Queensland & the Great Barrier Reef - Australia 2004 - page 284

Very Expensive
Green Island Resort Step off the beach at this Great Barrier Reef national-
park island, and you are surrounded by acres of coral. The resort is a high-class
cluster of rooms tucked away in a dense vine forest. Each room is private, roomy,
and elegantly outfitted, with polished wooden floors and a balcony looking into
the forest. Windsurfing, paddle skiing, canoeing, diving and snorkeling (both on
the island and on day trips to the outer Reef ), learn-to-dive courses, glass-bot-
tom-boat trips, walking rainforest trails, parasailing, and beach volleyball are
among the activities available, or you can simply laze on the coarse white-coral
sand. Helicopter and seaplane flights and cruises are available to the Outer Reef.
Many activities and equipment are free for guests, such as non-motorized sports,
snorkel gear, and glass-bottom-boat trips, while there's a charge for scuba diving
and other activities using fuel. Both the island and the resort are small, so you
may feel a bit cramped when the day-trippers from Cairns descend; but after
most of them leave at 4:30pm, the place is blissfully peaceful.
27km (17 miles) east of Cairns (P.O. Box 898, Cairns, QLD 4870). & 1800/67 3366 in Australia, or 07/4031
3300. Fax [phone]. www.greenislandresort.com.au. 46 units. A$465 (US$302) double; A$565 (US$367)
suite. Extra person A$86 (US$56). Ask about packages. AE, DC, MC, V. Great Adventures ( & 07/4044 9944 )
runs transfers (50 min.) from Cairns 4 times a day for A$50 (US$33) adults, A$25 (US$16) children 4-14,
round-trip. Helicopter and seaplane transfers are available through resort. Amenities: 2 restaurants; 2 bars;
2 outdoor saltwater pools; wide array of watersports equipment available; concierge; tour desk; laundry serv-
ice and free guest laundry. In room: A/C, TV, free cable TV, minibar, hair dryer, safe.
Lizard Island Luxury lodges, huge potato cod so tame divers can pet
them, snorkeling off the beach, and isolation—that's what lures the well-heeled
to this small, exclusive resort. Lizard is a rugged 1,000-hectare (2,470-acre)
national-park island on the Great Barrier Reef, sparsely vegetated but stunningly
beautiful, ringed by 24 white sandy beaches, with fringing reefs that support a
multitude of marine life including giant clams. No day-trippers are allowed.
Many activities are free: snorkeling and glass-bottom-boat trips, catamarans,
paddle-skis, fishing tackle, tennis, and hiking trails, such as the muscle-straining
545m ( 1 ⁄ 2 -mile) climb to Cook's Look, where Captain Cook spied his way out
of the treacherous reefs in 1770. You pay for fishing and diving trips to nearby
Reef sites, including Cod Hole. Introductory dive lessons and night dives are
available. Lizard's waters are home to the world-record black marlin; half- and
full-day game-fishing trips are available.
The resort underwent renovation in 2000. The 40 villas are freestanding
lodges tucked under palms along the beach or perched on cliff tops overlooking
the bay. They are of elegant timber and stone construction, in a casual tropical
style, with earth and sea tone finishes. A guest lounge has Internet facilities, TV
and video, bar facilities, and a book and games library. At press time, the resort
was gearing up to open The Point, “super premium” pavilion-style accommoda-
tions with cascading decks and a plunge pool. Other recent additions include a
gymnasium and expanded spa facilities.
240km (149 miles) north of Cairns; 27km (16 3 ⁄ 4 miles) offshore (P&O Australian Resorts, G.P.O. Box 478, Syd-
ney, NSW 2001). & 1800/737 678 in Australia, 800/225-9849 in the U.S. and Canada, 020/7805 3875 in
the U.K., or 02/9277 5050 (Sydney reservations office). Fax [phone] (Sydney reservations office). www.
poresorts.com. 40 units (all with shower only). A$1,480 (US$962) double room; A$1,800 (US$1,170) double
suites and villas; A$2,140 (US$1,391) double Premium Villa; A$2,900 (US$1,885) double The Point. Extra per-
son A$440 (US$286). Rates include all meals and many activities. Ask about packages; some combine stays
at Silky Oaks Lodge (Port Douglas), Sebel Reef House (Cairns), and Bedarra Island (off Mission Beach). AE,
DC, MC, V. Transfers are by twice-daily 1-hr. flight from Cairns (book through Qantas); round-trip advance pur-
chase fare is about A$480 (US$312) per person. Aircraft luggage limit 15kg (33 lb.) per person. Air-charter