Tag Archives: What to do in Byron Bay

Whale Watching Season Starts in June!

Mystical, natural and spiritual. Whale watching can be all of these. How appropriate then, that Byron Bay also gets credited with these properties and is such an awesome place to view the majesty of our ocean going friends.

From June, Byron Bay becomes the capital of Humpback whale spotting. Being the most easterly point in Australia, the whales tend to come very close to shore. Our Byron Bay Big Day Out tour takes you to some of the best vantage points for fantastic viewing, including the Byron Bay Lighthouse, where you are also rewarded with incredible district and ocean views. Grab a coffee from the convenient cafe adjacent to the lighthouse and settle in to watch for “breaching” and “spouting”. Don’t forget a camera and take your long lens if you have one. Of course you’ll also be likely to spot dolphins, sea turtles and perhaps sharks most days, as an added reward for your efforts.

Lismore Lantern Parade

Nearby, the hinterland also provides many highlights to tempt you during the colder months. Join 25,000 close friends celebrating art & crafts, regional cuisine, a spectacular lantern parade, street theatre, music, carnival dancers, illuminated puppets, fire art and pyrotechnics and much, much more at the Lismore Lantern Parade. The parade comes a light on the 22nd June 2013. This year’s theme is ‘imagine’ and will held on the longest night of the year, being the winter solstice. There will also be market stalls throughout the day and a fiery finale performance at Oakes Oval illuminating the night sky! The kids love it!

While you’re here, book our Big Day Out Byron Hinterland tour and explore the beautiful surrounding Byron hinterland. Our tour includes a 2 hour bushwalk through ancient rainforests in the World Heritage listed Nightcap National Park, a visit to the stunning Minyon Falls with breath taking views, delicious BBQ style lunch and a visit to the famous little town Nimbin, host of the 1973 Aquarius Festival. Click here to view our current specials.

Byron Bay Writers Festival & Splendour in the Grass Music Festival

The Byron Bay Writers Festival also springs off the pages and into the Bay this winter from the 2nd to the 4th of August. The big news this year is literary legend Peter Carey will be featured. Other draw-cards include Robert Drewe, Andrea Goldsmith, MJ Hyland, Cate Kennedy, DBC Pierre and Michael Robotham. Events during the festival include lectures, lunches, panels, launches, readings and workshops. Splendour in the Grass also returns in 2013 (26th – 28th July) and barely needs an introduction. If you’re lucky enough to have tickets, then you’ll be making history and be amongst the first to enjoy the festival from Splendour’s own purpose built site at North Byron Parklands.

If you’re visiting Byron Bay for either festival, why not stay a few days and enjoy all the region has to offer. We offer regular day tours of Byron Bay and the Byron Hinterland. Click here to  book.

Local Markets

Looking for some retail therapy, hop along to one of the many local markets. Or better still, join us on our Weekend Escape Tour, where we visit a local community market each Sunday (markets are on a rotation basis).

The Weekend Escape Tour also includes a 2 hour bushwalk through ancient rainforests in the World Heritage listed Nightcap National Park, a visit to the stunning Minyon Falls with breath taking views, a visit to the famous little town Nimbin – host of the 1973 Aquarius Festival, camping under the stars, a Sunday market, Byron Bay Lighthouse walk and much more. Click here for all the details.

Community Markets:

·         1st Saturday, Brunswick Heads, Memorial Park

·         1st Sunday, Byron Bay Community Market, Butler Street Reserve

·         1st and 3rd Sundays, Lismore Car Boot, Lismore Shopping Square (undercover)

·         2nd Sunday, The Channon, Coronation Park

·         2nd and 5th Sundays, Lennox Head, Lake Ainsworth foreshore

·         3rd Saturday, Mullumbimby, Cnr Stuart and Myocum Streets

·         3rd and 5th Sundays, Nimbin Community Market, Nimbin Community Centre

·         3rd Sunday, Ballina Market, Circus Ground, Canal Road

·         4th Sunday, Bangalow Market, Bangalow Showground

 

Farmers Markets: 

·         Every Tuesday, New Brighton Farmers Market, New Brighton Oval

·         Every Thursday, Byron Bay Farmers Market, Butler Street Reserve

·         Every Saturday, Bangalow Farmers Market, Bangalow Hotel Carpark

·         Every Saturday, Lismore Farmers Market, Lismore Showground

Rewards of a Byron Bay Tour

What type of person goes on an adventure-filled Byron Bay tour and what are the rewards?

Stereo-typing the sort of person who goes on one of our Byron Bay tours is as difficult as the Northern Rivers region is diverse.

According to Wikipedia, “Adventure travel is a type of tourism, involving exploration or travel to a remote and possibly hostile areas. Adventure tourism maybe any tourist activity, including two of the following three components: a physical activity, a cultural exchange or interaction and engagement with nature”. Although we’d like to think we’ve omitted the hostile part, we definitely strive to fulfil the later part of this definition on all our Byron Hinterland and Byron Bay tours.

Physical activity is an obvious inclusion, but be assured we tailor our Byron Bay tours to suit the levels of fitness and age of the participants.

By far the most rewarding element of our Byron Bay tours are people connecting with this regions amazing natural attributes. Be it an ancient rainforest, majestic waterfall, fresh water creek swim or watching the migrating whales and their baby calves.

Personally we enjoy tours that encourage cultural exchange – and the Northern Rivers has as many different cultures and counter cultures, as it has picturesque landscapes.

This exposure to the different and new is a strong part of our adventure tours and we guarantee an experience that helps you get out of your comfort zone, connect with nature and interacting with some of the more colourful locals. By eliminating the need for you personally to worry about maps, a GPS, camping gear, vehicles and even food – you can sit back and concentrate on soaking up all the experiences natural and cultural we can expose you to.

So – who goes on an adventure tour? The answer is truly anyone willing to experience new things, regardless of age, fitness or gender.

This experience of the new often leads to bonding experiences within the groups and it’s not unusual for people to meet new best friends or even romantic partners – after all you all have the adventurous spirit in common.

To find out more about our adventure-filled Byron Bay tours click here.

Explore the Byron Hinterland

The weather may still be a bit wet, but the floods are over and the Byron Hinterland is looking glorious. The landscape is vibrant with lush green rolling hills, waterfalls in full flight and rainforests teeming with life! Let us take you on a tour of the hinterland with our ‘Big Day Out’ Hinterland Byron tour. To find out more or to book a tour click here.

Byron Bay Tours – Minyon Falls

Thankfully the worst of the Northern Rivers and South East Queensland floods are over and now is the time to visit Minyon Falls. With so much water in the river system, Minyon Falls is at its majestic best!

We visit Minyon Falls as part of our ‘Big Day Out’ Hinterland Byron tour and Weekend Escape Byron Bay Tour. To find out more or to book a tour click here.