Tag Archives: What to do in Byron Bay

A Perfect Ten: Byron Adventures for the 2018 Commonwealth Games

Sunrise views from Cape Byron to Surfers Paradise with Byron Bay Adventure Tours

Just across the border, Byron Bay is the perfect short break for visitors to the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. As you drive south across the QLD-NSW state border, the contrast between the Gold Coast’s urbanised glitz and glamour and Northern Rivers NSW’s low-rise landscape and laidback vibe is visually striking.

High-rise buildings and traffic lights give way to meandering country roads, fertile farms, ancient rainforests, verdant pastures, spectacularly beautiful coastline and perfectly formed towns and villages with a human scale. Seeing Mt Warning (Wollumbin) loom into silhouetted view signals that you are in a place where nature really dominates the landscape, its jagged peak catching clouds and standing sentinel over a cornucopia of biodiversity shaped over millennia.

Taking place from 4-15 April 2018 in venues across the Gold Coast, the XXI Commonwealth Games will see 70 nations and territories competing in 23 sporting events. Here’s ten reasons why visiting Byron Bay and surrounds pre or post the Commonwealth Games:

It’s close. Gold Coast Airport straddles the NSW-QLD border and its only 45 minutes from Byron Bay via the Pacific Motorway.
Blissful weather. The sub-tropical climate in autumn is just heaven on a stick. Crisp, cool evenings and warm sunny days reward visitors to the Northern Rivers outside of peak season.
Blues, Roots, Soul and Rock n Roll. The 29th annual Byron Bay Bluesfest takes place over the Easter weekend, just two days before the start of the Commonwealth Games. Its the perfect opportunity to combine sporting and cultural events into a once in a lifetime holiday experience.
Day and overnight trips for any size group. From couples, to families to an entire sporting team, Byron Bay Adventure Tours can accommodate almost any size group on nature-based, eco-certified adventures into Byron Bay’s iconic coastal and hinterland attractions and places of interest.
A breathe of fresh air away from the crowds. Whether you’re a resident or a visitor, escaping to Byron and beyond for a few days offers space to breathe away from what will be an extremely busy two weeks on the Gold Coast.
Get Physical. All that sporting prowess is bound to inspire spectators to get physical. Byron Bay Adventure Tours specialise in active, nature-based adventure. Our tours combine sightseeing with adventure sports like bushwalking and mountain-biking along beaches and through National Parks, hiking to the summit of Mt Warning, kayaking with dolphins, yoga and learning to surf. Check out our Earth to Surf Adventure combining a bushwalk to the base of Minyon Falls and kayaking with dolphins.
Align your Chakra. A visit and delicious lunch at the iconic Crystal Castle is included in our great value Byron & Beyond Tour. Walk in the exquisite natural surroundings, contemplate life and unwind among the crystals and statues of eastern deities. You can join daily workshops and experiences, including the Music of the Plants experience.
Aerial Views from Cape Byron to Surfers Paradise await you at the summit of Mt Warning on our sunrise walk.
Market culture. From Byron’s weekly farmers market to the North Coast’s oldest continually operating craft market at the beautiful village of The Channon, there’s a vibrant community market within a short drive of Byron Bay on any given weekend. Artists, farmers, craftspeople, purveyors of second hand treasure and producers of a bounty of food gather to sell their wares in Byron, The Channon, Mullumbimby, Brunswick Heads and Bangalow, among many other villages.
Healthy Mind, Body and Spirit –Whether you seek therapeutic treatment for a sporting injury through Reike, massage, Bowen or acupuncture therapy, or the flowing connection of movement and breath through yoga, if you need healing, there’s someone to heal you in Byron and beyond. Daily poolside yoga is a great way to start the day in Byron Bay.

For a perfect ten score of nature-based and cultural experiences during the Commonwealth Games, Byron Bay Adventures Tours have got you covered.

