Yahoo Lifestyle How to find your way around Byron Bay
A haven for the chilled-out surfers and hippies, Byron Bay’s reputation for attracting alternative lifestyle-types definitely hasn't altered. Yoga studios jostle for space with surf shops, esoteric book stores, organic supermarkets and vegan restaurants. In fact, if you needed more evidence of Byron's casual credentials, take a stroll around the main streets and witness fellow shoppers and laid-back locals possibly shoeless, in yoga pants or with a surfboard in tow, fresh from a session in the ocean.
It is this laissez-faire atmosphere that draws travellers from around the world, looking for the perfect wave, the perfect downward facing dog or some much-needed serenity; all the while enjoying locally grown organic food, sunbathing on picturesque white sand beaches and top-notch coastal accommodation.
Whether you have 24-hours to spare or a week, discover where to eat, sleep and see with Yahoo7 Travel’s guide to Byron Bay.
EAT
Spread over 80 acres, the aptly named working farm is a collection of small, likeminded micro-businesses - growers, producers, eateries, and educators - who all share a common goal in promoting sustainability and healthy eating. One of the most popular residents is an outlet of the lauded Sydney-based cafe, the Three Blue Ducks, founded by chefs Darren Robertson and Mark La Brooy. Perfect for breakfast, lunch or brunch, menus change regularly depending on the fresh produce the chefs source, the bulk of which comes from the farm itself, the fields of which are home to pigs, cattle, chickens and numerous vegetable gardens.
Located just a few metres from the busy main road into Byron, The Farm also has an on-site artisan bakery, florist and yoga studio.
Situated in the historic village of Newrybar in the Byron Hinterland, this picture-perfect, verandah-wrapped, weatherboard cafe is the perfect venue for a long, laid-back brunch or lunch. Locally owned and operated, the menu at Harvest Cafe is created using fresh, organic, sustainable and seasonal ingredients. Its paddock-to-plate ethos sees produce coming from the kitchen plot next door and a farm down the road. An adjacent deli and bakery allows visitors to take supplies away too.
SLEEP
Set within a stunning 45 acre rainforest, The Byron at Byron Resort is an oldie, but still undoubtedly a goodie. The most luxurious property in the area, the resort has housed an A to Z of famous faces over the years.
Though a mere five minutes from the bustling town centre of Byron, its lush rainforest setting offers breathtaking views of some of the most remote areas of the region. Indeed, this back-to-basics aesthetic enforces the ethos of Byron at Byron: tranquility, relaxation and rejuvenation.
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Spacious accommodation comprises 92 air conditioned suites, all nestled amongst the sub-tropical rainforest and accessed via wooden boardwalks positioned over the tropical undergrowth.
A nearby beach, 25-metre infinity pool and early morning complimentary yoga classes all offer scope for relaxation, however, if you're after pure indulgence than a treatment at their spa is advisable. The signature Serenity facial comes highly recommended.
SEE
Magical gardens with amazing views over the hinterland, flowing water, gigantic Buddha statues and various Hindu deities combine to make this one of the most peaceful places in the vicinity.
A mere 15-minutes from Byron, Crystal Castle is a reflection of one man's lifetime passion for crystals. A combination of beautiful gardens, mammoth crystals, shops and interactive displays, the ever-expanding site is a representation of the hippy roots for which Byron is so famed.
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Julian Rocks Marine Reserve
White sand beaches nestle under Byron's steep headlands and temperate and tropical waters merge, making it a popular area for scuba diving and snorkelling. The area is also noted for its wildlife with pods of bottlenose dolphins and humpback whales frequently spotted in the turquoise blue waters. However, for some of the best underwater sightings in the country Julian Rocks - a small volcanic island, five minutes away by boat from the shore - is one of the country’s top 10 dive sites.
One of the few areas where you can swim with species found in the Great Barrier Reef, in addition to those from the Southern Ocean. Mantas, wobbegong sharks, three types of resident turtles; they’re all here, alongside thousands of documented fish species. Tours are operated by various operators multiple times daily.
In the small hinterland town of Mullumbimby, Kiva Spa is a literal oasis hidden in suburbia. Known to locals and a select number of visitors, the compact spa is all lush tropical plants, weatherworn Buddha statues and chlorine-free cold plunge pools and bubbling hot tubs. Facilities are unisex and visitors are predominantly comprised of young urbanites, yummy mummys and yoga aficionados - just venture into the large teepee-like, wooden sauna to see them in action.
