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When visiting the East Coast of Australia, there are so many beach and surf towns to discover and choose from. Very often, we hear and read the question, which one is better Byron Bay or Noosa? We have been to and explored both and will share with you the unique differences and reasons to visit both or choose one, depending on the amount of time you have on your trip.
While Byron Bay had its golden age in the 80s and 90s, Noosa is the new kid on the block in the new century. Both are worth visiting, but what differentiates them, how much time should you plan for each, and which coastal town is our favorite?
In this article, we will compare Byron Bay and Noosa on:
- character
- beaches
- climate
- accessibility
- costs
- campgrounds
- surrounding area
Let's start with a quick overview.
This article covers days 14 & 17 of our 18-day road trip itinerary along the southern East Coast of Australia. Click on the yellow 'Show Entire Route' tab at the top left of the article, to view our in-depth guides to each stop for even greater insights for your own road trip through Australia.
Character and Size of Byron Bay & Noosa
Byron Bay is world-famous for its surf and hippy vibe. It became popular in the 70s and 80s, also because of the Aquarius art and music festival in nearby Nimbin, as well as its great surf on the Main Beach and Tallow Beach.
I would describe today's Byron as an alternative town, popular with artists, backpackers, and spiritual tourists. The town itself is not big at all, with less than 10.000 locals; however, it does get very crowded on weekends and in summer.
You can find lots of yoga and wellness retreats as well as nightlife in Byron, and you do catch a momentary sniff of Mariuhana on the streets and on the beach.
Noosa Heads is the heart of the Noosa area and world-famous for its lagoon and its relaxed and elegant vibe. Noosa started attracting Australians from the Southern States in the 70s and has developed into an international favorite during this century.
Noosa Heads is literally an up-scale village with less than 5.000 locals, most of which live in multi-million mansions, each with water access. Noosa is known for its friendly residents, Hastings Street, its main streets lined with elegant restaurants and boutique shops, its surf, and its National Park.
Even though people say that Noosa is as crowded as Byron, to us, it seemed a lot emptier. And yes, we were in Byron on a National Holiday and in Noosa on the weekend, so it should be comparable.
Verdict
In this category, Noosa is claiming the win. We prefer relaxed, calm, and elegant over busy, hippy, and loud. Plus, the lagoon vibe of Noosa just has that special something.
Beaches in Byron Bay & Noosa
Byron Bay has six beaches:
- Main Beach
- Belongil Beach
- Clarkes Beach
- Wategos Beach
- Little Wategos Beach
- Tallow Beach
The three longest and biggest are Main Beach, Belongil Beach, and Tallow Beach. While the Main Beach, only footsteps away from the center of Byron Bay, is very crowded and somewhat dirty, Tallow Beach on the southern end of Cape Byron is a lot less visited and more pristine.
The other three beaches are smaller coves on the northern side of Cape Byron, and each beach offers a different surf for a different kind of surfer. Oh yeah, in case you have no idea about surfing. There are tons of different types that come with different sizes and shapes of boards for different waves. I won't go into detail, as I am no surf expert myself, but it is fun to watch the experts in action. 😆
Noosa has four beaches:
- Noosa Heads Main Beach
- Alexandria Beach
- Sunshine Beach
- Noosa North Shore
Additionally, to these four large beaches, there are several smaller coves along the coast of the Noosa National Park. As well as in Byron, each beach has a different characteristic. The Main Beach, for example, is ideal for surf beginners, while Sunshine Beach has a lot stronger waves.
Verdict
This one is a tie. Both beach towns have magnificent beaches, from long main beaches to small coves. During our visit though the main beach in Byron Bay it was unusually dirty, compared to Australian standards.
The climate in Byron Bay & Noosa
Byron Bay is located 165 kilometers (103 miles) south of Brisbane, giving it a humid subtropical climate. In summers, the average high is 28 °C (82 °F), and the average low is 21°C (70 °F), while rain in the evening is quite common. Winters have an average high of around 19 °C (66 °F) and a low of around 13 °C (55 °F).
