By air
Ballina Byron Gateway (BNK), ~30 km; Gold Coast (OOL) ~1 h
Australia & New Zealand · Australia
Byron Bay, Australia
Surf, lighthouse walks and a laid-back town
Getting there
Best time to visit
September to May — warm and sunny; whales pass June to November
Don't miss
Cape Byron Lighthouse
Main Beach
Wategos Beach
Nimbin (a day trip)
Things to do
Surfing The Pass
The Cape Byron lighthouse walk
Whale watching in season
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain
What to pack
Swimwear, sunscreen
A quieter corner
Minyon Falls in the hinterland
Questions travellers ask
When should I visit Byron Bay?
September to May, when it's warm and sunny. Whales pass June to November, so come then for whale watching.
What's the nearest airport to Byron Bay?
Ballina Byron Gateway (BNK), about 30 km away. Gold Coast (OOL) is about 1 h away.
What should I do in Byron Bay?
Surf The Pass, do the Cape Byron lighthouse walk and spend time on Main Beach and Wategos Beach. Nimbin works as a day trip.
Is there a hidden gem near Byron Bay?
Minyon Falls, in the hinterland. Pair it with the hinterland cafés or the farmers' markets.
About Byron Bay
- Coastal
Where it is
Byron Bay is a coastal town in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia, beside Cape Byron, the most easterly point of the Australian mainland, with green hinterland hills rising behind.
History
The Arakwal people of the Bundjalung nation are the Traditional Owners of Byron Bay, which they call Cavvanbah, the meeting place. James Cook named Cape Byron in 1770 after the navigator John Byron, and the town grew on timber, dairying, a meatworks and, for a few years, whaling, before surfers and alternative communities arrived from the 1960s and 1970s.
People
Byron Bay's people are English-speaking Australians, from long-time local families and the Arakwal community to the surfers, musicians and artists who settled here from the 1970s onwards. Farmers' markets, surf culture and live music are part of local life.
Known for
- Surfing at The Pass and Wategos
- The Cape Byron Lighthouse walk
- Whale watching in season
- Main Beach and Tallow Beach
- The hinterland's rainforest and waterfalls
Did you know?
Julian Rocks, a marine reserve just off Byron Bay, lies where warm tropical and cooler temperate currents meet, so tropical and southern sea life share the same reef.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.