Byron Bay Soul Food Hot Spots

If great healthy food experiences rate high on your list of things to do in Byron Bay, then you won’t be disappointed. While the town boasts some of the most magical beaches in Australia and some of the best adventure-filled activities, Byron Bay is also a mecca for incredible vegetarian, vegan, organic and biodynamic food experiences. Eating out in Byron Bay has never been better, more inspiring or exciting!

Check out our top five picks – including some long-time favourite eating spots as well as some local gems that you won’t find in any glossy travel guides. Why? Because we know our town and that’s why we’re the #1 tour guides in Byron Bay. So, let’s get into it!

The Farm – Three Blue Ducks

There is no doubt that Byron’s clean, green environment has inspired three blue ducks (aka chefs Mark Labrooy, Darren Robertson and their partners) from Bronte in Sydney’s eastern suburbs to fly north. If you want to experience authentic Byron Bay flavours and crave a local food experience, then be sure to pop this place on your to-do list. The restaurant is located at The Farm, a working farm that grows organic produce and raises Berkshire pigs, cattle and chickens in a free-range environment. There is also a florist, boot camp, yoga studio and a team of artisan bread makers. The perfect place to indulge your body and soul.

Folk

This cafe’s neighbourhood does not feature in tourist guidebooks – and maybe that’s why we love it! The customers are locals and people who work in the arts and industry estate, not tourists. Love your organic coffee or chai tea? Then Folk is for you! Choose from organic cow’s milk, Bonsoy as well as coconut, almond and oat milk. The smoothies are equally as diverse, with options to add chia, turmeric, gingko and tahini – to name just a few. If you are in need of some respite from town, then you’ll love this place. Folk is located in a cute little rustic cottage, with outdoor tables and big shady trees. When you’re done drinking your cold-pressed kale and green juice, take some time to explore the neighbourhood – it’s full of great local designers, jewellery makers, vintage stores and hand-made furniture makers.

Il Buco Café and Pizzeria

‘Simple, honest, real food made with love’ – this is how Il Buco describe their authentic Italian food. Local and seasonal ingredients, passion for their craft and aromatic, heart-warming pizza and calzones will leave you begging for more (even though you’ve already downed 8 slices of pizza). But save some room, because the desserts are fabulous too, with their Nutellino calzone – yes a Nutella and ricotta baked indulgence that’s as good as it sounds. You can also order takeaways – perfect after a day’s kayaking, mountain biking or rainforest hiking!

Fig Tree Restaurant

Earth yourself and unwind to a simpler time, when food was organically grown, picked and slow cooked to perfection! Fig Tree Restaurant is the ultimate in paddock-to-plate dining, with raw ingredients picked daily from their kitchen garden. This fine dining experience fills every foodies fantasy, where age-old favourites are given a twist and fusion is brought to life before your eyes in a seven course menu that changes weekly to suit the seasons. Just a short drive from town, you will be spoilt with the hill top ocean views and incredible food experience.

Mana Heaven

When your body needs to be nourished and your soul does too, Mana Heaven will fill your cravings for clean reviving food. With their mixture of raw, vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free foods, head here for brekkie to lift you up and prepare you for anything the day might bring. Generous serves and luscious fresh ingredients cooked for love not profit – (yes it’s true, all proceeds go back into the Byron community) will make you feel good all over. We love the Eggplant Tahini Salad and Mana’s Big Vegan Burger. After you’ve fuelled up, you’ll be ready to take on anything, including a Byron Bay Adventure Tour (or two).

Byron Bay is a feast for the senses, not only in terms of its thriving food scene but also for those whose sense of adventure is calling! Book a Byron Bay Adventure Tour today – click here.

Booking a Tour vs. Going it Alone: Why it Pays to Book a Tour

If you’ve decided to read this article then you’re probably in one of two mindsets – firstly you’re considering the option of booking a tour on your next Byron Bay getaway or you’ve already booked yourself into what sounds like an amazing tour but you’re still a little unsure. Either way, we understand and we’re here to help.

