Byron Bay Eco Travel Guide

Byron Bay is one of the most beautiful coastal towns/regions in Australia. For those who are eco conscious, there are plenty of amazing natural attractions, shops, cultural and food options available. This Byron Bay Eco Travel Guide covers the highlights, with more details available under each section.

Things to do in Byron Bay

Byron Bay is home to an amazing array of natural attractions. Surrounded by idyllic beaches, national parks, farmland, and mountain ranges. It is also a hub for sustainable brands, restaurants, and more.

Here are some of the best things to do in Byron Bay for conscious explorers.

Visit the beautiful beaches

There are plenty of beautiful Byron bay beaches to visit. One of the most iconic is Wategos Beach, which is tucked into a small cove and only a short walk from town. Here are the top beaches to visit:

• Wategos Beach: Beautiful cove, next to some of Australias best real-estate.
• The Pass: Main surfing headland for beginners and experienced board riders (surf school location)
• Whites Beach (Broken Head): A short drive from Bryon town (15 minutes) to a completely isolated slice of heaven

Eco Travel Tip

The beaches mentioned above are within the Marine Sanctuary Zone. These zones are created to protect and enhance the livelihood of the marine environment, so there is no recreational or commercial fishing. Make sure you wear reef-safe sunscreen to protect the marine environment as much as possible. Rubbish bins are normally located by public toilets, be sure to dispose of your rubbish properly.

Take a day trip to the hinterland

The Byron Bay hinterland is home to some beautiful mountains, waterfalls, and towns on the whole east coast. Just a short drive from Byron Bay town (20 minutes in some cases) you can be transported to a different world. Here are some of the best hinterland towns and attractions to check out:

• Bangalow: This is a must-visit one street town in the hinterland behind byron bay. Home to some cute boutique stores and some great cafes, you will want to stroll around this town.
• Nimbin: approximately 1-hour drive away from Byron Bay. It has a psychedelic feel, with its rainbow tie-dyed shops, spiritual healing guides, and more.
• Mount Warning (Wollumbin): approximately 1 hour drive from Byron Bay. Climbing to the summit is a popular activity amongst tourists, however, it is a place of great spiritual significance to the Bundjalung People (the traditional owners of the land). Bundjalung Elders request that visitors choose not to climb the summit track, as, under Bundjalung law, only certain people can climb the summit.

Eco Travel Byron Bay Tip

If you’d like to reduce your carbon footprint, you can take public transport into the Hinterland.

• Bangalow from Byron Bay: Bus Route 641
• Nimbin from Byron Bay: Byron Nimbin Shuttle (departs Byron at 11 am, returns 4:30 pm)
• Mt Warning from Byron Bay: You will need to take three different public buses and will take you a good few hours (Bus 165, 609 & 625)

Visit one of the nearby waterfalls

Byron Bay has some beautiful waterfalls in the surrounding area that rival some of the best Gold Coast Waterfalls.

• Minyon Falls: This beautiful waterfall is situated in Nightcap national park, about a 50 minute drive from Byron Bay. It’s a short walk from the car park to the lookout and a 9km return trip to the base (steep challenging walk).
• Killen Falls is located in Tintenbar, 25 minutes drive from Byron Bay. 10 meter waterfall, and a 20-minute walk to the base.
• Protesters Falls is about a 1 hour drive from Byron, situated in Nightcap national park. Swimming is not allowed in the waterfall as it is an important habitat area for the endangered Fleay’s barred frog. It’s about a 1.4km return, 1hr – 1hr 30min

Enjoy the ocean and wildlife

If you want to get active, enjoy some of the water based activities.

• Diving or snorkeling at Julian rocks: the is an amazing variety of marine life in this marine protected area
• Paddleboarding or kayaking around The Pass: see dolphins and turtles right off the beach or up close
• Learn to Surf: being connected to nature is one of the best ways to appreciate it. And surfing the waves at Byron Bay is one, sure way to enjoy the ocean.

Sustainable Shops in Byron Bay

Byron Bay is home to some great shopping. Although a lot more of the mainstream, fast fashion brands have moved in, there is a whole range of sustainable fashion stores to visit. Many of the sustainable fashion stores are made locally.

