It was almost dusk when our car navigated the ascent towards Byron Bay’s famed lighthouse. We just flew in from Sydney that same day, visiting the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary right after touching down—our backpacks still at the back of G’s car.
 |
| THE GANG AT CAPE BYRON LIGHTHOUSE |
She dropped us off a hundred meters or so from the lighthouse, Tallows Beach was in full view on our right, while she went back down to park her car. She doesn’t want us to miss the sunset, she said. She’s sweet like that.
Byron Bay changed its name from Cavvanbah after Lieutenant James Cook anchored along its waters, naming it after sailor John Byron. From a sleepy industrial town, it has since become a haven for hippies after surfers has discovered its swells. The deal was sealed during the seventies when the Aquarius Festival, a counter-culture arts and music festival, arrived in town.
 |
| TAKING AN UBER TO LAKE AINSWORTH THE NEXT DAY |
| BYRON BAY AND BALLINA DIY TOUR WHAT’S INSIDE? • Cape Byron Lighthouse • Lake Ainsworth • Seven Mile Beach • The Point Cafe at Lennox Head • Lighthouse Beach ► AUSTRALIA ITINERARY 10 DAYS |
CAPE BYRON LIGHTHOUSE
ENTRANCE FEE: FREE | OPENING HOURS: 8:00AM TO 6:00PM | GPS COORDINATES MAP: -28.638535,153.6346196
Built in 1901, the stately Cape Byron Lighthouse boasts of being the most powerful of its kind in terms of light intensity across the whole of Australia. It sits on the easternmost promontory of the continent and is three kilometers away from Byron Bay. People actually walk up and bike to this place.
Since it’s on the eastside, the best time to go here is actually during sunrise. But since we didn’t have a choice, sunset it was. Being quite old, I can see how immaculately preserved it was—it actually looks new if not for the 1901 numerals carved along some of its pillars.
Going back down to the car, we passed by a viewpoint overlooking Tallows Beach. Once flocked by people panning for gold during 1870’s, the beach is now a haven for surfers. We promised ourselves we’d visit the beach the next day, but promises are meant to be broken, especially if you’d be drinking beer cider ‘til past midnight.
 |
| THE BYRON BAY LIGHTHOUSE DURING SUNSET |
 |
| THE LIGHTHOUSE IS VERY WELL MAINTAINED IT ACTUALLY LOOKS NEW |
 |
| A VIEWPOINT AND A WALKING TRAIL OFF THE SIDE OF THE LIGHTHOUSE |
 |
| TALLOWS BEACH CAN BE SEEN FROM THE CAPE |
LAKE AINSWORTH
ENTRANCE FEE: FREE | GPS COORDINATES MAP: -28.7815749,153.5871468
Checking out late from Byron Bay Hotel and Apartments, we decided on heading straight to Lake Ainsworth instead of Tallows Beach. M and C were just so entranced with the photos of the lake on the interweb that we’d have to go, like, right away.
This particular body of water is surrounded by tea trees, and the tannins from these leach down to the water giving it a red-orangey tint, hence its monikers Orange Lake and Tea Tree Lake.
Getting there by public transport is impossible, but since we were three in the group, we decided on getting an Uber ride right up to the lake’s edge. Imagine our chagrin after paying a hefty bill to find a lake with no hint of orange whatsoever. Seemingly, the sun needs to be on full blast for the effect to be apparent. And it was darn cloudy.
On closer inspection, we did find the water along the banks to be orange in color. It’s not gonna get a thousand likes on Instagram though, lol.
