Barefoot Luxurious in North Queensland

Bedarra Island Resort describes itself as barefoot luxurious and we agree.

Its luxurious lies in its secluded location, on an island that feels prefer it’s all for you, and its exclusivity with simply 12 villas hidden amongst the rainforest overlooking stunning, empty seashores.

With simply 24 friends (adults-only), Bedarra affords a personalised expertise that’s uncommon to search out. We felt totally spoilt with scrumptious meals, free-flowing wine and cocktails (all included), and attentive service.

The resort doesn’t really feel stuffy or fancy, although. There’s no costume code, the employees is completely happy to speak over a cocktail, and we actually strolled barefoot from our villa to the seaside (maybe with a cheeky cease on the self-serve bar).

It’s the right place to get away from all of it for an ultra-relaxing, romantic break.

On this Bedarra Island Resort assessment, I share our expertise and what to anticipate together with the professionals, cons, and prices.

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Be aware: We paid our personal means at Bedarra and we’re not associates of the resort. We simply actually loved our keep and needed to share it.

The place is Bedarra Island?

Bedarra Island is situated 10km off the coast of Mission Seaside in North Queensland, Australia. It’s a part of the Household Islands group (which incorporates Dunk Island) within the Nice Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Mission Seaside is 2 hours south of Cairns and three hours north of Townsville. See our information to the finest issues to do in Mission Seaside (it’s price including a while there earlier than Bedarra).

Cairns (CNS) is the closest airport with home and worldwide flights.

Though the resort feels prefer it’s on a personal island, there are a couple of vacation leases on the opposite aspect of the island. The friends there don’t come to the resort seaside and vice versa, so it nonetheless feels very secluded.

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Arriving at Bedarra Island

You’ll be able to attain Bedarra Island by boat from Mission Seaside or by helicopter from Mission Seaside or Cairns.

We selected to take the boat as we had been staying in Mission Seaside earlier than our journey to the island.

The expertise began at their open-air lounge in South Mission Seaside the place we had been supplied champagne whereas we waited. Because it was solely 10am, we declined, however it’s a signal of issues to come back.

In case you are self-driving, you possibly can go away your automotive at their workplace and it’ll be ready for you on the seaside if you return.

The boat normally leaves at 12.30pm, however they had been capable of take us over early. The ocean was tough for us so it was a moderately bumpy and loud journey (I appreciated my AirPods), however it solely took 25 minutes.

Impressively, the boat is on wheels, which makes getting out and in of the water a easy course of (and no moist toes)—they simply drive it over the sand and into the ocean.

Quickly we arrived in tropical paradise and had been greeted by supervisor Geoffrey with a refreshing glass of Pimms.

There’s no paperwork or check-in course of right here (you pay upfront so by no means have to consider the invoice when you arrive)—we had been simply taken from the seaside down a path by way of the rainforest to the reception and restaurant space.

Arrivals are timed so you’re there simply in time for lunch, which is a really nice option to begin the journey and maximises your rest time on the primary day.

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Bedarra Island Villas

There are twelve visitor villas at Bedarra Island Resort. They’re all nestled within the rainforest with ocean views and every has particular options.

Some are simply steps from the seaside, whereas others are perched larger up within the bushes with spectacular views. Some have personal plunge swimming pools and others have expansive decks with day beds.

Until you e-book a yr upfront (which is a good suggestion!), your alternative can be made by availability. We booked 5 months upfront and there have been solely two villas obtainable for our three-night keep.

We selected The Treehouse Villa and completely beloved it!

The split-level room is large with a large mattress on the higher platform plus two wardrobes (the place you’ll discover yoga mats, which I appreciated).

On the decrease stage, there’s a big couch, desk, TV, and mini-bar space with a stocked fridge, sink, pod espresso machine, kettle, and snacks.

The entire room is gentle and ethereal with screened home windows that permit the air flow into. The ocean breezes and followers had been sufficient to maintain us cool, however there’s air con if wanted.

It’s personal sufficient to sleep with the curtains open so we might see the ocean as quickly as we wakened. The sound of the lapping waves was a soothing soundtrack to sleep to.

The toilet has a shower with an exquisite ocean view (sadly, it was too scorching for us to make use of) and a superb if unexciting bathe. The high-quality toiletries are in massive bottles.

The spotlight is the large deck with essentially the most unbelievable views of the ocean and seaside under. You might be surrounded by bushes, with a lot of birds, and it feels personal although there’s one other villa subsequent door.

