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So we’re naming the Bungalow Bay Koala Village on Magnetic Island as one of many coolest hostels in Australia. And there’s a superb cause for this – it’s the one place on the island the place you possibly can sleep inside a wildlife sanctuary with cuddly koalas. What number of locations on the planet permit this expertise?
Whether or not you’re a finances traveler, or a household like us, there’s no competitors with regards to discovering a spot to remain on Magnetic Island, particularly should you love animals like us.
It stole Kalyra’s coronary heart. On a regular basis, she’d ask if she might do the wildlife tour and have breakfast with with crocs, lizards and snakes once more.
She’s now bought excessive expectations of locations to remain, and it’s going to be exhausting work discovering locations to please her now!
However should you’re questioning what it’s like staying at Bungalow Bay Koala Village on Magnetic Island and want a bit extra perception into the expertise on provide, then this information is for you. We’ve shared our private expertise staying right here so you possibly can resolve if it’s an expertise you’d wish to have.
Disclaimer: We stayed at Bungalow Bay Koala Village in partnership with YHA Australia, however all ideas, concepts and opinions on this information are our personal. We had been in no obligation to put in writing this information, however did so as a result of we felt it was an expertise value sharing.
This hostel was additionally beforehand owned by YHA, however is now owned and operated by the worldwide luxurious hostel model, Selina, and has had some upgrades since we visited (which we have now shared under).
The place Is Bungalow Bay Koala Village?
Bungalow Bay Koala Village is completely positioned on Magnetic Island, only a five-minute stroll from Horseshoe Bay, the most important bay on Magnetic Island.
It’s identified for the gorgeous sunsets and is the place the place you’ll discover probably the most cafes and bars.
Maggie island, as Magnetic Island is affectionately identified, isn’t identified for having a throbbing nightlife scene; that’s not what you come right here for.
There’s a bus cease outdoors the hostel, which takes you everywhere in the island. Properly, up and down the one major street to many of the bays. You want a 4×4 to entry among the distant spots, however you possibly can simply rent one from the entrance desk.
Our Expertise Staying at Bungalow Bay Koala Village
The very first thing we cherished about Bungalow Bay Koala Village was that the employees are tremendous pleasant and went out of their option to analysis the perfect excursions for us and set up vehicles to rent.
They helped e-book all of it for us and eradicated quite a lot of the stress of planning our itinerary on the island.
The spotlight of our journey being our full-day snorkeling and fishing tour across the island. Oh, and cruising round in a mini-convertible was cool.
Within the night, we ordered some scrumptious meals from the onsite restaurant, HOWM.
The restaurant is open all day, from breakfast to dinner, and even has snacks should you favor one thing mild.
They serve up contemporary mediterranean meals utilizing Aussie produce, and now have chilly beers on faucet.
The menu decisions are restricted, however it’s scrumptious. We additionally felt that for Maggie Island, the onsite eating places had been decently priced so we ate there most nights!
There’s a camp kitchen, which in my view wanted its amenities updating, so I simply selected to not prepare dinner there.
I noticed whereas I used to be there why I used to be such a grumble bum about it.
Since having kids, largely since having two kids, cooking is the one time of the day I get to myself.
It’s after I can utterly zone out and simply respect being within the second having fun with the cooking creation, listening to music and loving my very own area.
Shared kitchens are bugging me as a result of I’ve to share that “me time” with different folks, and I get irritated with them in my area.
Vastly totally different to my backpacking days the place the kitchen was the place all of the enjoyable conversations occurred.
That’s simply my factor although! For anybody else, the kitchen works effective. The Bungalow Bay Koala Village kitchen is extra like an outside camp kitchen, which does mix in with the remainder of the property.
Amenities at Bungalow Bay Koala Village
Bungalow Bay Koala Village can be totally different as there’s a campground right here. Actually, it’s the one campground on the island.
I like how this caters to a wider market of travellers and permits you to pitch your personal tent, which saves you some huge cash when touring in Australia.
It’s additionally set in a extremely fairly location within the forest and has a real island vibe with A-frame bungalows as hostel rooms, somewhat than one huge constructing.
