The Ultimate Wellness Guide to Byron Bay: Where to Eat, Shop, Stay and PlayFood, Lifestyle, WellnessBy Ella LiascosMarch 12, 2021 Share Once a sacred place for the Bundjalung people to heal or give birth, over the years Byron Bay accumulated a slew of salty surfers, green thumbed hippy’s and lifestyle entrepreneurs that have all added to the bay’s special vibe. Surrounded by waterfalls, hinterland and shadowed by a majestic lighthouse, there’s a surprising number of café’s sardined into the small town. Here’s our ultimate wellness guide to dining, playing, shopping and staying Byron Bay: Eat Santos Organics Think organic fruit and veggies displayed in baskets (minus the plastic), isles of natural products and a vegetarian café with a garden out the back. The generous cabinet food at Santos is colourful, natural and changes daily. You’ll find everything from tempeh wraps, raw treats and healthy tonics at this popular healthy hotspot. Folk Doing a lot with a little, this small blue and white shack is a favourite spot among Byron locals. Folk has a keen eye for detail, serving hot chai with flower petals, and Instagram worthy food like their rainbow roll served with haloumi, purple slaw and smashed avo. Surrounded by trees, beautiful interiors, and friendly dogs to pat out front, you’ll never want to leave. The Roadhouse If you want to eat the best toasted sandwich of your life, visit The Roadhouse. Served with Argentinian chimichurri sauce and a side of preserves, it is an unexpected and unbelievable flavour explosion. Moving on, everything else on their menu is on the money too, from smashed avo on local organic bread, to their generous goodness bowls. If you’re both a coffee lover and health nut, you’ll love their creamy iced bullet coffee with MCT oil too. Shop Arnhem For adventurous hearts with a love for a 70’s floral prints, tassels, and a bohemian aesthetic, Arnhem is a must visit while in the bay. Their dresses, jumpsuits and floral kimonos are easy to throw on and provide instant-impact for any wardrobe. We particularly love them for being leaders in the sustainable fashion industry, from pioneering their own eco-friendly fabrics, to keeping their office 100% plastic free. Spell Boutique The unmistakable white weatherboard corner house just out of the centre of town is home to Spell & The Gypsy Collective’s flagship boutique. White walls against raw wood, old relics and a gypsy chic aesthetic are everything you’d expect from Spell. Deck yourself out from top to toe in boho, floaty patterned dresses and cowboy leather for the full Spell experience. The Hemp Temple Tucked away in the industrial estate, The Hemp Temple makes hemp clothing that you actually want to wear. Featuring neutral feminine staples for your wardrobe, from black halter neck tops and easy wrap skirts. There’s tarot cards, crystals, and a hemp only range for men and a small selection for the little one’s too. Mrs Browns Vintage This handpicked vintage paradise is a must visit, particularly in Byron where hand me downs are likely to be in abundance. The Byron store is chocked full of reworked everything, essential denim and endless good finds. Byron Community Market Known for its abundance of small and wildly successful start up’s, the best place to see the latest budding Byron labels is at the monthly markets, of course. Set up right in the middle of town on the first Sunday of every month (except Jan and December), you’ll find everything from crystal jewellery, to labels selling cool clothing cut from crisp linen and organic cotton. Stay Rae’s This one comes as no surprise, since it’s well known the world over. The iconic Rae’s looks over the one and only Watego’s beach break; a dreamy scene of green headlands misted by crashing waves and dotted with families perched under beach umbrellas. It’s Euro luxury everywhere you look, from marble floors, column propped archways and ornate four poster beds — you simply can’t go wrong here. The Atlantic For something fun and casual with a flair for design, The Atlantic in Byron offer a collection of rooms with views of the tropical garden. With endless shared spaces from the pool, the wrap around veranda and gardens; you can relax near their fire pit, or grab a complimentary board or a bike and head straight to the beach. Play Mez Club This sophisticated bar looks like the inside of white mud brick buildings you’d find in Santorini. Add to that, Moroccan pillows and a few beachy elements, this place has Byron written all over it. The cocktails at Mez Club are made by the experts. Highlights include, their Mezcal Margarita and creamy Espresso Martini’s with a smear of homemade caramel on the glass. If you’re laying off the booze, there’s plenty of healthy Mediterranean cuisine on the menu, namely their BBQ smoked Tasmanian Salmon from the mains, or their Portobello roast mushrooms from the ‘mezze’ section. Watego’s for surf No trip to Byron is complete without a surf and conveniently, the waves are very learner-friendly. Hire a board from Rusty Miller’s surf school and make your way down to the coastline to try your hand at catching a few waves. Walk Byron Lighthouse The walk up to Byron’s lighthouse is breathtaking. A long wooden bridge leads you to the foot of the cliff and a steep incline of stairs that’s great for both aerobic fitness and your butt. We suggest pausing intermittently to watch surfers from above or to gawk at the incredible view of Australia’s most easterly point, or the lighthouse itself. Comma Byron The calming atmosphere, styled raw materials and subdued warm light of Comma Byron makes you instantly want to have a piece of this day spa. Not just any day spa, they offer a holistic massage experience inspired by ancient rituals around the world, like their Sticks & Stones treatment using thermodynamic basalt stones to ‘realign the corporal and celestial self.’ Their extensive menu of treatment will inspire the most stern practical types, to carve out some time to slow down and practice self-care. Image: Folk, Byron Bay POPULAR TAGS | goodness pick, discover, trending, 100 Days of Healthy