Noosa is located in the opposite direction of Brisbane, 136 kilometers (85 miles) north of Brisbane, giving it a subtropical climate as well. In summers, the average high is 28 °C (82 °F), and the average low is 22°C (72 °F), while rain in the evening is quite common. Winters have an average high of around 22 °C (72 °F) and a low of around 12°C (53 °F).
Both towns experience the same amount of rain, on average 11 days per month in summer and 5 days per month in winter.
Since Noosa is located about 300 km further north, in winter, it is a few degrees warmer than Byron. It sounds little; however, it does have an impact on popularity for Noosa, especially for Australians from the Southern States.
Verdict
This is a clear tie. Both coastal towns have amazing weather and conditions. The few degrees difference in winter really doesn't matter that much, when you are looking for a warm place.
Accessibility of Byron Bay & Noosa
Both Byron Bay and Noosa have a great infrastructure network. Since our main focus here at RTE is road tripping, both coastal towns can, of course, be easily accessed by car. Either from the M1 highway running inland from North to South or via the coastal road.
Byron Bay only has one main road giving access and crossing through the town. This is often the reason for traffic jams in summer and on weekends, especially because there is only limited parking. We searched 20 minutes for a parking spot on Cape Byron. You will most likely have it easier to find parking along the beach road heading down from the cape.
Noosa Heads has a couple more roads circling to and through town. There are a few parking lots in Noosa Heads (most of which are free for 2 hours). People also say that there is traffic in the summer. For us in April, we experienced no traffic jams or overflowing parking lots.
Both towns have great access to both domestic and international airports as well, to either start or end your road trip.
Here is a quick overview, showing you the driving distances:
Verdict
Again it is an equal score. Both Byron Bay and Noosa can easily be reached by land and air. Noosa might be a tiny step ahead by having more than one main road passing through.
Campground and Food Costs in Byron Bay & Noosa
Byron Bay offers 6 campgrounds
Close to the city center:
A bit further south (7 mins drive / 45 mins walk to the town center):
A bit further west (5 mins drive / 30 mins walk to the town center):
You will have to choose between convenience and price. The two campgrounds within walking distance from Byron's center are way above average in price. In low season you spend around AU$65 and in high or peak season (Christmas, Easter, National Holidays); you can easily pay more than AU$100 for an unpowered site for one night. That simply is outrageous!
The Ingenia Park further south starts at AU$30 (totally reasonable) in shoulder season and peaks at AU$89 over Christmas. Belongil Fields Caravan Park and Discovery Parks start at AU$30 per unpowered site for one night in low season and reach AU$54 over Christmas for an unpowered site.
There is a public bus taking you into town in less than 10 minutes.
We actually didn't stay in Byron Bay, as all campgrounds were full or completely overpriced. So we stayed in a small town called Brunswick 20 minutes north of Byron at a gorgeous holiday park right by the water.
Byron Bay is bustling with restaurants and cafes, and yet you might still have to wait 15-30 minutes at the entrance until there is a free table for you. Nevertheless, choices are great, and prices are high, but then again, dining out is never cheap in Australia. We had a delicious lunch at Byron Fresh for AU$72.
Noosa offers 4 campgrounds
The closest to Noosa Heads (5 mins drive / 30 mins walk):
The closest to Noosaville is:
Two other campgrounds more inland are (15 min drive / 2 hours walk to Noosa Heads):
- Noosa Caravan Park
- BIG4 Ingenia Holidays Noosa are further inland and away from the heart of Noosa (a bit too far away for my taste)
There is a public bus (free during certain holidays like Christmas and Easter), which takes you to Noosa Heads and Noosaville. I fully recommend staying at Noosa River Holiday Park, as you can have an unpowered campsite right by the Noosa River and get to embrace the lagoon feel. Unpowered sites by the water start at AU$43, and there is not such a big gap in prices between the campgrounds closer to Noosa Heads and further away. In fact, the big branded holiday parks further away are not as idyllic and have the same or more expensive prices.
