Our Top Travel Tips for Cavanbah (Byron Bay)

Cavanbah - or Byron Bay - is home to the Arakwal people, an intensely beautiful and diverse landscape, a spate of accommodation and dining options, and an impressive compilation of soul-charging experiences and adventures. A destination that ticks off every Y Factor with ease, join us as we walk you – barefoot and blissfully – through some of our favourite things to see and do in the renowned region.

**Accommodation**

Boutique hotel, Raes on Wategos, is a Byron Bay institution. A Mediterranean-inspired bolthole for lovers of luxe.
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WHERE TO SLEEP

Elements of Byron

Located on the sandy shores of Belongil Beach, a 15-minute drive from the heart of Byron Bay, Elements of Byron is a luxury, sustainable resort sprawled across 50 acres of verdant grounds. There are 202 eco-friendly cabins dotted throughout the forest, wetlands and dunes with varying views of the ocean, trees, lakes and ponds. They range in size from studios to two-bedroom villas and channel the simple beauty of the surrounding nature.

The resort’s central pavilion houses a restaurant and bar overlooking a sunken fire pit and extraordinary lagoon pool. Other facilities include a nature-inspired spa, poolside café, beach club, guided rainforest tours and onsite horse stables.

Crystalbrook Byron

Formerly Byron at Byron, Crystalbrook Byron fuses nature with responsible luxury and pays homage to the local region. Nestled amidst 45-acres of subtropical rainforest, between Byron Bay and Lennox Head, the resort features 91 suites, a multi-award-winning day spa, a 25-metre infinity pool surrounded by cabanas and rainforest, and a restaurant overlooking the stunning gardens.

One of seven in the prestigious Crystalbrook collection, guests can expect exquisite facilities, fine cuisine, and impeccable service, with mother nature as the main star.

Raes on Wategos

An exclusive boutique retreat in an idyllic beachfront setting, Raes on Wategos is an institution in Byron. It’s one of those places you see on Instagram that inspire your wanderlust, and which is even more spectacular in real life.

With its seven super spacious rooms and two penthouses, smooth curves, grand columns, blue and white colour palette, and swathes of marbles, it could be mistaken for an opulent Mediterranean palazzo. Overlooking a pristine pocket of Wategos Beach, the property is also home to a coveted bar and restaurant.

Halcyon House

Not quite Byron Bay, but an experience well worth the 45-minute drive, Halcyon House is a multi-award-winning boutique hotel located on the beachfront at Cabarita Beach in northern New South Wales. Famed for its interiors – which are the brainchild of acclaimed interior designer Anna Spiro – the hotel features 21 rooms including two suites, all of which are individually styled yet equally elegant. Oozing summer ambience, the hotel overlooks a green courtyard and dazzling pool, with the shimmering ocean beyond. Onsite facilities include the tranquil seaside Halcyon Spa, and art-line, beach-chic restaurant, Paper Daisy, which spills lazily outside to a terrace bar.

**Dining**

Head inland to find sumptuous, seasonal fare from local artisans at Harvest Newrybar.

WHERE TO EAT

Raes at Wategos

The Dining Room at Raes takes full advantage of the hotel’s incomparable location overlooking Wategos Beach and boasts a menu designed to parallel the view. Executive Chef Jason Saxby and his team place emphasis on locally sourced, seasonal produce, and diners can expect a curated Mediterranean-inspired food and beverage offering that showcases the flavours of the region.

The Farm – Three Blue Ducks

Set on 80 acres of fertile farmland at the entrance to Byron Bay, Three Blue Ducks at The Farm in Byron Bay offers a truly unique dining experience with a focus on local ingredients and produce.

The laid-back, comfortable space includes outdoor patio seating with wide-sweeping views: from Byron’s lush hinterland in the west and over thriving farmlands and gardens in the east, towards the famous Cape Byron Lighthouse. The majority of the food is sourced directly onsite from The Farm, and dishes are a reflection of the team’s shared ethos for creating honest, seasonal dishes that are packed with nutrients and full of flavour, aka ‘real food’.

