What to do with 5 days in Byron Bay? If you love nature and wellness here are some must-see things to do if you’re visiting Byron for a few days. Byron is perfect for a break to relax and reflect. There’s vibrant exotic scenery, long sandy beaches and a chilled vibe. Byron is THE place for yoga, surfing meditation, massage, healing, spirituality and art.
Eating in Byron Bay
Byron’s independent restaurants and cafes give special care and attention to detail in the menus, ingredients, decor and themes, and people are genuinely friendly. Below are the best places to eat and drink if you’re into healthy vegetarian food.
Bay Leaf Cafe
Bustling Bayleaf cafe has a funky energetic vibe with a variety of healthy dishes and cool art of the walls. Portions aren’t huge but they’re unusual and tasty. Try the orange and coffee mocktail, it’s amazing!
Folk
This pretty wooden cafe is just outside Byron-proper at Belongil, around a 20 minute bicycle ride from the main beach in Byron. There’s a happy welcoming vibe and they do healthy plant-based colourful breakfasts and lunches. It closes at 2.30 so go early!
Elixiba
I was drawn into this great vegan restaurant with friendly staff and cool wooden decor. The food is super-filling and tasty. I went for dinner and had the jackfruit burger as I love jackfruit and rarely see it on menus. I also had a nice organic biodynamic wine.
Treehouse on Belongil
Have a wood-fired pizza and enjoy local live music at this funky rustic restaurant and bar next to Belongil beach. It has real soul, with the vibe of an island beach bar. The tropical gardens have plenty of seating with passionfruit hanging over wooden pagodas, fairy lights, funky imaginative decor reusing old objects, and retro postcards as art.
Activities in Byron Bay
The top Byron activities if you’re into nature and wellness.
Surfing
Byron is the ideal place for beginners to try surfing due to it’s gentle waves. Soul Surf School had great reviews so I went with them for a half day’s surfing. The surf was better at Lennox HEads so the group headed there in a mini bus. It’s great fun and much less scary than I thought it might be. We stuck to the little waves to get the technique.
Cycling
Cycling is a great way to see Byron. It’s pretty hilly in places but the main area round the beach is fairly flat. As with many places in Australia, the residential streets off the main drag are really pretty and well worth seeing by bicycle, with exotic gardens and beautiful houses. Many Air BnBs offer free bikes but you can also hire one in the main town.
Cape Byron walking track
You’ll see the best of Byron’s beauty on this walk along the beach, up round the lighthouse and back through the bush. Walk through the shade of bangalow palms, past picturesque beaches and you might even spot turtles, dolphins, stingrays and, whales! I walked it quite late in the day around an hour before the sun went down, which turned out to be ideal as the late afternoon golden glow of the sun lit up the pretty ocean views and it wasn’t too hot. I started and ended the walk in the national park carpark.
Yoga
I went to the wonderful Byron Yoga Centre and joined one of their trainee teacher yoga sessions which only cost a bargainous $5! (5pm every day) Everyone was so friendly and welcoming – there were a few trainee teachers who took it in turns to teach. They pay close attention to students’ postures so it’s a great place for a super relaxed session and to master the basics.
Kayaking with dolphins
Touristy but who can resist? I soooo wanted to do this and was booked in but it was cancelled due to weather on my last day 🙁 Definitely one for next time.
I spent 5 days in Byron Bay in late summer 2018 to relax and reflect after a busy and stressful period. I stayed in air BnB and would recommend booking in advance as accomodation is very expensive in Byron in summer. Read my journal about my 5 days in Byron with realisations reflections and ramblings about how you tend to inadvertently take yourself with you when you travel.
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