There are so many reasons to love the North Coast. The beaches, the hippie vibe, good food, the slow pace and did I mention the beaches?! Long, golden sandy stretches framed by palms and pines, no crowds and blissfully warm water... mmm... Where was I? Oh right, my trip!
Three nights in sleepy Yamba and three in buzzing Byron Bay struck just the right balance between fun and total relaxation. These two towns were the perfect location for my favourite holiday activities: reading, eating, shopping and lazing around on the beach (luckily for my boyfriend the surf was incredible too!). We had a great time exploring all the amazing cafes, restaurants and shops in and around Byron and Yamba so it seems only fair that I share a few tips on where to go and what to do next time you find yourself heading North!
Best food:
Beachwood Cafe in High Street Yamba had to be one of the culinary highlights of the trip. Run by the charismatic and adorable Sevtap Yuce, who draws on her Turkish heritage to create the simple but ever-changing menu in a gorgeous setting, dining at this charming cafe is a refreshingly genuine experience. I loved it so much, I even bought Sevtap's new cookbook Turkish Flavours: Recipes from a Seaside Cafe. I think I'll start with the Honeycomb Butter recipe and then move on to the Rose Petal Jam, yum!
Best holiday read:
Paul Theroux's The Tao of Travel. A collection of travel writing, anecdotes and advice from one of the world's greatest travel writers, The Tao of Travel is guaranteed to kickstart plans for your next exotic adventure. With chapter titles like "Travel as an Ordeal" and "Everything is Edible Somewhere", this is no literary Contiki Tour - serious daydreamers need only apply.
Best shopping:
Ask the locals and they'll tell you that no self-respecting Byron-dweller would be caught dead shopping on the main street of Byron. Given the number of souvenir shops, chains stores and overpriced food outlets that now crowd the main street, they may have a point. It's lucky then, that I'm an intrepid shopper and ventured out to the lovely little town of Bangalow in search of the best shopping. My top pick would have to be the store Island Luxe. In this store, you'll find locally made jewellery sitting next to luxurious but unpretentious fashion, while clever little skull shaped candles nestle between stacks of soft leather journals. I picked up a super comfy pair of Lee Matthews tights, perfect for teaching and coffee-dates between classes. Part beach hut, part pirate lair, I could have spent hours soaking up the understated sophistication of this amazing boutique (but my boyfriend's shopping stamina has it's limits!).
Best beach:
I know what you're thinking, there are so many good ones, how can you choose!! But choose I will and my choice is.... Broken Head! Just a quick drive from Byron, lazing around at Broken Head is a great way to kill time between your next shopping/eating session. Even at it's most crowded, you'd have to yell to be heard by the nearest sunbather and the excellent surfing makes for good spectator sport. At it's southern-most corner, Broken Head is well protected on windy days and there's even a cute shop where you can grab your favourite summer treat (mine happens to be an all time summer classic - the lemon Calippo!).
(Heading South for your next trip? Check out my post South Coast Dreaming for some more coastal holiday inspiration!)
Wishing you a relaxing and chocolate-y Easter weekend,
*Little Lotus*
No comments:
Post a Comment