When you hear the words Byron Bay, you automatically conjure up thoughts and emotions of its pristine sandy beaches, tropical coloured waters, surfers and sun bakers. Known the world over Byron Bay is a Mecca for holiday makers and tourists alike.

Yesterday I decided to brave the traffic and crowds to sample some of the things that make Byron Bay one of the most sought out destinations on the planet. From the Northern Rivers Hinterland, I traveled through Bangalow, up and over Hayters Hill, cruising in from the Southern end of Byron Bay. Go this way to avoid virtually all the queuing traffic delays, synonymous with the Northern entry. Plus the scenic drive is stunning.

Byron shire has many stunning beaches along its coastline but today I really wanted to enjoy a couple of its most popular so I headed straight for “The Pass”. The car park is small, you have to pay for parking and generally there is a wait for a space to become available, but it is totally worth it because when you walk down the stairs, out onto the beach, you know you are somewhere really special. These are some of the images I took at “The Pass”.

After spending a good 4 hours there, it was time for lunch, so I headed into town where you are spoilt for choice of food and made my way to the beachfront, to check out “The Wreck” and “Main Beach”.

I spent another three hours swimming and relaxing, taking in this beach-side paradise and when it came time to leave, I just didn’t want to. Now over the halfway mark of the summer season, I am extremely glad I made the trip to Byron Bay to experience firsthand the pristine sandy beaches, tropical coloured waters and picturesque setting and highly recommend you put it on your list of things to do and see this summer.