I'm really becoming a fan of the weekend getaway. A few weeks ago, I flew to Byron Bay for a short trip with R. Since he is doing a term in Lismore (only half an hour away from Byron) we thought it would be a nice break to take together. 2 days is enough to get a taste of some beaches, luxurious relaxation and great food!
After finishing a 4 week elective in Anaesthetics (where my staple diet was the free bread and butter in the theatre staffroom...), and waking up at 4-something am on Saturday for the first flight, my fatigued and malnourished body desperately needed some R and R. OK being a bit dramatic...but the weekend definitely delivered.
HIGHLIGHTS
EAT
- Three Blue Ducks, The Farm - for wholesome, organic farm-to-table food and nice farm grounds you can walk around.
- Miss Margarita - cute place with great mojitos and tasty tacos (expect a line!)
- St Elmo Dining Room and Bar - for innovative tapas; my favourite dishes were the seared scallops with corn puree and caramel popcorn & the squid ink rice with cuttlefish and king prawn.
- Dip - good spot for a standard, quick breakfast/lunch. Huge portions!
STAY
- La La Land - A vibing bar with interesting decor that does good drinks.
GET THERE
- Elements of Byron - depending on when you book, can be a bit exxy. But the luxury of staying in your own decked out private villa with amazing grounds and private bit of beach is arguably worth it.
DO
- My flights to/from Ballina airport with Jetstar were $70 each way from Syd, and it's only an hour ish flight.
- Beaches - there are so many beautiful beaches and a million guides out there for all of them. You will not be disappointed, whether you love to surf or just lounge around like I do.
- Cape Byron Lighthouse - for great views (there is even a cafe there), and walks, some of which go all the way down to the beach.
- Nightlife - just go into town and you'll see...
- Yoga - there is a huge yoga scene with plenty of studios. Your hotel probably offers free morning yoga too.
DAY I
EAT: THREE BLUE DUCKS, THE FARM
First thing we did was drive to Three Blue Ducks, on The Farm, a place that literally does the Farm-to-Table dining thing. Basically almost all of what is put on your plate has been sourced from the farm itself. I'm all for ethical farming and knowing where you food comes from and all that but the food itself was seriously tasty. It definitely deserves its high rating. Highlights include my blue-cheese on mushrooms special and the black/blood sausage (and I don't even like meat!). I would love to go back because their lunch/dinner menu looks awesome too.
After breakfast we wandered around the farm (they do tours if you're interested) where we got to see the cows, pigs and their various vegetable/herb plots.
I was pretty ready for a nap after this so we drove into Byron to check into our hotel. R had booked a surprise hotel and I was not prepared for such a luxurious place!
ELEMENTS OF BYRON
We stayed in one of the private villas at The Elements of Byron and it seriously brought the next level of comfort. I would have been happy with a cheap-y motel but staying at such a luxurious place really made it feel like more of a holiday. We spent the entire day sleeping on the suspended cabanas/lounges, exploring the private beach and eating truffle chips by the pool. Come sun-down and it was time to take a relaxing bath before heading into town for dinner and a night out with R's friends. After having a few rounds of espresso martinis at La La Land, we bar-hopped a bit- Byron is alive at night, with heaps of bars, restaurants, live music and shops still open until late. As the early hours of the morning approached and my eyelids started drooping (I'm such a granny) it was time to call it a night.
Day 2
THE LIGHTHOUSE
^^Tallow Beach, seen from the Lighthouse
Pretty much on every tourists list is visiting the Cape Byron Lighthouse. Since it was my first time we decided to go and check it out. There's a few walks and nice vantage points around the lighthouse too. After grabbing some lunch, we went and relaxed on Wategos Beach for sunset- and what a sunset it was.
Wategos Beach
Life seemed to slow down as I fell asleep on the beach....until I was rudely awoken by R wringing out his wet shirt on me. After taking a million photos of the sunset, it was time to head home- but not before dinner.
We got some takeaway tacos and mojitos from Miss Margarita (get the snapper and chilli squid tacos they are amazing) and ate them on the main beach. As I fumbled with my tacos in the dark, with the crashing waves at my feet...I thought to myself- that was a pretty good weekend.
2 COMMENTS
Such beautiful photos wow!! Looks like you had a great time. :) Makes me want to visit Australia so badly.
ReplyDeletexo, Amber
bonjour-amber.blogspot.com
Thanks Amber :)
DeleteI'm listening!