Rainforest Retreat

Horseriding through the hills in the rainforest, a guided night walk, walking along the beach where the forest meets the shore, our cabin in the forest.

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

Buses operate frequently from Cairns and Port Douglas to Cape Tribulation and how far up the coast you go are up to you, depending on your budget, time limits and adventurous spirit. Tours are available from Cairns via numerous tour operators or you can always hire or take your own car, just be sure to check out the limitations of an old Falcon - the further north you go, the more likely you will need a 4WD and many car hire companies will not let you use the 4WD tracks in a regular car.

This is a YHA hostel, but it's not like any hostel I've stayed in before. Crocodylus offers a rare opportunity to stay in an idyllic cabin nestled beneath the canopy of the Cape Tribulation rainforest. What could be more relaxing in the searing heat of a Queensland summer than a few days in the shade. Spend days and evenings walking through the forest spotting the wildlife, which ranges from funnelweb spiders to bandicoots, feral pigs to cassowaries. Drift off to sleep listening to the sound of the wind through the trees and the nocturnal creatures scurring through the undergrowth. There is a restaurant on site, a small shop, a swimming pool, internet access, lots of guided tours and buses to take you to the nearby beach or environmental centre. Jungle tours offer packages that pick you up from your hostel in Cairns or Port Douglas and drop you back there after your stay.

I traveled to Cape Tribulation with Jungle Tours and stayed at Crocodylus as part of the package. These tours are a great package that saves some time organising each part of the trip if you're short of time as I was by the time I got to Cairns. We traveled north from Cairns, taking in the spectacular coastal scenery and the rainforest-covered ranges. The first stop was the small farming town of Mossman the last township before we headed off into the wilderness. We left civilisation as we boarded the Daintree River cable ferry towards the national park and into rainforest country.

Jungle Tours gives you a choice of places to stay in Daintree including Crocodylus (the R&R retreat), PKs Jungle Village (the party option) or a new hostel whose name escapes me. For more information, check out Jungle Tours website at http:\\www.jungletours.com.au

On the way back from my stay in Cape Trib, the tour included a half hour trip along the Daintree River from a bit of crocodile spotting (we saw some tiny baby crocs) amidst the spectacular scenery - great photo opportunities to be had here!

Horseriding is organised by the reception at Crocodylus, they will even drive you down there! Whether you're an experienced rider or a complete novice like myself, horseriding through the hills in the rainforest is such a romantic idea. Not so relaxing for beginners though - you'll find muscles you never knew you had and they'll ache for a week. Trekking through the hills gives some magnificent views of the surrounding countryside and you get to see far more than you would any other way. The local guide is also a mind of knowledge and interesting anecdotes. The trek also includes a quick visit to see some local domestic kangaroos if you haven't seen enough already!

Imagine walking through the tropical rainforest of north Queensland - at night! Much of Australia’s wildlife is nocturnal, so this is a great opportunity to go hunting for spiders and snakes, though not for the faint hearted. We walked for several hours although you don't need to cover much ground, so it’s not much of a hike, just a chance to learn more about the tropical environment of the rainforest and if you're lucky see some of those elusive creepy crawlies. We saw spiders, snakes, bandicoots, frogs, lizards and birds; but heard a lot more! The best part is sitting quietly, torches switched off and just listening to all the activity going on around us.

If you are staying in a cabin in the rainforest, you should expect to be surrounded by wildlife. This includes a lot of hungry rodents that will get their teeth into literally anything that’s to hand, or rather anything they can smell and what a sense of smell. DON'T leave any food in your bag or anywhere in your cabin. Fridges and cupboard space are provided in the kitchen. A friend of mine had her bag chewed when a hungry mouse managed to sniff out a packet of aspirin, so remove anything you think might constitute a meal! I figured in the end it was best to leave my bags open rather than risk having a hole chewed in my backpack!