Australia is famous for its beaches. Its soaring waves, superb swimmers, surfers, sun-kissed bathers and even its mermaids. But of all the beaches, which is the best?
Lonely Planet has selected The Pass, Byron Bay, in New South Wales as not only the best beach in Australia, but the best beach in the world for 2024.
If you’re interested the following beaches made the top five: Ipanema Beach, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil; Ao Maya, Ko Phi-Phi, Krabi, Thailand; Mnemba Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania and Sarakiniko, Milos Cyclades, Greece.
The Pass, the world’s best beach.
What makes The Pass so special?
The Pass is located on the most easternly point of mainland Australia. It’s a wide expanse of white sand and long, elegant waves. The Pass isn’t just a pretty beach. It is frequently cited as one of the best surfing beaches in Australia, due to its famous right-hand point break. Plus, it’s a welcoming place for beginners, though you should heed warning signs outside of times when the beach is being patrolled. If you’re not keen to surf, then you can laze around in the sunshine, swim, enjoy a barbeque or a picnic. And in whale-watching season, its best to pack your binoculars.
Additionally, you can walk up the rocky steps to the Fishermen’s Lookout, a timbre viewing platform, perfect for being blown away (figuratively) by the ocean. Nearby, there’s the Cape Byron Lighthouse and maritime museum. If you feel like stretching your legs, head to the Cape Byron Walking Track, a 3.7km loop through beautiful rainforests. You can even get a boot out to the Julian Rocks Marine Reserve, an incredible insight into Australia’s rich marine life.
The Pass is wedged in between Wategos and Clarkes beach, which are both known for fostering a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere.
You can park at The Pass or its neighbouring beaches, though all have limited parking, and it can be difficult to get a space when its busy. You might fancy a thirty minute stroll from central Byron.
Living in Byron Bay
Byron Bay Lighthouse.
Byron Bay has cultivated a reputation as being of the most idyllic coastal locations. But Byron Bay isn’t all that big, with a population of about 6,000. It’s the place to find famous faces in Pilates poses along the beach, award-winning restaurants and chic boutiques. Yet still, Byron Bay also manages to attract many people who are new to Australia and are finding the footing on its warmer soil (or sand).
The lifestyle is distinctly laidback – one of your biggest daily questions will be: which beach am I in the mood for today? The job market is not very diverse, but the tourism industry is alive and well.
The nearest city is Gold Coast, about an hour and ten in the car. Sydney is an eight hour car journey, or a shorter flight.
The great thing about Byron Bay is that you can enjoy the beach lifestyle essentially any day of the year. July is the coldest month but can see highs of 20°C and the sea temperature rarely dips below that either.
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A look at the property market
Byron Bay’s property market was greatly changed by the pandemic. The move towards remote working saw many city dwellers swap their townhouses for a sea or tree change. So, areas like Byron Bay, saw an influx of buyers. However, now that has settled down and some buyers are even returning to the city. During the pandemic, property prices in Byron Bay rocketed but they have since come down. According to realestateau.com, the median price for a house is $2,355,000 and $1,082,500, with only one-bedrooms priced under a million. These prices are reflective of Byron Bay’s status as one of the most desirable spots in Australia for a leisurely lifestyle.
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