Byron Bay Beaches: The Complete Guide
Don’t waste a second of your beach time with our local’s guide to all of the beaches in Byron – from Belongil to Broken Head and everywhere in between.
If you could use only one word to sum up Byron Bay, beaches would be it. The town’s long stretches of golden sand are its star attraction, and when you throw in some crystal clear turquoise water and sunshine, it’s not hard to see why thousands of people flock here every year.
The beaches are always changing though. Depending on how the sand is shifting, you may find that a beach has changed from a big stretch of dry sand to no beach at all, and vice versa.
So to make sure you’ve got all the info you need to relax into Byron beach life the second you hit the sand, we’ve pulled together everything you need to know about each beach. And as with all of our guides, it’s written by a local, so you always have the most up to date information.
You may also like our guide to the five best beaches in Byron Bay right now, otherwise, let’s take a trip to all of the beaches, moving in a clockwise direction around town.
Belongil Beach
🧍♀️ Best for avoiding the crowds
The first beach you’ll find if you arrive in Byron from the north is Belongil Beach. As it’s slightly out of town, it’s usually quieter than the beaches in town and offers plenty of space to spread out.
Entering the beach from the entrance near The Treehouse, turn left for the quietest part of the beach. The first section is backed by rocks and houses and can be narrow at high tide, but the beach opens right up as you head away from the lighthouse towards Belongil Creek.
A walk to the right will take you towards town and The Wreck Beach. This section is wider, although slightly busier, and is popular with surfers. Belongil Beach is dog-friendly between the point in line with Manfred Street and Main Beach car park.
Belongil Beach at a glance:
Parking: One small car park directly in front of you as you cross the train tracks into Belongil, then street parking and a couple of smaller beach car parks as you head towards The Treehouse. All free parking.
Toilets: No
Showers: Yes, at the beach entrance near The Treehouse.
Café: Yes – The Treehouse on Belongil
Barbecues: No
Lifeguard patrolled: Only at the town end of the beach between mid-December and the end of January.
Dog-friendly: Yes – partly
The Wreck Beach
🐶 Best for dog walking
Located at the northern end of Main Beach car park (on your left as you face the ocean), The Wreck beach is named after the shipwreck of the SS Wollongbar that sits about 30 metres offshore. It’s a great spot for snorkelling in Byron Bay and sometimes a good surf spot, but it’s not ideal for sunbathing.
This beach was damaged in the storms of December 2020, and the tide now comes up much higher than before. At high tide, there may be no beach at all, and at low tide, the sand is wet. If you’re travelling with your pet, the Wreck is the closest dog-friendly beach to the centre of town.
The Wreck Beach at a glance:
Parking: One car park at Main Beach plus street parking. All paid parking.
Toilets: Yes
Showers: Yes – in front of the surf club
Café: Yes – a variety of places in close proximity.
Barbecues: Yes – next to the surf club
Lifeguard patrolled: Between mid-December and the end of January.
Dog-friendly: Yes
Main Beach
🏊 Best for easy access from town and year-round lifeguard cover
Once an icon of Byron Bay, Main Beach was also damaged in the storms of December 2020 when metres of sand was stripped away exposing bare rocks. While it has bounced back considerably, it still hasn’t fully recovered to its former glory – the tide comes up higher than before and dry sand is at a premium.
That said, it’s still the easiest beach to get to from town with easy access to Byron Bay’s shops, bars, and restaurants and is lifeguarded all year round, so it’s a good option if you have kids. The grass in front of the beach is great for a picnic, and often buskers perform live music there until sunset.
Main Beach at a glance:
Parking: One car park at Main Beach plus street parking. All paid parking.
Toilets: Yes
Showers: Yes – in front of the surf club
Café: Yes – a variety of cafés and restaurants in close proximity.
Barbecues: Yes – next to the surf club
Lifeguard patrolled: Yes – year-round.
Dog-friendly: No
Clarkes Beach
👨👩👧👦 Best for families
As Main Beach stretches towards the lighthouse it becomes Clarkes Beach, which is a short drive or a ten-minute walk from town. This is arguably one of the easiest Byron Bay beaches to park at with a large car park and plenty of street parking along Lawson Street, although market days are an exception.
As you head down onto the beach from the car park entrance, you’ll find a big stretch of sand and sometimes a lagoon that’s perfect for paddling and swimming with children.
Clarkes can be a great spot for snorkelling, but at the moment, the reef is completely covered with sand. On the right swell, it’s also a great spot for surfing, with mellow waves that are great for progressing from the whitewater into green waves.
Clarkes Beach at a glance:
Parking: One car park plus street parking along Lawson Street. All paid parking.
Toilets: Yes
Showers: Yes, at the beach entrance from the car park.
Café: Yes – Beach Byron Bay
Barbecues: Yes – between the car park and the kayaks office.
Lifeguard patrolled: Not directly – patrolled by the lifeguard station at neighbouring Main Beach, but cover is year-round.
Dog-friendly: No
The Pass
🏄 Best for surfing and sunset
One of our favourite Byron Bay beaches, The Pass is almost always busy on a sunny day, but walk a couple of minutes towards Clarkes Beach and the crowds thin out drastically. The water is great for paddling or a dip to cool off, just don’t head out too far as the number of surfers can make it dangerous for swimming. The position of the beach means it’s the last beach in Byron to get the sun and it’s our top pick for sunset picnics.
The Pass is famously the home of one of the best surf breaks in the world, and it’s also an amazing spot to learn to surf. Unless the swell is big, you’ll find long, gently peeling waves that can run for hundreds of metres. It’s no secret among surfers, though, so competition for waves is extreme, but if you’re not bothered about getting the best waves, there’s lots of room to spread out and try your luck.
