Aerial view of Thala Beach Lodge from the South
Copyright Thala Beach Lodge
In April 1983 we spent our honeymoon in Port Douglas and Cape Tribulation, so for our 30th Wedding Anniversary we revisited the area.
Courtesy of our daughter and son-in-law, Aisling and David, this included a two-night stay at the luxurious Thala Beach Lodge.
We were greeted on arrival and treated to a tropical cocktail while our car was being valet parked and our luggage taken to our bungalow – along with an ice bucket of Champaign, again courtesy of Ash and Dave.
The very welcoming receptionist showed us the sumptuous lodge and breathtaking views, before the porter took us by buggy to our bungalow – the most secluded in the resort.
After settling in, we explored one of the nature walks which led to a secluded beach complete with beach shack, hammocks and palm trees. The variety and colour of the rocks, shells and the beach itself was incredible.
Later in the afternoon we made the short drive to Port Douglas. Once a sleepy fishing village, the Port is now a hive of activity, a thriving tourist destination with activities, accommodation and eateries to suit all tastes. It’s also popular with birds, with enormous flocks of rainbow lorikeets descending on the high street trees at dusk, sending the tourists scurrying for their cameras.
The next day we drove to the small town of Daintree where the ferry leaves for Cape Tribulation. But not for us this time, instead we had a picnic lunch at Wonga Park on the coast on the way back to Mossman. It used to be possible to drive from there to Mossman Gorge but now the only way to get there is through the impressive visitors centre.
When we got back to Thala we started another nature walk but returned to our bungalow when the rain got too heavy. We were glad we finished it when the rain stopped as it led to a picturesque cove with spectacular views along the way.
After dinner we retired to our room with a DVD from the Lodge’s extensive collection and relaxed with a glass of bubbly.
Next morning we took advantage of having a late checkout and went for yet another nature walk, this time to find the bird pond and hide. We were just about to leave the hide when a noise drew our attention to an osprey nest, complete with osprey and chic. A lovely memory to take with us from our most enjoyable stay at Thala Beach Lodge.
DRIVING AUSTRALIA 