Wategos Beach
A sheltered bay below the lighthouse, one of the few Australian beaches facing east.
Duration
2 hrs – 4 hrs
Best time
At sunrise
Open
Every day
Entry price
Free
Wategos is one of the few beaches in Australia facing east-north-east, which makes it one of the only places in the country where you watch the sun rise over the ocean rather than the land.
It is sheltered by the cape and the swell arrives tamed: a long, gentle wave, ideal for longboarding, and a bay where swimming is calmer than at Main Beach. Dolphins come into the bay regularly, a few dozen metres off the sand.
Getting there
On the lighthouse road, two kilometres from Byron town. Parking is very limited: come on foot or by bike.
What to bring
- Swimsuit
- Board
Rules on site
Parking is tiny and time-limited, and it is enforced: the walk from town takes thirty minutes. There is no permanent lifeguard post, unlike Main Beach.