Where magic happens
THIS is a tale of two towns. It’s the Tweed Coast time capsule of seaside holidays from a sweeter time; of family memories made with sandy feet and simpler schedules. Where you can wobble on a bike down broad, casuarina-lined paths without fear of traffic and make the first footprints on an untouched surf beach.
It’s also the suite story of sophisticated accommodation, spa sanctuaries and a thriving farm-to-plate industry spurred by foodies at the culinary coalface.
It’s at the intersection of these two worlds where holiday magic happens.
My weekend begins at Santai Retreat in cruisy Casuarina. A beachside bubble of Bali bliss, it’s an oasis of frangipanis, palm trees and sparkling pool set to a spa-worthy soundtrack of running water and birdsong.
First impressions flow from a beautifully carved wooden double-door entry to accommodation with the same scale of luxury.
More than big enough for my sister and I, the two-bedroom apartment is also roomy enough to preserve family harmony, although you’ll want to kick the kids out long enough to enjoy a scented spa fizzing with L’Occitane bath bombs before collapsing on a king bed piled with squishy pillows.
A well-equipped kitchenette has everything you need
(including a pod coffee machine) and it’s a short skip to Coles for supplies and forgotten toothbrushes.
I’ve just described all the ingredients for a big night in, but the on-site restaurant is worth putting off your pyjama party.
With settings spilling out to the illuminated pool, Spice Den is a warren of moodily lit alcoves overhung by the incredible aroma of Thai street food. It’s served banquet style – soft pancakes enfolding tender duck, lychee and cucumber, fragrant, belly-warming Massaman curry, and cubes of sweetly ribboned Byron Bay pork swimming in a sweet, sticky plum sauce.
Book ahead as Spice Den is outrageously popular with locals and one visit isn’t enough to do the menu justice.
An easy one kilometre stroll down the road you’ll find Osteria with its white picket fences and bougainvillea-wrapped arches. We only had time for a coffee and one of the buttery, petal-sprinkled pastries, but left vowing to return for lunch soon.
Turn your toes north and you’ll be on the way to Taverna’s peppermint door. The whitewashed Kingscliff restaurant is one of my favourites. Feast on modern Greek fare, including Byron Bay haloumi drizzled in bush honey, slow-roasted New England lamb, and fried local squid with the pop of pink peppercorn and a lick of lime and wash it down with a hypercolour cocktail made on the local Ink Gin. Request a window seat for pandanus-filtered ocean views.
The Village Farm Markets are on at Kingscliff TAFE every Saturday morning, while nearby Farm & Co offers a more permanent proposition.
The fields of sunflowers that had swarms of Instagrammers converging on the scene have been ploughed in for now, leaving shoppers breathing room to browse a roadside stall stocked with wholesome produce. But the real beauty of this region is its unhurried pace; in this sanctuary, the world can wait.