Oh, Byron Bay, the legend of surfing, and the home of Chris Hemsworth! We could not miss this seaside resort, not far from the border between New South Wales and Queensland.
As Monday was a public holiday (thank you, Queen, for your birthday) we packed our swimsuits, towels and flip flop and off we went to a new beach getaway.
DAY 1 | Nimbin
We arrived in the Early morning at Bellina Airport, where we took an uber to our hostel, Wake up Byron! And as expected, this hostel was very cute, one of the best I’ve done so far in Australia.
Since it’s was a bit raining, we decided that it was better for us to take a shuttle and go to Nimbin, a little village well known for its hippie side and its promotion of Cannabis. I’m pretty sure it’s one of the only cities with that – I could not believe I was in Australia.
We had a great lunch at an Italian place, and then we had a walk around the city and we discovered all the little shops down there. It’s was really, let’s say, interesting, but I guess cannabis consumers will be happy there.
When we came back to Byron Bay, we had dinner at a Mexican restaurant called Chihuahua, and even if there is not much choice on the menu, everything is very fresh and tasty!!! By far the best quesadilla I had in my whole life!
DAY 2 | Kayaking with the dolphins
The day started with free pancakes provided from our hostel – the best fuel for a Sunday morning.
At that point, the sun was back – and we made our way to the city to enjoy a little bit of shopping, and we found some really nice deals. Then, we had a coffee/lunch break at the bayleaf cafe, which I highly recommend for its fresh meals – the tuna plate is dope. At that point the sun was back – and we made our way to the city to enjoy a little bit of shopping, and we found some really nice deals.
We had booked a kayak excursion with a local operator – famous because you are very likely to see dolphins on the tour. I expected to see maybe one or two, but I was curious about the tour. In fact, we had a fantastic afternoon! The tour was beautiful and we were kayaking in the middle of many dolphin bands who were jumping and swimming all along with our group. It was so great to see them in their wildlife!
And guess what? We saw one whale as well!! From far, but it was wonderful. Our guides were really nice and I highly recommend this activity in Byron Bay, even if it’s a bit pricy. It’s a great spot to see dolphins.
As you can imagine, we were exhausted after this long long day, so we just had dinner at the hostel and then go to sleep straight away. We knew that the next day was going to be very active as well.
DAY 3 | Cape Byron – Surfing
The early bird catches the worm made sense that morning… We woke up very early, around 5am (outch..) to see the sunrise at the scenic Lighthouse of Cape Byron. Cape Byron is the easterly point of Australia, where the sun rises first in Australia every day. To see the sunrise there was quite a legend because we were one of the first to see the sun that day in Australia!
At first, we were a bit skeptical about the sunrise, because there were some clouds in the sky… But no, once again, Australia offered us one more great memory. The clouds made the sunrise even more beautiful.
While watching the sunrise, we also had the pleasure to assist a whales show… they were just swimming along the coast.
After this great beginning of the day, we went back to our hostel, were a beach yoga session was on the agenda. It was a first for me, and I have to admit that Yoga is not easy at all… But I will surely do it again.
I think Yoga made us hungry.. So, of course, we had to eat! The cafe next to our hostel was really nice – perfect for a little late breakfast.
For the afternoon, we had planned to ride the legendary waves of Byron Bay… in our own way! As beginners without any teacher, well, we did our maximum, but to be honest I did not even try to get up… I was just happy if I could take the wave laying on the board. We had so much fun this afternoon!
This long day was already coming to its end… and it was our last night as well! We went back to the hostel and we enjoyed our last dinner at the same cafe… and slept early, because yes the early bird has to sleep!
Oh Byron… Where has the time gone? I could have stayed here for one or two weeks, without getting bored. If you are looking to escape for a few days by the sea, then believe me Byron Bay is not just about the beach… It’s full of great adventures, which represents perfectly Australia.
Sea you soon Byron! 🐬🌊
OFF THE ROAD 