Harvest at Newrybar

A delight for the senses, Harvest Newrybar offers a unique dining experience in the region’s beautiful hinterland. Encompassing a restaurant in a delightful Queenslander-style building, adjacent deli, historic 116-year-old bakery, edible garden home to chickens and bees. Visitors can learn about sustainability, the local region and seasonal produce from

The award-winning restaurant is where seasonal organic food is sourced from artisan producers, as well as Harvest’s own edible garden; where native wild ingredients are always on the menu; and where food is accompanied by award-winning wines from the cellars of conscientious winemakers or refreshing cocktails inspired by native flora. It is where you will find yourself wishing you’d made the short drive from Byron earlier!

WHERE TO PLAY

Zephyr Horses

If you’ve ever visualised yourself riding a horse along the beach at sunrise, with the wind in your hair, Zephyr Horses exists to bring your equestrian fantasies to life. The unique coastal ranch located in Byron Bay offer small, personalised horse tours along the beach, through sub-tropical woodlands, local icon, The Farm, and even horseback pub tours. Additionally, for an extra adrenalin fix, they offer mounted archery and trick riding clinics, mustering camps, private lessons and a ‘mini Zephyrs’ pony club.

Surf Lessons at Wategos

In a town world-renowned for its beaches and gentle surf culture, it feels appropriate to spend some time atop a surfboard. For beginners and those a little rusty, there are plenty of reputable surf schools in Byron to choose from. The best way to decide is to pick which stunning beach you want as the backdrop to your water adventures and go from there!

Skydiving

Likely due to the natural beauty of the Byron Bay region, skydiving is an incredibly popular pastime amongst visitors and Skydive Byron Bay operates a roaring trade. Established more than 20 years ago, the friendly crew pride themselves on providing safety and adrenalin. You’ll drop from an extreme altitude of up to 15,000ft and freefall at over 200 km/hr for up to an insane 60 seconds, then float under a canopy over Byron Bay for 5-7 minutes soaking up spectacular beach and hinterland views.

WHERE TO EMBRACE NATURE

Forest Bathing

Known by many names, including ‘shinrin yoku’ in Japanese and ‘dadirri’ in the local indigenous language, ‘forest bathing’ is an ancient art that encourages you to immerse yourself in the rainforest and tap into its vast healing properties. While there are a few forest bathing guides in the Byron Bay region, the experience offered at Crystalbrook Byron’s spa is highly regarded.

Participants will be quietly guided barefoot through the forest, instructed to actively absorb the sights, colours, sounds, and feel of the flora and fauna. Supported by the scientific phenomenon of phytoncides – feelgood chemicals emitted by trees that show a long-lasting, positive impact on immunity – forest bathing is an incredible way to achieve total relaxation and connect with nature.

Cape Byron Lighthouse

A trip to Byron would hardly be complete without a sighting of the white peak of Cape Byron Lighthouse. Built at the turn of the 19th century to provide a shining light over Byron Bay and protect ships passing along the coast, the iconic lighthouse sits atop Australia’s most easterly point.

As part of the Cape Byron State Conservation Area, an abundance of walking trails traverse the park, showcasing the coastline in all its rugged glory. Don your walking shoes and either meander up one of the pathways overlooking the glittering ocean, or if you’re feeling extra fit, challenge yourself to the four-kilometre scenic loop which winds through lush rainforest, sandy beaches, vast grasslands, and the iconic Cape Byron clifftops before passing Byron’s white-washed lighthouse.

Nightcap National Park

Some of the best-kept secrets and experiences in the area are to be found a little further inland – in the heavenly hinterland. Nightcap National Park is the perfect spot for a day trip from Byron, especially for nature enthusiasts. Here you’ll find spectacular waterfalls, freshwater pools to swim in, a multitude of hidden picnic spots and walking trails of varying difficulty – all within the setting of spectacular World-Heritage Listed rainforest.

For an unbeatable lunch time backdrop, head to the Minyon Fall lookout where you’ll enjoy panoramic views of the 100-metre-high waterfall and the soothing sounds of native Australian bush.

Talk to us about curating your Cavanbah/Byron Bay getaway.