Sustainable Fashion Stores

• Opia Byron Bay only use natural fibers and create small batches of clothing, to ensure sustainable and ethically made clothing
• Yoli & Otis have some beautiful natural dyed organic cotton and linen pieces
• Arnhem Clothing collections are made from organic cotton, Lenzing Tencel and ecovero, and they use econyl (regenerated nylon waste) in their swimwear. They are transparent about who made their clothes and donate 1% of swim sales to not-for-profit organisations.
• Rowie The Label are transparent their makers and are committed to being sustainable and ethical. Their swimwear is made from recycled-techno fabric, Econyl.
• Annukka produces certified organic cotton garments, that are free from toxic dyes and treatments. 
• Liar is an ethical swimwear brand made from recycled polyester. 
• Spell & The Gypsea – boho style clothing, gives 1% for the planet.

Byron Bay Markets

• Thursdays 8-11am: Byron Bay Farmers Market is held, where you purchase find organic and fresh locally-grown food.
• Saturdays 4 – 9pm: Byron Bay Artisan Markets are held, where local sellers showcase their products. You can find some beautiful homemade jewellery, organic products, as well as local food and drinks.
• 1st Sunday of the month: Byron Bay Community Market is held, and this is the biggest market, where you can find artwork, hand made items, food, and more.

Bulk Food Stores in Byron Bay

• Santos Organics is located at 3/7 Brigantine St. It has a zero waste bulk foods section and organic fresh produce
• The Source Bulk Foods is located at 107 Jonson Street, Byron Bay. Here you can find a whole range of zero waste whole foods, flours, nuts, refillables, snacks, and cleaning products.

Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurants in Byron Bay

If you’re looking to reduce your environmental footprint through food choice, you’ve come to the right place. Byron Bay has long been known as the modern hippie capital. Here vegetarianism and veganism have been at the forefront of food options for a long time. Here are some of the best vegetarian and vegan options in town:

• The Byron Bay General Store is conscious of its carbon footprint. Most of their menu options are vegan, the cafe is solar-powered, they offer a 50c discount for your coffee if you bring your own reusable mug for takeaway and there is a 10% discount for customers that ride or walk. Try the Magic Mushie burger or the Falafel Bowl for a tasty breakfast treat.
• No bones is a vegan bar and kitchen with some creative plant-based twists. You will find vegan smoked salmon, calamari, and bacon on their menu, alongside some other delicious meals!
• Folk Byron Bay is a beautiful cafe with organic produce. They have vegetarian & plant based eating options available. The vegan burrito is great!
• Combi Byron Bay is a popular cafe in the center of byron bay. Mostly vegan and vegetarian menu.
• Elixiba is a quirky, plant-based restaurant with herbal infused food and cocktails.
• Yullis is a modern Asian fusion restaurant that is 100% vegan. With delicious menu items like leek and ginger dumplings, panko broccoli, and smoked eggplant gyoza, you’ll want to try the whole menu!
• Three Blue Ducks at The Farm have some delicious vegan and vegetarian options on the menu. They have their own in-house bakery, some local products to buy, and some beautiful grounds to walk around
• Woods is the sister cafe of Folk byron bay. It offers plant-based and ethically sourced food, and is located in the quaint town of Bangalow.

Eco Accommodation in Byron Bay

Choosing eco accommodation is one of the best ways to reduce your impact while traveling. There are a lot of different eco-accommodation options from eco resorts to glamping and Airbnb. Picking places that take their environment into consideration can add to your overall Byron Bay Eco Travel experience. Here are some places to check out:

Elements Byron Bay

Although they don’t call themselves an eco resort, Elements Byron bay have incorporated nature and sustainability into their design. The Resort is on the outskirts of Byron bay, alongside the Belongil Beach. It extends across 50 acres of rainforest, with wetlands and tea tree lakes throughout.

