulous, and it just turns out that she works in NZ quite a lot and LOVES Hawkes Bay Syrah...
So lucky us, we've been back to Abbys a couple of times now and she's been to ours, this time we're here house sitting and looking after the lovely Lucy.
So ever since then, we've created a relationship where Abby and Andy come to Hawkes Bay and immerse themselves in Syrah, and we come to Bryon...
So now to the good bits, where are our favourite places to hang out in and around Byron Bay?
We have been here now 4 times, so we are just newbies on the block really, but here are the places that we like - stop press, remember that what we like may not be what you like, so as all reviews on Airbnb and other such sites, do take our opinions with a large pick of artisanal salt...
First off -
Byron is like Queenstown (this is a kiwi reference) by the beach. It is now basically a tourist town, and has lots of transient people coming through. Most of the old time locals have now moved out to outer satellites, as the real estate has become out of their reach. Town is busy, congested and pretty touristy, which is great really if you want to go shopping or looking at people. To be fair, most of the eateries in town and the shops are pretty fantastic, so it's not a bad option.
BUT, now that we are (not really) semi local-visitors, we hang out at Suffolk Park, which is only a 5 minute drive out of town, but is much more of a locals suburb. There is a local Spar shop - which is a bit like a 4 Square, a few good eateries, Baz and Shaz - a classic Ozzie name for a fantastic mostly organic food and supplies shop, an alcohol shop and a service station that sells fruit - go figure! Oh and a great bakery that does good coffee.
Our favourite beach to swim in is Wategos - a very beautiful Bay that is mostly sheltered and has the most wonderful invigorating and refreshing water, I'm literally zinging when I get out of the water there. Of course there are lots of other beaches close by and also a drive away. Broken Head is lovely, but there are literally hundreds of miles of beach - so ... Clarkes beach which is at the far right of Main beach is great too.
Our morning routine is wake up, have tea, walk Lucy Abby's very cute dog, and then off to Wategos. Straight to Top Shop for a coffee and a pastry, and then home for breakfast. After that it's usually head off to a beach for a few hours, you get the drift... Last time we were here, we bought 2 sand chairs and an umbrella - they are great as you get to sit up, read and you are guaranteed shade.
When we are really flash we also take a cold bag with a couple of Stone and Wood Pacific Ales in it, GREAT beer! Water and snacks - fruit are great too.
Shopping - wandering around Byron is good, lots of teenager type shops, but some good ones for those of us who can't wear those up your bum bikinis too. Bangalow, Mullimbimby - the home of the best menswear shop in the world - Phoenix Menswear, Newrybar - all of course if you can pull yourself away from the beach.
Our favourite eateries - The Beach at Clarkes Beach, Harvest at Newrybar, and Domo in Federal. There are numerous excellent cafes and eateries, best just to drive/walk around
and see where people are gathering. The Roadhouse Cafe, General Store, Suffolk Bakery - things do change however, so do keep your eyes open or ask someone who looks like they live here.
Cooking here is a delight, the fresh produce and supplies at the Farmers Markets are excellent, tomatoes with flavour, fresh pasta, seafood, blueberries, mangoes, fruit fruit fruit, macadamias, yummy! we cook a lot when we are here because the produce is intoxicating.
So if you are a beach lover, like a laid back atmosphere, a foodie, where there are lovely people and a great climate - do go to Byron, you'll love it.
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