We’ve done some pretty incredible trips over the years. No question. But, this private island was an amazing find. We had been on a trip we organized for 12 friends that began in Sydney, Australia. We then traveled to New Zealand and made several stops there….if you follow, you probably saw our underground cave diving. After two and a half weeks the rest of the gang went back home and The Good Doctor and I decided on a little “self care”. We chose Bedarra off the coast of the Great Barrier Reef. Accessible only by helicopter from Cairns.
You land on the tiniest possible scrap of sand in their designer helicopter…..your concierge meets you and whisks you off to your champagne cocktail in the main lobby (which, of course, overlooks a private lagoon…..enough said). Before we go any farther, the story of this incredible barefoot piece of Heaven resort is the best part. The young owners/creators of this dreamy resort, Sam and Keri-Ann Charlton. As a child (and young adult), Sam visited his grandparents on this island. He loved the islands (there are several surrounding Bedarra and the laid-back vibe.
The island was devastated by a “cyclone” that hit in the 2011. The previously built resort was in tatters. But Sam and Keri-Ann could see the potential. They began to redesign and rebuild. The result is a small, lush resort with villas built into the forest. Sam made sure everything is run with the least amount of impact on the island’s flora and water. The food is grown on the island and the most amazing creations appear on your plate at EVERY meal (and quite a few times in between). The staff is small, well-trained and friendly. I even had a Latte delivered to the gym!!!!!! Love Bedarra:)
The resort has a small fleet of power boats you can take out and explore the islands. We joked with owners about catering an amazing lunch for us that included a very cold bottle of Champagne. We are driving one of their NEW boats and we are drinking!
This last pic is a small shrimp/fish boat in Cairns (where we met the helicopter for Bedarra) we had dinner on board the night before…..loud music, local beer and colorful owners made it the perfect eating experience!
Have you guys heard about this Island? Been there? Visited another Island we need to know about? Leave a comment and let me know:)