There’s a stunning chill-out nook with bean baggage beneath a beautiful tree the ladies cherished climbing throughout. It’s successful with the youngsters AND the adults as a spot to learn or chat.
The opposite place you possibly can sit back is in a hammock by the outside swimming pool. How’s that for serenity?
We had been fortunate to get an 8-bed A-frame bungalow to ourselves which consisted of 4 double bunks. It suited our household of 4 properly.
I cherished the way it got here with its personal personal lavatory with a bathroom and bathe. So significantly better than strolling via the halls to the communal lavatory and preventing your manner via the road of a morning to get to the bathe.
It’s also possible to discover single, twin, and double rooms, plus a-frame bungalows that swimsuit a bunch of 6-8.
In case you’re solo touring, you will discover a shared A-frame bungalow which serves as a dorm room, so even should you journey alone you continue to get the bungalow expertise.
Since we visited, Selina have modernised this hostel and now additionally characteristic a coworking area, which is right for these digital nomads who want an area to work.
They’ve additionally added extra occasions, which weren’t an providing throughout out go to. You could find weekly gatherings of drums circles, in addition to pool-side djs and dwell leisure. They even have hearth reveals!
They’ve additionally added a yoga deck and a film room, which was not obtainable once we visited.
Breakfast With The Koalas
The REAL attraction on the Bungalow Bay Koala Village is the wildlife.
If you’re staying right here you need to make the expertise that extra distinctive by participating within the breakfast with the koalas and the wildlife stroll.
Breakfast that begins with champagne is at all times a winner. And the youngsters cherished cooking their toast over an open hearth.
The Aussie bush breakfast is held within the small wildlife park beside the primary hostel space. It’s a cooked buffet breakfast and the koala sits fortunately munching his brekkie beside you in a small tree.
When you’re having breakfast the rangers carry round a number of wild animals you possibly can maintain – snakes, water dragons, lizards, birds and koalas.
You possibly can pay additional to have a photograph taken with a koala. I don’t assume you’ll discover it as low-cost anyplace else in Australia.
I simply love cuddling a koala, they cling to you want little infants.
The Wildlife Tour
One other expertise value having if you keep on the Selina Bungalow Bay Koala Village is the wildlife tour. It’s particularly nice when you’ve got youngsters.
The ladies discovered a lot and had a ball. Kalyra braved as much as maintain a snake and a crocodile (child) for the primary time. I don’t assume she’ll ever overlook that have.
And Craig and I gained’t overlook kissing a black cockatoo for the primary time both – good-looking satan he was!
The wildlife tour is intimate and palms on. We discovered lots concerning the animals and bought to expertise holding them, patting them and even cuddling them – yep, one other koala cuddle.
Lorikeet Feeding
Each afternoon at 4:30pm the Bungalow Bay Koala Village has a free lorikeet feeding.
Deliver your laughter and calm nerves for this one. They’ll fly throughout you and fortunately perch in your head.
Kalyra panicked after the tenth one landed on her, her squeals rising as a result of I used to be not serving to her – the laughter had weakened my physique an excessive amount of and I actually needed to get a photograph first!
Savannah gripped onto my legs in concern.
The Verdict: Would We Suggest Bungalow Bay Koala Village?
Bungalow Bay Koala Village is a fascinating retreat that’s not solely surrounded by stunning nature however affords an expertise that no different lodging on Magnetic Island can provide – an opportunity to remain in a wildlife sanctuary.
What units Bungalow Bay Koala Village aside isn’t solely its distinctive wildlife expertise but in addition the educated and caring rangers and employees, who exit of their manner to supply info and e-book entertaining excursions for you, and try to ensure you have a memorable journey.
From wildlife encounters to hands-on experiences, paired with the relaxed environment and tranquil jungle environment, it’s the right place to remain should you want someplace to calm down and recharge.
The bungalows had been spacious and the personal lavatory was a welcomed contact. The one draw back was the kitchen amenities which wanted modernizing, however aside from that, there actually had been no points with our keep.
On the entire, we might wholeheartedly suggest it to anybody in search of a spot to remain on Magnetic Island.
You could find costs, availability, and browse extra critiques through Reserving.com.
Supply: Breaking Travel News