We know that tours can be thought of as “not for real travellers”, for people who enjoy buses or worse still only for twenty-something party goers (think Euro party tours…eeeek). The reality is that a GREAT guided tour (and we place a lot of emphasis on the word GREAT because quality really does make a difference) will add so much to experiencing your chosen destination and often leave you with a deeper appreciation of a place than if you had explored it on your own.

Don’t get us wrong, finding things for yourself is a fun and an exciting part of travel, but a guide who has all the inside information can save you hours of research time, hidden expenses and the hassle of packing mountains of camping gear and equipment. It’s also the snippets of local-only knowledge that will have you looking at your destination through a whole new set of eyes.

Here are our top 5 reasons why it pays to book a tour (especially with Byron Bay Adventure Tours!) instead of flying solo:

1. YOUR TIME IS PRECIOUS

Getting a little help to get the most out of your precious holiday in Byron Bay is the same as using your dishwasher at home. You could do it all yourself but WHY?? An expert, experienced guide will have done their job thousands of times over and know what combination of activities and landmarks work well together. They know the quickest roads and short cuts to get you there, and often have special access levels to cut through queues and other time wasting obstacles. Here at Byron Bay Adventure Tours we have spent many years perfecting our tours creating combinations of activities to suit all tastes and abilities. We want you to get most out of every minute and leave Byron Bay knowing you’ve haven’t wasted a second.

2. LIGHTEN THE LOAD

Tents, mountain bikes, kayaks, life jackets, head lights, safety gear, sleeping bags and food. Whew! Try bringing all that on a plane. Booking a Byron Bay Adventure Tour means you can have the use of top quality gear without having to bring it with you, hire it or carry it. Sound good? – It is. If you’re backpacking, camper vanning or only taking a short break, the burden of loads of equipment or purchasing gear you may only use once is something you just don’t need. So leave that concern for your friendly and helpful tour operator who should gladly (like we do) provide you with everything you’ll need to be paddling, riding or camping out and then say goodbye to it when you’re done. It’s so much easier and leaves space in your pack for the souvenirs and special finds you’ll pick up on your adventures!

3. SAFETY FIRST

You may not want to think about it, but when you’re travelling there are plenty of things that can and do go wrong. It’s an unfortunate fact that every year thousands of travellers get themselves into trouble, get injured or take unnecessary risks by simply misjudging their timing or experience (especially when venturing into nature). When you choose an accredited tour company, like we are, you’re not only getting a great experience but you’re also getting the reassurance and peace of mind that your safety and well-being is at the top of the priority list.

4. BUILD FRIENDSHIPS

Regardless of whether you’re travelling with a group or on your own, meeting people is part of what makes travel such an alluring pursuit. When you have the freedom of not having to worry about the details, a tour can be a fantastic way to get to know other travellers and also meet the locals. Sharing the sheer adrenalin of mountain biking in the rainforests of Minyon Falls, flying over the most easterly point of Australia in a Gyrocopter or making it to the summit of Mt Warning at dawn, you can’t help but form friendships with those you are with. It’s part of being human and brings people together.

5. R.E.S.P.E.C.T

It’s a beautiful thing to get close to nature. Exploring a regions natural wonders with an accredited eco-tourism operator is an ethical way of doing so. As a fully eco-certified tour operator, we know what it means to tread lightly and leave as little impact on our World Heritage Areas, National Parks and Marine Reserves – which are home to some of the rarest plants and creatures on earth. If you believe in protecting our planet for future generations to enjoy, make travel choices that reflect this and go home with a clean and green conscience.

There’s one thing that we will always come back to when talking about adventure tours, and that’s finding the good ones. Experience, friendliness and local knowledge are all essential but you’ll be able to tell the best from the rest by what fellow travellers have had to say. As tour guides we not only love our beautiful Byron Bay home, but also love what we do and we put our hearts and souls into making each and every trip full of incredible and unforgettable moments. Every person who comes with us, from team building day trips to world travellers to families to couples, are given our best EVERY TIME.

Like to see what your fellow traveller thinks about Byron Bay Adventure Tours? Click here to read our TripAdvisor reviews.

