The Byron Bay coastline offers some of the best surfing and swimming beaches in Australia — from iconic point breaks to quieter stretches of sand beyond the town centre.
Whether you’re looking for a longboarding wave, a safe place to swim, or a more secluded beach away from the crowds, there are options along every part of the coast.
Staying in Broken Head places you just minutes from Byron Bay’s main beaches, while offering access to a quieter and less crowded stretch of coastline.
This guide covers the best beaches for surfing and swimming in Byron Bay, including where to go depending on conditions and experience level.
The Best Byron Bay Beaches for Surf & Swimming!
The map above shows the best surfing and swimming beaches which are more easily accessible from town. Check out this map of Byron Bay beaches which includes all the beaches mentioned in this article.
Belongil Beach
Belongil Beach sits north of town and offers a long, less crowded stretch of sand. It works best on south-easterly swells with southerly winds and can provide consistent beach-break waves.
Conditions can change quickly and rips may form during larger swells. Parts of Belongil are unofficially clothes-optional.
Best for: Quieter surf sessions and long beach walks.
The Wreck
Just north of Main beach is a favourite amongst locals – The Wreck. This isn’t a beach as such but it’s a popular and well-known surf break. It works best in a south-east or east swell with southerly winds. The level of ability needed to successfully surf this spot can depend on the size of the swell. The waves are consistently hollow due to the sandbank that the old shipwreck creates.
Main Beach & Clarkes Beach
Located directly in Byron Bay township, these are the most accessible and patrolled beaches.
Main Beach sits in front of town and offers relatively gentle conditions in smaller swells while Clarkes Beach nearby is often calmer and well suited to families.
Both beaches are patrolled during peak seasons and provide easy access to town facilities.
Best for: Families, patrolled swimming and convenient beach access.
The Pass
The Pass is Byron Bay’s most recognised surf break. On a clean east or south-east swell with light offshore winds it produces long right-hand waves peeling from the point toward Clarkes Beach.
Beyond the surf, The Pass is also a lovely protected beach area and the inside section near Clarkes Beach is often calmer making it popular with families and swimmers.
Best for: Longboarding, protected swimming areas, families and classic Byron Bay surf watching.
Little Wategos
Little Wategos is a sheltered beach that’s great for swimming and body surfing as it tends to have calmer water than some of the other beaches in Byron Bay. It’s not the greatest for surfboard riding, but head here for a day of relaxed sunbathing and swimming.
Cosy Corner Beach
Cosy Corner sits between The Pass and Tallow Beach. It can offer quality surf during northerly winds and is popular in summer when other breaks are wind-affected.
It is also known for hang gliders launching from the cliffs above and regular dolphin sightings.
Best for: Surfing in northerly winds and scenic coastal views.
Suffolk Park & Tallow Beach
Suffolk Park stretches north from Broken Head toward Tallow Beach and Cosy Corner. Being exposed to open ocean swells, it can deliver strong right and left-hand beach-break waves depending on conditions.
Because it is less sheltered, currents can be powerful and swimmers should assess the surf carefully.
Suffolk Park Beach is generally quieter than Byron’s town beaches and is popular with locals walking dogs or enjoying a beachfront sunrise.
Best for: Experienced surfers, open coastline walks, beach fishing and sunrise views.
Suffolk Park
Suffolk Park is south of Byron Bay. It’s a quiet beach and very exposed to the open ocean swells and is not patrolled by surf lifesavers so only experienced surfers should head here. Tip – Suffolk Park is a dog-friendly beach say take your furry mates they’ll love it.
Broken Head Beach & the Southern Coastline
Just ten minutes south of Byron Bay township, Broken Head offers a noticeably quieter stretch of coastline where national park meets open ocean.
Backed by rainforest and protected reserve, the beach feels expansive and largely untouched with uninterrupted coastal views and far fewer crowds than Byron’s central beaches.
Facilities include picnic areas, BBQs and showers and a short walk through Broken Head Nature Reserve leads to headland lookouts known for dolphin and whale sightings during migration season (May–November). Aunties Café near the headland track is a great place for an after-surf snack.
Surfing at Broken Head works best on a south-east swell where consistent beach-break banks form along this long stretch of sand.
Best for: Surfers seeking space, uncrowded beachfront walks, and visitors wanting a quieter coastal setting.
Kings Beach
Just south along Seven Mile Beach road -Kings Beach is a pristine, secluded spot that is very quiet. There are some rocky outcrops to explore and you can sit under the shade of the trees. There can be good small waves but for the more experienced surfers. Being a secluded beach Kings Beach is another one of the casual clothes optional/nudist beaches in Byron Bay!
Brays Beach
Head further south along the dirt road from Kings Beach and you’ll arrive at Brays Beach. You’ll be rewarded with a very secluded and beautiful little beach fringed with tropical palm trees! There can be good small waves but again for the more experienced surfers.
Whites Beach
Whites Beach is the last beach you’ll come across in Broken Head Nature Reserve. It’s another secluded pristine beach with beautiful white sand. Often voted as one of Australias best beaches. Again here can be good fun small waves but unless it’s small it’s best left for the more experienced surfers.
Tyagarah Beach
Located north of Byron Bay toward the Gold Coast, Tyagarah Beach includes a designated clothing-optional section about 500 metres from Belongil Creek.
It is quieter due to its distance from town and offers excellent whale watching opportunities during migration season.
Best for: Whale watching and open stretches of sand.
