DAY TRIP: HIPPIE ENCLAVE OF BYRON BAY

Say you've had your fill of the beaches of Surfers Paradise, and you ask yourself: where else can I spend a day of my much-earned annual leave? I say, get in a car and head over to Byron Bay!

It's an easy 75-minute drive from Surfers Paradise: perfect for those wanting a more chilled out alternative to the Gold Coast, Byron Bay is the place to be! Along the way, we passed by and stopped at ​Cape Byron, with its famous lighthouse. It is Australia's most easterly point and is bordered by rugged cliffs and the wild waters of Tallow beach. It's easy to fool yourself into thinking you're an expert photographer (unless you are!) in this place because you basically just point and shoot your camera and voila! Stunning photos of the lighthouse against a vividly-blue sky. I mean .... No words at all!

Stunning whites and blues. Somebody *pinch* me!

Blues as far as the eyes can see....!

I also had my chakra cleared at the very peaceful Crystal Castle. Literally a stop-and-smell-the-flowers pit stop. A good respite from the hectic itinerary and an easy way to give back while on the road: proceeds from their sales go to several charities they support.

Zen garden and a moment of silence at the eco-friendly, organic cafe.

Amen to HAPPINESS!

Another wild beach stop was at Hastings Point to view breaching Antarctic whales and playful dolphins in the distance. The sandy shore of the beach here was swept inland & formed dunes further away from the water's edge from the last hurricane that hit the area, giving it a wild, unruly kind of beauty. It's just one of Australia's 10,000 beaches!

I highly recommend one night in Byron Bay to fully imbibe the vibe, but it's an easy day trip as well if you can't spend the night here. :) It's popular for both its surf & hippie cultures - you're never too far away from groups asking you to join their beach meditation or kumbaya sessions (I got a flyer from a self-mumbling, braided joe), artsy folks using their "god-given talents" (their words), ubiquitous surf/dive/beach shops, die-hard surfer dudes with abs of steel happily paddling around in freezing waters and may I add, rich gentlemen with ultra-luxe cars.

It's like being in Coachella! Fringe and feathers are in.

One of the fancy cars lined up on the parking lot in front of the beach. Maybe there was just a car show I didn't know about.

Perhaps the best way to spend the day here is to chill out on the beach - or have a cuppa at Fish Heads, a restaurant fronting the beach, best for people-watching and daydreaming to the sound of the waves. Lovin' the vibe, eccentricity and multi-faceted spirit of this place ... it was too tempting to have my hair braided, swap my outfit for neutral-colored, organic cotton dresses and douse myself with patchouli (because!).... :)​

After the visit to Byron, I actually thought that I could totally live in the area! Sun, surf, sand, chill vibe, happy people with nary a care a in the world ... sounds like Australia's version of utopia!

HAPPY TRAVELS! x

HOW TO TAKE THIS DAY TRIP:

BYRON BAY via hotel concierge at the former Outriggers Surfers Paradise, now called Mantra on View. Bang for buck! It's not difficult to find a suitable tour operator in Surfers Paradise - practically the entire area has a tourist kiosk offering these day tours - some even offer 2D/1N stays. Just a walk along the promenade will give you several options, if you don't want to take what the hotel is offering you. Prices are parity though.

#Australia