Why trip further than Byron Bay?

If you are a surfer, but haven’t brought your board with you, or you want to learn to surf, or even to brush up on your style, then pop your head into Soul Surf on Bay Street. The very friendly folk at Soul Surf will kit you out with a board and a wetsuit, a group lesson or private lesson depending on what your needs or whims are. They have lessons everyday and these 2 ½ lessons will take you where the surfs up. They may well even take you to the tea tree lake, a cola coloured lake (more commonly known as Lake Ainsworth) where you can swim in the tepid brown waters and reap the benefits of tea tree infused waters. If sufing isn’t your thing then the Soul Surf crew can rent you a bike to explore Byron Bay's lanes and byways on, so you can check the place out at a leisurely pace. You can even ride your bike across to Tallows Beach and cycle the length of it’s squeaky white sands.

After a great afternoon’s surfing, make sure you stop at Beach Byron Bay to replenish yourself. It’s another superb foodie stop and if you have rented a bike, you’re sorted as you can just scoot along to the end of Main Beach. (If not, drive towards The Pass and stop at the carpark at the southern end of Main Beach). You can dine here for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and grab a coffee and a cocktail most times in between (sort of when it comes to the cocktail.) With a distinctly Italian feel the food can only be described as delicious. Book for lunch and dinner and try to get a table on the verandah so you can be serenaded by the sounds of the waves crashing on the sand whilst you devour the squid ink spaghetti, baccala, agnolotti or fish of the day (go the fish of the day). Finish up with the truly sublime tiramisu and a glass of grappa or amaro. The staff at Beach are super helpful, very friendly and know intimately their agnolotti vs their spaghetti.

If you follow the road up, you can then descend either on the road, or take the slightly more precarious stairs down to Australia’s most Easterly point lookout, the very picturesque Little Wategos beach and finally beautiful Wategos Beach.

If you can’t get enough of this place and this walk, keep going up the path, that climbs along the coastline from the Westerly end of Wategos. It will lead you along a boardwalk (cleverly done so that you experience the landscape whilst not trampling on it) up and over the hill to The Pass, from scrubby bush back into lush rainforest. At The Pass you can grab a coffee or a bite to eat from the The Pass Cafe, or take your towel and a book and go for a well deserved swim and a chill out on the beach watching the surfers and the waves.

For those who are super fit, you can do the whole walk in reverse. But please be aware that the stairs are numerous and steep so, whilst you definitely won’t need the gym that day, it isn’t a great direction for those wanting a leisurely stroll (and definitely not suitable for strollers). If you are in a rush, then you can always opt to drive up to the lighthouse. There is an $8 parking fee, but it’s well worth it and the money is used for protecting the wildlife and upkeep of the park. There is a cafe between the cottages and the lighthouse, which commands views across Byron Bay’s beaches, so if you aren’t walking back down - or even if you are - pop in a have a coffee and a look before setting out again.

Because everyone loves a coffee and in Byron coffee must be accompanied by a croissant or Danish pastry (or even a doughnut - because you’re on holiday), the next place to visit is a little cafe slightly off the main drag. And slightly off track nature adds to its allure. Venture off Lawson Street up Massinger St, and on the Corner of Carlyle Street you’ll discover Top Shop. Grab a blanket from the basket and sit on their little strip of lawn and enjoy great coffee, the most glorious custard filled danish topped with fresh raspberries, an acai bowl or smashed avocado on sourdough. They make all of their pastries onsite and the staff are super friendly, the lawn filled with locals and visitors alike, all sunning themselves and enjoying this little piece of foodilicious paradise.

Framed by Australian tea trees and rushes, Lake Ainsworth at the Northern end of Pacific Parade is very picturesque. But what makes it really special is it’s almost cola colour due to the infusion of tea tree leaf oils - which mean the lake has great hydrating and rejuvenating qualities - for the skin not the digestive system. Take a leisurely dip, kayak or SUP across to the far shores, or for those seeking a more meditative state, simply float around on the your back gazing up to the heavens.

Back to Byron and the buzz of Jonson Street, take a table on the footpath or under the awning at Byron Fresh. Their pastries and cakes are stupendous - go the Portuguese tarts - the coffee is strong and their menu focuses on superfoods, free range and organic produce, (see, there’s a theme here), locally sourced wherever they possibly can. Do bring your Keep Cup in as they offer $1 off all takeaway coffees in Keep Cups and the staff are friendly and knowledgeable. In fact you will feel healthier just being there, people watching whilst you enjoy feats of deliciousness from the kitchen. The menu ranges from salads, halloumi rolls, local fish and meats prepared all sorts of ways, and there are lots of vegan options. So everyone is covered.

Accomodation in Byron is vast and varied for every budget. You can choose from youth hostels, boutique hotels to a huge number of homes for rent. So if you want to self cater every now and then there are great organic shops (as well as a supermarket) to stock up your rental kitchen from. Pop into Fundies and grab all manner of organic crisps, vegan cheeses, organic fruit and vegetables, herbs and spices, along with larder essentials such as oils and vinegars.

Before you leave the wonders of Byron Bay, give yourself one last gourmet, environmentally conscious treat and pop into The Farm, 11 Ewingsdale Road, Ewingsdale. The Farm is intent on bringing a sustainable platform to farming, growing everything from cows to sunflowers, ensuring that all of the animals existing on the property lead happy, contented lives and that the food they produce is clean and as nourishing as possible. And boy is it tasty to boot.