To book your Byron Bay Adventure Tour today, click here.

Top 5 Camping Tips from the Adventure Experts

Camping – it goes hand in hand with the word adventure. To some it means a truck load of fancy modern gizmos to bring the luxuries of home to the great outdoors, and to others it’s greeting the challenge of person vs. wild with gritted teeth and a handful of berries. We think the perfect camping trip lies somewhere in-between. So as regular and proficient campers who take hundreds of people out every year to enjoy the magic of a night in nature, we thought who better to give you a few handy tips and tricks to make your camping easier and more enjoyable. Of course you could always tag along on one our overnight tours and get to see Byron Bay, Mt Warning and its beautiful rainforested hinterland. Either way…lets go camping!

Camping Top Tip 5 – Choosing Your Tent Site

If you’re unfamiliar with an area the top option is to always choose a designated camp site. Not only are you more likely to have at least some facilities but it has already been chosen by experts as a safe place to spend a night. However if you decide to “go bush” here’s our advice. Choose a very gently sloping or flat site to camp on. DO NOT choose a dry river bed. Sometimes it’s very inviting to do so because the ground is nice and flat but heavy rain, even kilometres away, can fill the river up very quickly and can be life threatening. A clearing or a protected grove like we have for our Mt Warning base camp is ideal.

Camping Top Tip 4 – Fire Starter

A camping trip without a campfire is like well… not really anywhere near as good as camping with a campfire. So rain, hail or shine be assured of getting your fire started, even with wet kindling by using an empty egg carton. They light easy and burn for quite a time long enough to light the kindling. ½ an egg carton should be enough so you’ll get more than 1 night’s worth if you can keep it dry. The campfire is the hub of your campsite, a place to unwind at the end of the day, share stories and roast marshmallows.

Tip 1: If you’re not a fan of mosquito coils or chemical repellents, keep biting mozzies at bay by burning a sage smudge stick on the fire. Now your nights can be itch free – naturally. Which brings us to our next tip about dreaded creepy crawlies…

Tip 2: The right way to put out a campfire is to:

Allow the wood to burn completely to ash, if possible
Pour lots of water on the fire, drown ALL embers, not just the red ones
Pour until hissing sound stops
Stir the campfire ashes and embers with a shovel
Stir and make sure everything is wet and they are cold to the touch
If you do not have water, use dirt. Mix enough dirt or sand with the embers. Continue adding and stirring until all material is cool. Remember: do NOT bury the fire as the fire will continue to smolder and could catch roots on fire that will eventually get to the surface and start a wildfire.

Camping Top Tip 3 – Keeping the Bugs Out

It may seem like plain old common sense, but the best way to keep the bugs out of the tent and get a restful night’s sleep is to keep your tent zipper closed AT ALL TIMES. Keep food and wrappers packed away after meal times to avoid attracting cheeky scavengers and it also pays to bring your shoes into the tent at night so little nasties can’t find their way in overnight. To keep your tent clean, have an empty container with a lid, a bucket or a plastic bag handy near the door to pop your shoes in. This way your shoes are dry, safe and within easy reach for those late night or early morning runs behind a tree.

Camping Top Tip 2 – Water Wise

Although we spoil our customers with running water and hot showers when we go camping, saving water can be a big issue – especially if you have had to carry in your water supply or have found yourself with limited supply. Simple tasks like washing your hands and face can use a surprising amount of water – but not if you’re smart. Another common problem is that you have to hold your water bottle in one hand to wash both of your hands. The trick here (be brave now) is to put water in your mouth and let it run into your hands. This way your mouth becomes the water tap. Need to freshen up your face too? Keep your hands close to your face and spit the water in to your hands cleaning your face at the same time. This way you can wash your hands and face with just one cup of water. You may not need this trick often but if the time comes when it is needed you will find that this will make your water go so much further than you ever thought possible.