Once more, that is cut up stage with armchairs and an outside bathe on the higher stage, and a comfortable double day mattress and a few excessive stools on the decrease stage.

The daybed was by far my favorite place to hang around within the resort—such unbelievable views! We beloved to lounge right here within the afternoon with a bottle of champagne or after dinner to take a look at the celebrities.

We didn’t remorse not having a plunge pool as I choose to swim within the ocean and people rooms are at the least $500 an evening costlier. We might undoubtedly e-book The Treehouse subsequent time.

Our room was a couple of one-minute stroll to the restaurant down steps by way of the rainforest and one other couple of minutes right down to the pool and seaside. Different rooms are farther from the principle space, which has execs and cons.

When you have mobility points, I’d test with the resort on one of the best choices earlier than you e-book as there are fairly a couple of steps. We did see one older couple get a elevate again to their extra distant villa (The Pavilions are on the opposite seaside).

Be aware that there aren’t any room keys on this very relaxed island.

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Seashores

There are two seashores on the resort, each fairly bays of golden sand lined with palm bushes.

There are a couple of benefits over the mainland—there aren’t any jellyfish (even in the summertime) and no crocodiles. The water can be clearer than at Mission Seaside, which might generally go brown after dangerous climate.

As every seaside is on a unique aspect of the island, you possibly can select the one which’s most protected against the wind.

We spent our seaside days on Hernandia Seaside, the principle resort seaside, which is slightly below the restaurant and pool. It was calm even when the opposite aspect of the island (Wedgerock Bay the place the boats arrive) was windy.

There are solar loungers and hammocks right here, and even a enjoyable swing, however they’re discreetly positioned and the seaside by no means feels busy. It’s also possible to assist your self to kayaks and standup paddleboards, which we loved.

Though the island is within the Nice Barrier Reef, don’t anticipate good snorkelling. There’s no coral however you could possibly see fish. I noticed a turtle pop its head out of the water as soon as, however the water didn’t have one of the best visibility for snorkelling throughout our keep.

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Meals

The meals at Bedarra Island Resort is phenomenal—we had been so impressed by the standard, particularly on a distant island. They had been additionally capable of cater nicely for us as vegetarians (simply allow them to find out about any dietary necessities).

All meals are served at personal tables within the open-air restaurant above the pool and ocean under. There are additionally a number of personal eating nooks by the pool and seaside that they rotate friends to (we had two meals in these).

They’ll additionally prepare a picnic lunch if you wish to be out and about throughout the day (as we did on our island journey—see under).

Breakfast is served from 8 – 10am. They begin by bringing tropical fruit, pastries, and recent juice to your desk, after which you possibly can select from the menu or a day by day particular. I loved the avocado toast and Simon saved going again for the three-cheese omelette.

Your room is cleaned while you’re at breakfast so that you by no means have to fret about housekeeping coming at an inconvenient time.

A two-course lunch is served from 1pm. The menu modifications every single day and also you normally have two choices per course (even us vegetarians). Every meal begins with a unique, at all times scrumptious bread choice.

Lunch is kind of gentle so we fortunately at all times had room for the scrumptious desserts. We loved a pumpkin curry, tofu poke bowl, avocado tacos, and a grilled halloumi and grapefruit salad.

After the 6pm cocktail hour, a three-course dinner is served from 7pm beginning with that fantastic bread. Once more, parts are pretty small so we had been at all times comfortably full by the top of the leisurely meal.

Seafood options closely on the menu, however our vegetarian dishes normally concerned superbly offered greens and delectable sauces. They may very well be a bit gentle on protein generally, however it all tasted so good we had no complaints.

Should you get hungry throughout the day, you possibly can assist your self on the snack bar, which incorporates cheese platters, fruit, crisps, nuts, cookies, granola bars, and yoghurt. Some crisps and cookies are additionally left in your room.

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Drinks

Alcoholic and delicate drinks are included in your keep and they’re freely obtainable all day.

The self-service bar subsequent to the restaurant is well-stocked with all the pieces you could make a cocktail of your alternative.

The in depth wine choice can be glorious and you’ll assist your self to a glass (or bottle) of French champagne from the fridge.

There’s a basket in your room and you’re inspired to restock your minibar everytime you need.

Cocktail hour encompasses a particular cocktail of the day (at all times glorious, however the pineapple Aperol daiquiri was my fave) or they’ll make you something you’d like. It is a likelihood to speak with different friends and we met some attention-grabbing folks.

