Great Barrier Reef Travel Guide

Where to Eat

The restaurants in the towns and islands of the Great Barrier Reef region offer some of the best food in the world. Most of the restaurants specialize in seafood but there are a variety of choices in terms of ingredients, specialization and origin of cuisine. Most resorts have restaurants, and meals are often included in the resorts’ room rates. Check out the options below for restaurants you can choose from.

1) Beach Club

You can choose between romantic dinners at the dimly lit beachfront or alfresco dining and cocktails by the pool. The restaurant whips up modern and Australian cuisines. Entrees start at USD24, mains at USD44, and desserts at USD18.

Address: Catseye Beach, Beach Club Resort, Hamilton Island

2) Déjà vu Restaurant

Reserve a table at this Balinese dining pavilion beside the infinity-edge pool. When ordering food, remember that you are in Australia and do try mod Oz cuisine amidst overpowering Balinese ambiance. Be adventurous with Moreton Bay bugs and kangaroo fillet. An 8-course gourmet lunch costs around USD45.

Address: Water’s Edge Resort, 4 Golden Orchid Drive, Airlie Beach

3) Ochre Restaurant

Do you long for upscale service but casual dining? This restaurant is a specialist in bush dining with excellent local seafood and local dishes. Try emu fillet or freshly-caught barramundi and finish with plum sorbet. A platter of seafood costs around USD30 per person.

Address: 43 Shield and Sheridan Streets, Cairns

4)  Cairns Night Markets Food Court

From 5:00 pm till late in the night, food counters in the night markets start serving a variety of budget food from the spicy coconut-based laksa, to grilled kebabs and crepes.

Address: 71-75 The Esplanade, Shield and Spence Streets, Cairns

5) Sails Steak and Seafood Grill

This upscale restaurant serves fresh and succulent grilled seafood, and premium beef steak. Its open area looks over Dolphin Pool and the Catseye Beach. Have your idyllic breakfast over buffet which costs around USD35. Bring friends over for enjoyable lunch or dinner. Entrees start at USD8, while desserts and main courses range from USD15 to USD25.
Address: Catseye Beach, Hamilton Island

Where to Stay

There are very few resorts in the Great Barrier Reef. But for every inhabited island, there is one major resort. There are top-of-the-line resorts offering plush accommodations with all the modern conveniences. Adventure and eco-lodges, on the other hand, offer rustic accommodations for the most low impact effect to the environment. Depending on the location you choose and your budget, internet and mobile phone connectivity can range from slow to non-existent. While on this part of the earth, choose from this list the place you can call home:

1) Silky Oaks Lodge

This luxurious lodge takes the theme of the African Safari to lavish extents with tropical cabins in the middle of national parklands, overlooking lush rainforest and rock-lined swimming pools. Inside each cabin are daybeds, a mini-bar and hot tub. Hammocks sling by the veranda for a languorous cat nap. The dainty promenade leads to the Tree House restaurant and bar which overlooks the Daintree River. Gourmet breakfast is included in the room rate, as are various activities like river snorkeling and guided walks. The room rate for a couple is USD2,220 for 3 nights, including three meals per day.

Address: Finlayvale Road, Mossman

2) Yongala Lodge

This 19th century lodge contains heritage decors and antiques from 1880 to the early part of 1900s. Dine at the lodge’s historic dining restaurant and relish freshly prepared seafood. The view is great over the colonial-inspired balcony. Rate starts from USD16 to USD38.

Address: 11 Fryer St., North Ward, Townsville

3) Angsana

This is an Asian-inspired resort with over 60 charming suites set in tropical gardens. Depicting the height of luxury, every suite has its own terrace and pool. Thai therapists offer a full range of treatments for your ultimate relaxation and wellness. Water sporting activities are offered, such as water-skiing, windsurfing and parasailing. There are 3 saltwater swimming pools and a multi-facility sports center. Rate starts at USD362 per night.

Address: Veivers Road, Palm Cove, Cairns

4) Gilligan’s Backpackers Hotel and Resort

Adventurous backpackers who are satisfied with dorm-type accommodations will find that this hotel does not compromise ease and comfort with the relatively affordable rate. There is a common TV lounge, an internet café, recreation room, salon and gym, and a spacious lagoon pool. Rate starts from USD40 a night.

Address: 57-89 Grafton Street, Cairns

5) Kewarra Beach Resort and Spa

Bungalows and cottages with glossy parquet floors offer first-rate accommodations on this beachfront property. Each unit has a balcony that overlooks either the rainforest or white-sand beach line. This resort puts premium on privacy; hence, the layout ensures great view combined with creative seclusion. Facilities include al fresco restaurant, café and bar, lagoon pools, day spa, and lounge. You can inquire the staff’s assistance for guided nature walks, kayaking, barbecues and picnics, excursions, and yoga sessions. Rate starts at USD272 a night which includes breakfast.

Address: 80 Kewarra Street, Kewarra Beach, Palm Cove

The Great Barrier Reef is a grandiose depiction of the planet’s diverse species, habitats, and ecosystems. Each element is  intrinsically important, and each minuscule part completes the intricate web of life. This interconnectedness had been the strength of the Great Barrier Reef for over 7,000 years; but the same interconnectedness poses as the bane of its existence today. One species driven to extinction will cause the extinction of another, causing a ripple of destruction. This is not only a call to visit the Great Barrier Reef in haste before it is gone, but also a call to help sustain its life for the next generation.