Sustainability features:

• The property is home to local fauna, and 19 endangered species live in the surrounds.
• Recieved a Sustainability Award (2017), from the Australian Institute of Architects for its sustainability efforts
• They compost and recycle organic food waste.
• You can get into town via the solar-powered train, which runs from Elements resort to Byron Bay.
• The villas are constructed to minimise energy and water consumption. They have a passive solar and a water sensitive urban design.
• You can go on a guided rainforest walk and learn about local fauna and flora.
• Ecologies include dunal, wetlands, wooded forest and rainforest.
• Within the 50 acres developed as Elements of Byron the total building footprint is 3.8%.
• 175,000 native plants and trees have been planted

Byron Bay YHA

If you are looking for a budget friendly stay, the Byron Bay YHA could be the place for you. Not only is it cheap, but it has incorporated sustainable practices.

Sustainability features:

• Solar hot water system and low energy lighting.
• It has water conservation initiatives in place, including a rainwater tank to water drought-resistant gardens, dual flush toilets.
• They separate organic waste and have recycling stations in kitchens, common areas, and office areas.
• Avoid single use plastic – no plastic bottles or plastic bags on site.

Airbnb

Staying in an Airbnb can be a sustainable way to travel, as you can reduce your waste footprint. Obviulsy this will depend on the Airbnb itself, however, generally compared to a hotel, Airbnbs are a more eco-friendly option for a few reasons:

• Homes through Airbnb do not have large unnecessary energy uses like hotels (hotels will have air-conditioning running in hotel hallways and areas where there are no guests)
• There is far less (or no) food wastage in Airbnb’s compared to hotels (hotels must have certain volumes of food on offer even if there guest numbers are low)
• There is no unnecessary cleaning in Airbnbs (hotels will often do daily room cleans and wash towels that use up energy)

Overall, Airbnbs are a great option for Byron Bay eco travel, not only for their reduced envronetmeal impacts but for uniqueness. Byron Bay is a funky, iconic place and staying in an equally unique and memorable place will ensure that you get the most out of your stay.

Here are some amazing Airbnb Byron Bay options!

Camping/Glamping

For those looking to get even a little more “eco” or perhaps on a budget, there are some great camping and glamping options in Byron Bay. Whether you want to wake up next to the beach or you’d like a quick walk into town, there are a few key Camping Byron Bay options to consider.

Getting around Byron Bay

If you’re aiming to reduce your environmental footprint during your Byron Bay eco travel stay, alternative transport options should be high on your list.

The town itself is very walkable

• Luckily, Byron Bay is a relatively small area. The main town center is walkable in an hour or so and the main beaches are also within walking distance.

Rent a bike and explore

• If you’d like to hire a bicycle and ride around, the area is set up well, with bike paths and lanes.
• You can rent a bike for around $20 a day from Byron Bay Surf and Bike Hire and explore all of the Byron Bay Beaches.
• >> Click here for the Byron Bay Bike Map.

Public Transport

• There are public buses that you can use to get around the town or even to go into the hinterland.
• Byron Bay is one of the main tourist stopping points on Australia’s east coast, so it can be accessed via bus from most of the main coastal towns/cities.

Hitchhiking

• Hitchhiking used to be fairly common practice in Byron Bay, but is illegal in some states. Laws state: “it is an offense to obstruct traffic if soliciting a ride from within the roadway”.
• So, as long as you don’t obstruct traffic, you should be ok. It’s still relatively accepted as an easy way to get around Byron Shire if you need (at your own risk).

Car Sharing Online

• There is a web-based platform called coseats.com Here you can advertise where you’d like to go (if you need a lift), or where you are going (if you have a car and can take someone).

Be aware & culturally sensitive

Being aware and conscious of local traditions and cultures play a big part in eco travel. The traditional Arakwal Bumberlin people have lived in the coastal areas around Byron Bay for at least 22,000 years. They have various sites of significance that should be respected while visiting.

Byron Bay Eco Travel Summary

Bryon Bay is a great place to visit for the eco-conscious. With so much natural beauty, amazing, locally sourced food and products, it is a place that can be enjoyed by visitors of all ages.

As eco travel becomes more popular around the world, there are more and more ways that you can reduce your travel impact.

>> Click here for a free download of The Ultimate Guide To Eco Travel

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