With dinner, there’s a recommended wine pairing with every of the three programs and this by no means allow us to down, however once more, you possibly can choose a bottle should you choose.

Truthfully, it’s straightforward to get carried away and we undoubtedly drank greater than we’re used to and ended up with a multi-day hangover after we left the island!

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Amenities and Actions

The resort is all about rest, however there’s nonetheless lots to do (all included in your keep):

• Kayaks and SUPs
• Swimming pool
• Gymnasium (small however I don’t assume many individuals use it)
• Lounge subsequent to the bar with books and video games
• Tennis courts
• Motorised dinghies (for exploring close by uninhabited islands)

Rainforest Mountain climbing Trails

There are a number of mountain climbing trails on the island (ask for a map at reception) and we discovered these one of the simplest ways to work off the hangover earlier than breakfast!

Choices vary from quarter-hour to a number of hours and we by no means noticed anybody else on the paths.

We went to all of the lookouts and one of the best view was from the East Lookout as you possibly can see the resort seaside.

This took us about half-hour return ranging from the restaurant. It’s a reasonably steep climb however not too troublesome. Take sturdier footwear than flip-flops should you plan to hike (mountain climbing sandals had been advantageous).

There are additionally longer walks to a number of different seashores on the island that we’d like to do if we return (hopefully!).

Discover a Abandoned Island

The resort offers dinghies so you possibly can discover close by uninhabited islands. Because the ocean was too tough on our go to, they dropped us off on a seaside on Wheeler Island within the larger boat as a substitute.

They offered an umbrella, blanket, towels, and picnic lunch full with a bottle of wine of our alternative.

It was enjoyable enjoying Robinson Crusoe for a couple of hours, though we had been feeling the warmth by the top. I feel that is finest executed with a dinghy if potential so that you might be extra versatile on departure instances.

Further Actions Not Included

For a further price, the resort may prepare massages, snorkelling and diving journeys to the outer reef, and scenic helicopter journeys. It’s finest to rearrange these earlier than you arrive.

We did our outer reef snorkelling journey whereas we had been staying in Mission Seaside with Mission Seaside Dive. We wouldn’t have needed to spend that a lot time away from the resort on a three-night keep, in order that labored out higher for us.

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Bedarra Island Resort Highs and Lows

Highs

• Secluded personal island really feel (however quick access from Mission Seaside)
• Stunning seashores
• Comfy villas with wonderful ocean views
• Privateness and tranquillity
• Glorious meals
• Plentiful, high-quality wine and cocktails
• Pleasant, useful employees who exit of their option to make your keep pleasing
• All the things is included so no invoice on the finish

Lows

There’s actually not a lot to complain about at Bedarra Island Resort. The excessive price is the most important difficulty, though contemplating all the pieces it consists of and the exclusivity of the island, it’s actually not dangerous worth.

The one misstep on our go to was that they by accident dropped us off on a personal island with a picnic lunch that wasn’t vegetarian. We managed to eat sufficient with the cheese and crackers and dessert, however it wasn’t ideally suited.

The employees was really apologetic, although, they usually handled us to a bottle of a premium dessert wine later (which normally prices additional) as they knew we appreciated dessert wines.

And another con—the hangover! Maybe we shouldn’t have taken fairly a lot benefit of the open bar.

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How A lot Does Bedarra Island Resort Price?

The price per villa at Bedarra Island Resort begins from AUS $1890 per night time for the Pandanus Villa and goes as much as $3150 for The Level Villa. Our Treehouse Villa was $2090.

That’s for 2 folks and consists of all of your meals, drinks, and actions.

I like to recommend staying at the least three nights. 4 or 5 nights appeared extra widespread.

Transfers price additional. The boat from Mission Seaside prices $250 per couple every means and the helicopter is $400 every means.

The helicopter from Cairns (ideally suited if you’re flying into Cairns) prices $1350 per couple every means.

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Is Bedarra Island Resort Price It?

My expectations for Bedarra Island Resort had been very excessive—I’d been wanting ahead to our keep for months—however our expertise exceeded them.

We completely beloved our attractive villa (I miss these views), the attractive seaside, and scrumptious meals and drinks. It’s a particular place that’s excellent for severe rest.

In case you are on the lookout for a luxurious Queensland island resort, we are able to’t advocate it sufficient.

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