With barbecue pits and picnic grounds, the place is popular for weekenders wanting to chill out—as if Byron Bay itself isn’t chill enough. We also saw a couple taking a dip on the water, we were like, eww why at first, but upon further reading, we found that its water has healing elements, sort of like a medical bath from the tea trees.
 |
| LOOKING FOR ORANGE WATER |
 |
| THE LAKE APPEARS ORANGE UNDER INTENSE SUNLIGHT—IT WAS, UNFORTUNATELY, CLOUDY |
 |
| TEA TREES SURROUNDING THE LAKE |
 |
| THE LAKE’S ORANGE TINT COMES FROM THE TEA TREES SURROUNDING ITS PERIMETER |
SEVEN MILE BEACH
ENTRANCE FEE: FREE | GPS COORDINATES MAP: -28.7612643,153.5688558
Parallel to the lake is the Seven Mile Beach. It was an easy two-minute walk and we’re right by the Pacific.
The beach, which stretches for, uhmm, seven miles from Broken Head—where Thor actually has a house—up to Lennox Head, is utterly deserted. Well, there’s a dog walker or two and a few people off the horizon. But they’re so far away that we might as well be on Mars.
We’re ready for a swim even if C forgot her swimsuit but signs warning of sharks and rips told us we’re better off at the water’s edge. We turned back after taking a few snaps.
 |
| ALONE AT SEVEN MILE BEACH |
 |
| COLD DAY FOR A SWIM |
 |
| THERE’S A CROWD AT THE NORTHERN END OF THE BEACH |
 |
| THERE ARE WARNING SIGNS FOR SHARKS |
THE POINT CAFÉ AT LENNOX HEAD
OPENING HOURS: 6:00AM TO 4:00PM | GPS COORDINATES MAP: -28.7941648,153.5910754
With no cabs or Internet to hail an Uber car, we walked our way to the not-so-near Lennox Head. Why there? Well, we can’t find anywhere else to go. Besides, we saw a few cafes on the map and we were hungry. And, they probably have Internet, it might be the only way we get out of this place.
While updating our social media apps at The Point Café, we sipped on bracingly cold milkshakes and feasted on their larger-than-mouth The Point Burger. Our tables and hands were pretty messed up right after.
 |
| CLEAN AND SIMPLE INTERIORS OF THE POINT CAFE |
 |
| WE CHOSE TO EAT AL FRESCO |
 |
| NO WAY WE CAN FIT THOSE IN OUR MOUTHS |
LIGHTHOUSE BEACH
ENTRANCE FEE: FREE | GPS COORDINATES MAP: -28.8698223,153.5890083
Coming from work, G rescued us at Lennox Head. We proceeded on raiding a liquor store and a KFC joint before crashing at her pad at the nearby town of Ballina. We picked L, her super adorable six-year old kid, en route.
The plan was for us to visit a watering hole while G goes to work, but we decided on scratching that off our to-do list. Instead, we offered on babysitting L instead. While feasting on a bucket of chicken and guzzling a dozen cans of beer and cider, that is. Cider is the bomb, by the way.
L is so much fun, right before sundown, we went to the Lighthouse Beach, which is like three minutes away from their doorstep. The 700-meter stretch of sand apparently formed when an entrance wall was put along the nearby Richmond River, filling up the then Shaws Bay with sand, instantly producing thirty hectares of prime real estate property. G’s house probably sits above the former bay.
Again, like most beaches in the area, there are sharks and people actually get swept to the sea due to currents. Apparently, it’s only good for surfing. So we did the next best thing. We taught L how to play hopscotch, the Filipino way, on the beach until it went full dark.
 |
| C AND L WAITNG FOR THE DUSK AT LIGHTHOUSE BEACH |
 |
| SEAGULLS RESTING ALONG THE SHORE |
 |
| GEOMETRIC GIANT JACKSTONES ON ONE SIDE OF THE BEACH |
 |
| SCOOT HAS DAILY PROMO FARES FROM MANILA TO AUSTRALIA |
Constructed by Filipino, American and British engineers in 1905, the lighthouse has been a beacon of salvation for seafarers sailing the waters of South China Sea for more than a hundred years. Sadly the light has since gone out of its tower as its batteries broke down in 2004.
I have been to Ilocos quite a number of times but this province up north has always captivated me. A chance to revisit it presented itself a few days ago and I can never say no. A grueling overnight trip later and we’re visiting old familiar sites and a few new ones. The 
