Wategos Beach is one of Byron Bay’s best locations to picnic, surf, and explore this peaceful sheltered bay. If you are looking for somewhere to perch up for the day, I can’t recommend this stunning beach enough!
I have put together this complete guide to Wategos Beach including where it is, how to get there, and what to expect when you arrive.
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Table of Contents
WHERE IS WATEGOS BEACH BYRON BAY?
Wategos Beach is located on the northern side of Cape Byron Lighthouse. From central Byron, it’s approximately a 10-minute drive from the center of town or a 1-hour walk along the coastal boardwalk to reach Wategos.
Click here to see the location on Google maps.
HOW TO GET HERE
If you are heading here from the south of Byron Bay, it’s approximately a 40-minute drive from the nearby town of Ballina.
Parking is limited at Wategos Beach Byron so you may have to do a couple of laps of the parking lot before you score a park. It is metered parking that costs $4 per hour, not the cheapest but it’s worth it.
Be careful if you try to avoid not paying for parking when you visit as there are parking inspectors that will give you a nasty fine if you don’t have a valid parking ticket.
Exploring the beach
Van Life at Wategos
Idyllic scenes at Wategos
4 TOP THINGS TO DO AT WATEGOS BEACH
#1 HAVE A PICNIC AT THE BEACH
Pack a picnic, some drinks, and something to cook up on one of the free beachside barbecues and enjoy it on the beach or at a picnic table.
#2 GO SURFING
If you’re on the hunt for some uncrowded waves when visiting Byron Bay, this is a good pick especially if you are a longboarder.
The right-hand point break wraps around Cape Byron and be sure to keep your eyes peeled for bottlenose dolphins as they surf the incoming waves.
#3 VISIT LITTLE WATEGOS BEACH
Follow the rocks along the southern end of the main beach and right around the bend you will find another hidden gem known as Little Wategos Beach.
This slice of paradise and it’s the most Easterly Point Of Mainland Australia. You can find some awesome little rock pools among the rocky headland on low tide.
#4 CLIMB THE STAIRS TO CAPE BYRON LIGHTHOUSE
Another one of the best things to do is to climb the stairs to the iconic Cape Byron Lighthouse.
You can access the walking track to get to the lighthouse either from the end of the car park, or there is also a track leading up from Little Wategos.
This is one of my favorite short walks in Byron that offers amazing views up and down the coastline. Take your time on this mini trek as you will most likely spot some native Australian wildlife such as kangaroos and laughing kookaburras.
An aerial perspective
Little Wategos
Exploring the shoreline
Cape Byron Lighthouse
WHERE TO STAY IN BYRON
There are countless accommodation options to choose from in Byron Bay so I have narrowed it down to a few of the best places to stay to fit the needs of budget backpackers, luxury travelers, and everyone in between.
See the list of accommodations below that I personally recommend:
Luxury: The Watermark
Mid Range: Glen Villa Resort
Budget: Nomads Backpackers
AIRBNB BYRON BAY
Another option for accommodation in Byron is to stay in an Airbnb, which generally has some great deals!
Use the search box below to search for all available Airbnb’s in Byron Bay.
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OTHER POINTS OF INTEREST
The coastline and hinterland areas between Byron Bay and the Gold Coast boasts awesome beaches, lakes, waterfalls, hikes, and many more fun-fuelled adventures waiting to be had!
This is what Australia is all about and what I aim to share with you all in these guides.
You may want to see my other related posts in the Northern NSW region:
Broken Head Byron Bay
BEST BYRON BAY TOURS
MORE AUSTRALIA TRAVEL GUIDES
Click on the links below to see more related posts:
- Hamilton Island: 10 Things To Do In Hamilton Island
- Agnes Water: 17 Things To Do In Agnes Water
- Yeppoon: 10 Best Beaches In Yeppoon
- Brisbane: Things To Do In Brisbane
- Gold Coast: 3 Day Gold Coast Itinerary
- Fraser Island: Fraser Island Day Trip
- Springbrook: Springbrook Waterfalls
- Byron Bay: Things To Do In Byron Bay
- Crescent Head: 9 Things To Do In Crescent Head
- Forster: 7 Things To Do In Forster
- Port Macquarie: 7 Best Beaches In Port Macquarie
- Sydney: Things To Do In Sydney
- Kiama NSW: 3 Awesome Things To Do In Kiama
- Melbourne: Things To Do In Melbourne
LONELY PLANET AUSTRALIA
One of the best books to take on your trip is the Lonely Planet Australia Guide!
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JOIN MY FACEBOOK COMMUNITY
Do you have any questions about this stunning beach?
Join my Facebook Community and send me a private message at any time for a quick response!
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MY SHOP
Before you go from this post, don’t forget to check out My Online Shop.
I’ve got a wide range of products for sale and I’m sure you’ll find something that will come in handy during your travels.
SEE MORE → MY SHOP
FINAL THOUGHTS
I hope you enjoyed reading this article and if you have any questions about Wategos Beach Byron Bay, please leave a comment below this post and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Happy Adventuring!
Hey, I’m Jonny – surfer, skater, photographer, and coffee-lover from Australia!
With a burning passion for travel and the outdoors, I launched this Adventure Travel Blog in 2017, and I’ve been exploring the world ever since!
My little corner of the interwebs is a space where I love to share all of my epic adventures, cultural experiences, and captivating photos from around the globe with the ultimate goal to inspire and motivate other like-minded travelers to explore this wonderful earth too!