If you’re feeling energetic, climb the steps to Fisherman’s Lookout for epic views across the bay and to Wategos on the other side. It’s also a great spot to get a closer view of the surfing and see just how chaotic it gets!
The Pass at a glance:
Parking: One car park – notoriously busy if the weather or surf are good. Paid parking.
Toilets: Yes
Showers: Yes, next to the toilets.
Café: Yes – The Pass Café
Barbecues: Yes – near the toilets and another on the grass at the back of the car park.
Lifeguard patrolled: Between mid-December and the end of January.
Dog-friendly: No
Wategos Beach
🍔 Best for beach barbecues with a view
As you head over the hill from The Pass, you’ll drop down into the exclusive suburb of Wategos. This pretty beach sits right under the lighthouse and is another popular spot for surfers, particularly longboarders. Pandanus trees line the boardwalk and there’s a nice public barbecue area on the beachfront near Raes with picnic tables, a small grassy area, and some of the best picnic views in Byron.
The only parking is along the street, so if the weather or surf are good, getting a park can be stressful, but the upside is that the beach can never get too busy. At the moment, like a lot of Byron Bay beaches, Wategos is also seeing the tides come higher up the beach, so dry sand may be in limited supply and non-existent at high tide.
Wategos Beach at a glance:
Parking: Street parking – busy if the weather or surf are good. Paid parking.
Toilets: Yes
Showers: Yes, next to the toilets and more about halfway up the road along the beach.
Café: Yes – Soul Kitchen Café at Raes
Barbecues: Yes – on the beachfront near Raes
Lifeguard patrolled: Between mid-December and the end of January.
Dog-friendly: No
Little Wategos Beach
✨ Best for total seclusion
The last beach you’ll reach before you’re cut off by the rocks of Cape Byron is Little Wategos. Nestled in between two rocky outcrops, Little Wategos is only 150m in length and is the most easterly beach in Australia.
At low tide, you may be able to walk from Wategos Beach around the rocks to Little Wategos. Otherwise, the only way to access it is by taking Cape Byron Walking Track from Wategos up the hill towards the lighthouse or by dropping down from the lighthouse. The upside of it being a little harder to reach is that it’s usually very quiet.
It’s possible to swim here, but don’t head out too far as strong currents form around the cape, and the beach isn’t patrolled by lifeguards.
Little Wategos at a glance:
Parking: None
Toilets: No
Showers: No
Café: No
Barbecues: No
Lifeguard patrolled: No
Dog-friendly: No
Tallow Beach
🌬 Best for shelter from the northerlies
On the southern side of Cape Byron, you’ll find Tallow Beach – or Tallows as it’s known locally. This section of the coastline stretches 6.5km to Broken Head and is wilder and more exposed than the beaches in town. The beach is backed by Arakwal National Park and sheltered at the far end by Cape Byron.
The far end of the beach is called Cosy Corner, and it’s the only protected beach in Byron when the wind is northerly. For the same reason, it’s also a popular surf spot, but it’s a punchy beach break and usually not suitable for beginners.
Tallows has a dog-friendly section of beach between the boundary of Arakwal National Park and the point in line with Jarman Street.
Tallow Beach at a glance:
Parking: One car park – busy if the wind is northerly or the surf is good. Paid parking.
Toilets: Yes
Showers: Yes, next to the toilets.
Café: No
Barbecues: No
Lifeguard patrolled: Between mid-December and the end of January.
Dog-friendly: Yes – partly
Suffolk Park Beach
🏠 Best for if you’re staying in Suffolk Park
Between Tallows and Broken Head you’ll find Suffolk Park Beach. This part of the beach is used mostly by locals, dog owners, and visitors staying in Suffolk Park, and while it’s not a bad beach, there are better beaches in Byron Bay to head to if you don’t have a dog.
At the moment, the water in some sections comes right up to the sand dunes at high tide, so it’s not a great option for sunbathing, and the beaches in town are less exposed and better for swimming.
Suffolk Park Beach at a glance:
Parking: One small car park next to Suffolk Beachfront Holiday Park and another at the dog exercise area entrance opposite Jarman Street. Both are free parking.
Toilets: No
Showers: Yes – in the car park next to Suffolk Beachfront Holiday Park
Café: No
Barbecues: No
Lifeguard patrolled: No
Dog-friendly: Yes – partly
Broken Head Beach
🌿 Best for natural beauty
Broken Head sits at the opposite end of the beach from Tallows, and although it’s about a ten-minute drive from Byron, it’s beautiful and worth checking out if you can. The beach is backed by cliffs and Broken Head Nature Reserve at one end and is sheltered when the wind is southerly.
It’s a great spot for families with a large grassy picnic area and barbecues next to the car park. It’s also popular with surfers, offering a right-hand point break or beach break depending on the conditions.
If you have time, head out along the Three Sisters walking track for some spectacular views of the headland and neighbouring Kings Beach.
Broken Head Beach at a glance:
Parking: One large car park – the end furthest from Broken Head Holiday Park is free parking while the closest end is paid.
Toilets: Yes
Showers: Yes – next to the toilets.
Café: No
Barbecues: Yes – On the grassy area next to the paid car park
Lifeguard patrolled: Between mid-December and the end of January.
Dog-friendly: No
Staying safe on Byron Bay’s beaches
In Byron Bay, beaches (particularly on the southern side of Cape Byron) may have strong currents and rips, and they can change quickly depending on the conditions. Before swimming or surfing at any of the beaches, check the latest information, including hazards and beach patrols, on the Beach Safe website by Surf Life Saving Australia.
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