Camping Top Tip 1 – Leave Only Footprints

Packing up your camp site and leaving it the way you found it is always one, if not THE most important things to remember when camping. Take out all rubbish and bury all food scraps. Cover your fire with dirt to ensure it is out – no one wants to be responsible for a bush fire. If every camper makes this little extra effort then the pristine places we like to escape to will remain this way. If not – then we defeat the purpose of going camping at all. Here at Byron Bay Adventure Tours we have gone through many checks and balances to be eco-tourism certified business, which means showing that we protect the environment that we go into.

Few More Handy Hints:

Packing up a sleeping back is easier than many people think: don’t roll it up nice and neat but stuff it into the bag as it is. This way the filling will last much longer and you get more years out of your sleeping bag.
If it rains and you are inside your tent, try to maintain the gap between outer shell and inner layer of your tent by not pushing your bags hard up against the inner tent layer or leaning against it. As soon as the inner layer touches the outer layer the rain will come through.

Byron Bay Adventure Tours Camping Tours:

Why a Byron Bay Team Building Event is Great for Your Business

Adding a team building event or an incentive program for your company’s employees is a really innovative way to inspire, motivate and get the best from your staff whilst making your business a happier and more successful unit. Here at Byron Bay Adventure Tours we specialise in taking ordinary people and getting them to see and do extraordinary things. With the help of our local partners we not only showcase the incredible natural beauty of our region but also take participants on a journey, helping to bring out the best in your team which often reveals some completely unexpected outcomes.

Why include Team Building in your Byron Bay Corporate Event or Conference?

There is so much to be gained from a successful, well thought out and engaging team activity and this goes well beyond helping everyone get along better. From a business point of view getting your staff engaged in a challenging campaign away from the office and out in nature, such as ourMount Warning Day Walk, Big Day Out Byron Hinterland Tour or our Earth to Surf Adventure Tour, can give you and your team a new perspective and gain valuable insights into these areas:

See the rise of strengths and the surfacing of weaknesses. When the going gets tough who has the fortitude and pluck to push through? Who plans well and can be resourceful and think ahead? Are there clear leaders amongst your group? How does your team relate to you and each other? Is there trust amongst your group? Who are the team players? Does someone need to work on their listening skills? You may be surprised at what you uncover. The secret however, is taking this knowledge back to the work space and making the most of what you’ve learned.

What motivates your crew? Healthy competition can be a great motivator. Your business can really take leaps forward when employees are presented with the right incentives for putting in the extra miles and achieving milestones. Here at Byron Bay Adventure Tours our awe-inspiring encounters and experiences could easily be offered as a rewards scheme to say thank-you to your employees’. Think kayaking with dolphins,exploring majestic waterfalls or a full day Byron Hinterland sight-seeing tour complete with delicious food.

Build confidence. “I made it!”, “I would never have thought I could do that!”, “We got there!!!”.The sense of achievement, both personally and as a group, that comes from mountain biking through the forest or reaching the peak of the iconic Mount Warning will build self-confidence in your team. This is priceless in business. As experts in adventure we arm your group with everything they need – so failure is not an option.

How to Make It Stand Out

For a team event to be truly successful and leave your participants amped with enthusiasm and talking about it for a long time to come, you MUST bring something special to your event. Byron Bay is the ultimate destination and the mere mention of it is bound to have your registrations filling fast. With a sub-tropical cocktail of natural encounters, adrenalin thrill-seeking and picture postcard scenery – we have all the elements for an unforgettable team event.

Where to Start?

If you’re a corporate events organiser or business owner having to think out all the small details, this can often take the fun out of an event. Here’s where the team at Byron Bay Adventure Tours really come to the fore. Having years’ of expert experience organising groups both small and large, our guides can help you through the process of choosing the right tour or activity for your group whilst offering the best value for money. It’s handy to know that we also work closely with the The Byron at Byron conference team, who offer purpose-built facilities and accommodation for conferences and business events.

Let the Adventure Begin…

Action and adventure are true partners, so let us help you add vitality, zest and fun to your event whilst at the same time improving your business in real and measurable ways. So take the plunge, try something new and book your next team building activity with Byron Bay Adventure Tours!