Byron Bay, why is everyone talking about you?
For some it is paradise on earth. For others, the setting of a movie along La La Land , where to live a nice if sweetened australian dream . Of course: both locals and tourists agree that it's easy to be happy in Byron Bay . What is clear is that this small coastal town located at the easternmost point of Australia is more fashionable than ever.
the fame of Byron Bay as a relaxed destination, with ecological awareness and an alternative way of life has not been something sudden. Already in the 60's , surfers and hippies discovered the good waves, the weather, the environment and the good vibrations of this place.
Surfers at Byron Bay
Despite being a small population center -according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, in 2015 it had 10,075 inhabitants -, is known internationally for being a strategic point for the observation of the annual migration of whales along the australian east coast.
also for having the most powerful lighthouse in the country or **some of the best beaches for surfing**. But there are more reasons why this corner of New south Wales has attracted celebrities like Elsa Pataky and Chris Hemsworth and thousands of anonymous people around the world. We decipher, with the help of some of them, why Byron Bay is on everyone's lips lately.
Byron Bay, why is everyone talking about you?
1. THE RHYTHM OF BYRON BAY IS DIFFERENT
Here everything flows. Many people come to this coastal corner in search of a change of life. Already from the road, at the entrance to the town, an inspiring poster invites us to change the chip: Cheer up, slow down and chill out (Cheer up, slow down and relax) . And no, it's not just an advertising slogan.
In Byron Bay you will see (many) people walking around barefoot. You will also be struck by the smiling and surfer tans with his board under his arm or hooked to his bike. One day, suddenly and without really knowing how, you realize you want to be one of them.
From then on, something changes inside you. "Byron Bay evokes a strong sense of freedom, carefreeness and relaxation". Shantal Cachela She is from the Canary Islands and first came to Byron Bay in 2015. She describes it as a true crush: "At that time I lived in Bali. When the rainy season started there, a friend encouraged me to spend some time in Australia, since I surf and here the waves are incredible. It was like entering another universe Now, 3 years later, she tells her enviable life daily on her Instagram to her more than 20,000 followers.
two. IT IS AN EDEN FOR LOVERS OF ORGANIC FOOD
And for vegetarians and vegans. The normal thing is to make the purchase in organic supermarkets or at the weekly farmer's and farmer's market - Farmers' Market , each Thursday from 8 to 11 in the morning -.
They like to take care of themselves. In addition, in Australia in general and in Byron Bay in particular they strictly follow that Breakfast is the most important meal of the day . Wherever you go, you will find attractive corners, decorated in such a way that you will want to stay and live in them, where they offer you options for all tastes -although not always for all pockets-: from the avocado toast media , which borders on perfection combined with feta cheese, poached eggs or goji berries, passing through the photogenic açai bowls , colorful bowls of this tropical fruit mixed with banana and coconut water, decorated with flowers, granola-shaped cereals and ingredients that can vary, such as peanut butter or dried fruit.
Where to go:
- Bus _(Shop 5b, 21-15 Fletcher Street) _. Ask for one of their bowls, smoothies or their buckwheat pancakes - buckwheat pancakes -. We promise that you will not be able to eat them without taking a photo. or thousand.
- Folk _(399, Ewingsdale) _. you have to try his vegetarian burrito stuffed with rice, quinoa, beans, roasted pumpkin and cilantro. You will come back.
- Bayleaf _(2 Marvell Street) _. If you are sweet, choose their Banana Bread (banana cake) with ricotta cinnamon and blueberries. If you prefer something salty, bet on their Breakkie Greens : a salad of raw broccoli, kale, avocado and pistachios, topped with two poached eggs.
- Santos Organics (105 Johnson St.). You will find eggs from free-range chickens, organic coffee in recycled paper cups or vegan cosmetics.
- The Source Bulk Foods _(107 Johnson Street) _. You can buy more than 400 bulk organic cereals or nuts.
Byron Bay, eco destination
3. FOR SURF ADDICTS
From dawn, as if it were a ritual, experts and beginners go to catch waves at Wategos, Tallow Beach or Broken Head , some of its most famous beaches. "Surfing with dolphins every day is one of the most spectacular sensations I have ever had in my life," explains Shantal. And, how could it be otherwise, the another favorite local sport is yoga.
If you want to start surfing in Byron Bay, we recommend mojosurfing _(1 Skinners Shoot Road) _, a school that has been organizing surf camps for 20 years. A plus: they have a Tipi Village, so you will be staying in a tipi -conical tent, used by American Indian tribes- in the middle of the forest.
Graffiti floods the center of the streets of Byron Bay
Four. IT IS A REAL CREATIVE INCUBATOR FOR ENTREPRENEURS
Boho fashion brands like Spell Designs either Rove were born in this small Australian town and, from here, sell online to everyone.
Byron Bay makes many people believe that anything is possible. "I worked in Spain, in a multinational in the textile sector, and I asked for a leave of absence to travel. This little town was one of my stops and I immediately fell in love with this paradise where you can be yourself and bet on your dreams . Byron Bay has brought out the best in me." Carolin Materna, German, is the creator of Rove.
She, like hundreds of other local creators, also sells her designs in the Byron's Market , a monthly market that is a small sample of what Byron is on a creative level.
5. BYRON BAY SPREADS MUSIC FROM ALL SIDES
festivals like Splendor in the grass Music&Arts Festival , Fall Festival either bluefest make Byron Bay a pilgrimage site for outdoor music lovers every year.
Also, in Byron Bay is it legal to play in the street , something known as busting , so singer-songwriters or musicians create a magical atmosphere every evening, usually before sunset.
One of them is Álvaro Sardina, 24-year-old from Madrid, an economist who has been living in Byron Bay for a few months. There, apart from studying English, he teaches music classes and plays the keyboard every afternoon in the street or on the lawn in front of Main Beach, the most popular beach in town.
"Byron Bay is a meeting point for artists at all levels. Here energy flows and creation is enhanced. It is one of the best places in the world to do live music because of the response of the people ".
If your thing is live music but in bars, take note of our favorite addresses: TheRails _(86 Johnson Street) _, The Northern Hotel _(35-43 Johnson Street) _ and Beach Hotel _(1 Bay Street) _.
It is clear that Byron Bay is special for its atmosphere and for all the travelers and artists that come and go . But to what extent is this a positive thing?
"The fact that cultures are mixed is a wonderful thing, but at the same time it is endangering the essence of Byron. After all, all of us who are settling here make it increasingly difficult to find local people and therefore This Australian customs are fading little by little. My feeling is that Byron Bay is getting overcrowded . I only hope that its essence is not lost." There are opinions for all tastes.
Martha Fernandez She is a photographer and is part of a phenomenon that is repeated more and more: people that Byron meets at one point in his life (in his case, in 2014) and, some time later, returns looking for the same thing he found in his day. Although, as she herself admits, it is getting more and more difficult.
Despite everything, there are still many reasons that have made Byron Bay becomes a mandatory stop on any roadtrip through Australia , ** gap year or vital trip.** Not only surfers, musicians or yogis have found their place in the world here. Thousands of people like Shantal, Carolin, Álvaro or Marta , also.
"Byron is a place that grabs you, makes you fall in love, but at the same time challenges you . It makes you discover your limits and teaches you that you can go beyond them. For me, Byron Bay is the place to find yourself when you feel lost. "Marta is clear about it. Like her, more and more people decide to press the pause button because they get hooked on this other rhythm of life that here, at the moment, is possible. That is the magic of Byron.