We stayed at the Noosa River Holiday Park, and together with Pebbly Beach, it was our favorite campground during our road trip. Since the south riverbank is facing north-west, this was the only time we really got to experience a sunset. And oh, was it beautiful, the entire ambiance right by the river shore was simply magical. What added to that perfect moment was a busker playing at the campground beach for about 30 campers. The best ending to our trip! Take a look for some real campground feel 😄.
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Noosa is famous for its cuisine, especially on Hastings Street, and boasts a large number of restaurants and cafes. Despite it being the weekend during the holiday season, we could choose from many free tables and also had a delicious lunch at Aromas for AU$76.
Verdict
This round goes to Noosa. Both coastal towns are expensive compared to lesser-known towns on the East Coast, but Byron Bay's cost for holiday parks is just way too much.
Possible nature activities in the surrounding area
Byron Bay's main natural attraction is the Byron Cape itself with dramatic cliffs, amazing views, and little coves. Beyond the cape, you can experience the Cumbebin Wetlands, while taking the boardwalk trail.
To the south, you can find the Broken Head Nature Reserve, and to the north the Brunswick Heads Nature Reserve, giving you the opportunity for a SUP paddle tour through the Brunswick River Swamps.
Beyond Brunswick lies the Gold Coast, the entertainment capital of Australia. In the hinterlands, you can find multiple National Parks to explore, should you be on a longer visit.
Noosa's main attraction is the Noosa National Park and its coastal and nature walks.
Depending on how much time you have, you should definitely look into doing at least one of the nature walks below.
When we walked along the boardwalk of Laguna Bay, we, unfortunately, turned around at the Day Use Area. It is hard for me to recall why we didn't continue. We deeply regret not continuing into nature's paradise that was at our footsteps.
Lucky for you, though, my sister and her husband, who traveled six months after us, inspired by our stories, didn't repeat our mistake and can highly recommend to at least take 30 minutes to discover the rainforest on the Palm Grove Walk (1.1 km / 0,62 miles loop). You will discover many different plants often with some explanations of the surrounding rainforest. Very interesting and beautiful.
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The other walk they recommend is the Coastal Walk to the Dolphin Point (around 1.5 km / 0.9 miles one-way) and discover the scenic coastal landscape with different beaches and lookouts. This one is known as one of the most beautiful coastal walks in Australia, and if you are lucky, you can spot dolphins or turtles in the water. There is also the opportunity to continue the walk from the Dolphin Point to Sunshine Beach and then take a bus back to Noosa Heads.
Beyond that, you will have plenty of waterways to explore: the river system, the lagoon, and the salt lake system. To the north, you will find the Great Sandy National Park and Fraser Island, the world's largest sand island. To the south, you can discover the Sunshine Coast with smaller and less known coastal towns. And on your drive to and from Noosa, take some time to discover the Glasshouse Mountain, National Park. Noosa is a real gateway to amazing natural beauty.
Verdict
Both beach towns offer great discoveries beyond their city limits. Therefore we call it a tie, although Noosa has a bit more surrounding nature to offer.
Recommended time to spend in Byron Bay & Noosa
Byron Bay nowadays is more of a been there done that spot; sadly, it has lost its unique charm from the past. So half-day to a day is more than enough. Don't get me wrong here, Byron Bay is worth a visit; however, it is not as spectacular as it is hyped.
Noosa, on the other hand, offers so many things to do and discover, especially also in its close environment. Noosa is absolutely worth visiting, and you should spend at least two nights and two to three days there.
Our favorite coastal town
You might have already guessed it, and yes, Noosa beat Byron Bay by far for us. There is just something about the vibe in Noosa that makes you want to stay there for a longer period of time.
Overall Verdict
Noosa wins the comparison over Byron Bay. Should you have to choose between the two, I highly recommend Noosa. However, on a road trip along the East Coast of Australia, you should have enough time to be able to visit both and build your own opinion.
Did we leave any questions unanswered? Let us know in the comments below.
