Byron Bay Bliss at Watego’s Beach

Surfers and swimmers, mostly without wet suits, traipse across the sand and into the ocean, greeted by a procession of gentle right-handers.

The pilgrimage to the water starts early.

I open the cathedral doors to our balcony about 7.15am and the sun is already streaming in, filtered only by some well-placed palm trees.

Most of the roadside carparks are filled and it seems that bikinis and board shorts are the order of this day, even though it is mid-July and most of the country is thinking about skiing.

We’ve been on holidays for three weeks. Ten days in Bali to shop. Eleven days in New Zealand for cold things and outdoor adventure. And now two days at the Watermark @ Wategos for recovery before heading back to the office.

Watego’s Beach is an enclave just outside the main township of Byron Bay, about two hours south of Brisbane. It is where you will find ridiculously priced real estate, famous places to stay, and just above us, on Australia’s most eastern point of land, a lighthouse.

Clear view of the beach

The daily drama of the sea is fascinating and from our vantage point in Beach Suite 3 we have front-row seats.

Bathing in the sea started in the 1840s in Trouville in northern France. Back then it was a treat reserved for the privileged. They bathed for therapeutic reasons or they bathed for hygiene reasons.

Now, in Australia at least, swimming in the ocean is a God-given right. People bath for pleasure.

At first light the beach is pristine, almost as if someone has swept away the past overnight. As the sun rises the human tide of life leaves its mark.

“If heaven’s like this, I’ll be very glad to go,” she said. “This is like a beautiful beach house that you would want as your own.

“The beach is gorgeous. The sand is white and in the distance you can see dark mountain ranges.

“It is like Hawaii. I would put this in the top 10 most beautiful places in the world.

“It’s stunning. I’m not going home.”

In the end, the promise of a return holiday was the only way I could get her out the door and away from Watego’s Beach.

Suite 3

The Watermark @ Wategos has three suites. Suite 3 is attached to the western end of the owner’s residence, with a separate entrance. The other two suites are underneath.

As you would expect, the entire living area opens out toward the beach.

You walk into a kitchen/lounge which has marble floors and a beach-meets-Balinese-inspired decor. The kitchen is fully equipped with Kleenmaid appliances and has a bench dining area for two people.

There’s two comfortable cream lounges, a Bose surround sound system connected to a flat-screen television and wifi for those silly enough to want to work.

The colour scheme reflects the coastal palate – from the tones of warm wet sand to the clean white polished surfaces. The ocean has played its part as well with a clever use of shells, sand and starfish dotted around the rooms. Even the trio of paintings above the queen-size bed are of fish swimming in the direction of the ocean.

The bathroom, with floor-to-ceiling marble tiles, is well designed with locally-produced Sanctum toiletries and body creams.

What’s nearby

Byron Bay township is about a five-minute door-to-store drive. We walked to Rae’s on Watego’s on the first night and had an expensive, but mouth-watering meal.

For breakfast on the Saturday morning we drove to Bangalow. While we were there we also bought our fruit and vege for the week at the local markets. The markets are cheap and the produce fresh.