What a contrast! Cape Byron is the eastern-most point of mainland Australia and earmarked on every backpacker’s itinerary. When we arrive just before sunset and immediately head up to the lighthouse, big groups of tourists are already queueing to take selfies. We leave the spot as quickly as possible. Our first impression: Byron Bay is grossly overrated. Nice beaches, but other beaches close-by can easily match their beauty. A lighthouse, but there are others. It doesn’t really help that the camp ground, though top-notch, is extremely expensive (around 3 times as expensive as others). Our first thought: Why on Earth did we stop here?!
Now it’s too late, and we accept our fate. After a dinner barbecue, accompanied by a few beers, and a good nights sleep we get up very early. For sure all those backpackers have partied deep into the night and are still sound asleep! And indeed we’ve got the lighthouse and the sunrise almost to ourselves, share it only with a few locals and joggers. When we walk to the cape, we finally see whales. Suddenly Byron Bay doesn’t seem that bad anymore.
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| Cape Byron Lighthouse |
[Byron Bay, 12.-13. July]
