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Byron Bay Beaches

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Byron Bay Surfing. Three words which go together like peanut butter and jelly! Byron Bay is easily one of the most iconic places in the world to surf. It may not be pumping yearly but its right hand point breaks and winter swell keep it in the top. Many Australians live in Byron Bay to surf with the beauty of Byron Bay being a deciding factor in settling into the surfing lifestyle here rather than elsewhere.

We’ve listed all of Byron Bays beaches, including, of course, the best ones for surfing, some of the more remote beaches (where clothes are optional!) and where the best places to spot whales during whale season are.

If you’re a beginner surfer it’s a good idea to have a surf lesson to learn about the waves, and a bit about surfing etiquette. A lesson is well worth the price because the feeling of catching your first wave is amazing!

The Best Byron Bay Beaches for Surfers!

1. Belongil beach

Belongil Beach is the first northerly beach and is about a one km walk north of Main Beach, it is a consistent beach good for all levels of surfing ability. It works best on a south easterly swell with an off-shore southerly or south westerly wind. It’s a quieter beach than some others which is good for beginners when the waves are small. There are however strong rip currents when the swells are larger.

Parts of Belongil Beach are unofficially ‘clothes optional’. Use your discretion as it isn’t one of the legal nude beaches but you do quite often spot a few naked people around!

belongil beach byron bay
Belongil Beach – quieter than some other beaches, but with occasional strong rip currents. Partially clothing optional!

2. The Wreck

Just north of Main beach is a favourite amongst locals – The Wreck. This isn’t a beach as such but it’s a popular and well known surf break. It works best in a south east / east swell with southerly winds. The level of ability can depend on the size of the swell. The waves are consistently hollow due to the sandbank that the shipwreck creates (hence the name).

3. Main Beach

Handily located right in front of the town, Main Beach is good for all levels of surfers. It’s also the most popular beach, so it can get busy with surfers, swimmers and even some kayakers. There are surf lifesavers patrolling during summer.

4. Clarkes Beach

Clarkes beach can be rather flat when the swell is small but when the swell is pumping this is no place for a learner! Clarkes beach is also patrolled by surf lifesavers in summer.

best beaches byron bay clarkes beach
Clarkes Beach – better for experienced surfers

5. The Pass

Further towards the lighthouse again and The Pass is an incredible right hand point break. When the swell is an easy 2-3ft and south easterly you get the most beautiful waves gathering from the point.

The Pass is often described as one of the best surf beaches in Australia so it’s Byron Bays most popular surf spot, therefore it can be busy. It’s also where some dive boats head out from, so pay attention!

6. Wategos

A beautiful and somewhat quiet beach which sits amongst Byron Bays most beautiful homes. It is a playground to marine life and it has some beautiful waves in winter. This beach also needs a Southerly wind and at certain times of the year has a perfect logging wave off the point but quite an inconsistent beach. On big days you will see paddle boards hundred of metres out into the surf paddling for huge white wash.

There are free electric BBQ’s and picnic tables here at Wategoes beach, so it’s a great place to head to for the day, as long as you take some food with you!

beat surfing beaches byron bay
Wategos Beach – Great for a day out with a picnic

7. Little Wategos

Little Wategos is a sheltered beach that’s great for swimming as it tends to have calmer water than some other beaches in Byron Bay. It’s not great for surfing, but head here for a day of relaxed sunbathing and swimming.

8. Cosy Corner Beach

You can walk to Cosy Corner Beach but it’ll take you about 30 minutes, which is fine if you’re heading here to watch the hang-gliders launching themselves off the cliff above. If you’re bringing your surf board then head here by car. You’ll have to pay to park but in the right conditions the surfing here is excellent so it’s well worth it.

9. Tallow beach

Tallow Beach spans all the way from Cosy Corner to the beginning of Suffolk Park. It offers both right and left hand waves depending on the swell direction. Tip: Cosy Corner is one of the few breaks protected from the dreaded northerlies. There can be strong rip currents here so it’s not ideal for beginners who should probably head to Main Beach and Clarkes Beach instead.

tallows beach byron bay
Tallow Beach – a bit further out of town but with great surf

Byron Bay Beaches a little further away

10. Suffolk Park

Suffolk Park is south of Byron Bay. It’s a quiet beach and is not patrolled by surf lifesavers so only experienced surfers should head here.

11. Broken Head Beach

Broken Head is a good place to head for a day out for somewhere a little quieter than Main Beach. There are good facilities here including BBQ’s, showers and a picnic area. Broken Head is popular with both families and surfers.

12. Kings Beach

Kings Beach is a beautiful, secluded spot that is very quiet. There are some rocky outcrops to explore and you can sit under the shade of the trees. Being a secluded beach Kings Beach is another unofficial clothes optional / nudist beach in Byron Bay!

13. Brays Beach

Head along a dirt track from Kings Beach and you’ll arrive at Brays Beach. You’ll be rewarded with a very secluded and beautiful little beach fringed with tropical palm trees!

14. Whites Beach

Whites Beach is the last beach you’ll come across in Broken Head Nature Reserve. It’s another secluded beach with lovely white sand.

15. Tyagarah Beach

Heading north of Byron Bay and you can find Tyagarah Beach. If you’ve visited all the other beaches on this list then you might have stumbled across a few people getting naked at some unofficial ‘clothes optional’ beaches. Tyagarah has a clothing optional section of beach 500 metres along from Belongil Creek.

Tyagarah Beach is an excellent spot for whale watching during whale season and is surrounded by the Tyagarah Nature Reserve. Being a bit further out of town, this beach tends to be a quieter.

So there you go, there are beaches in Byron Bay suitable for everyone, from surfers, to swimmers, kayakers and even nudists! If you are learning to surf stick to some surfing lessons and don’t kid yourself that surfing is easy, the surf schools will take you to the best beaches in Byron Bay to learn to surf so that you and others are safe out there. Enjoy the progression and make sure to be respectful or it is a very dangerous place!

Enjoy our Byron Bay Surfing beaches and respect Byron Bay’s beaches!

If you’re not into surfing or you feel like a bit of a change but still want to be in the water, then Byron Bay is also well known for its kayaking. Check out Cape Byron Kayaks or Go Sea Kayak for an unforgettable experience, where you may even see dolphins!

Heading to Byron Bay?

Book your accommodation at The Arts Factory Lodge

4 thoughts on “Byron Bay Beaches

  1. This is very helpful
    however have you considered burns beach WA near perth
    I went there two weeks ago as my trainer lives there and it was amazing, best barrels I have ever ridden. Sometimes the waves can break very close to the land so you have to be careful, after a while we headed to a corner of city beach in perth because of the swell and the threat of sandbars. Probably the best surf weekend I have ever had.
    Pls consider
    thx
    PS would love all the legends in WA to know this.

  2. traveling to byron bay Oct 21 -27 , what is best beach to stay at for surf .my wife and i want to walk to surf spots I have been surfing for some time all over the world Favor Right Hand point breaks can extend stay possibly to 29 th also need a one bedroom condo ,apt or house

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