Staying At Kingfisher Bay Resort, Fraser Island (K’gari) [Review]

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Fraser Island is all about journey. Merely strap into your four-wheel drive, and head down the 75-mile seashore freeway and also you’ll quickly cross by glistening lakes, howling dingoes and for those who’re fortunate, migrating whales.

With a lot to excite your senses, relating to selecting a spot to remain, you may wish to think about a extra relaxed tempo.

That was our pondering once we determined to remain on the Kingfisher Bay Resort on Fraser Island (Okay’gari).

We have been wanting ahead to experiencing a bit of slice of luxurious amidst one of the vital distinctive and pristine elements of Australia. However we have been quickly to study that Kingfisher Bay will not be all about luxurious…

However what’s a keep at Kingfisher Bay Resort like? And what’s there to see and do? On this information, we share our expertise staying on the resort.

About Kingfisher Bay Resort on Fraser Island, Australia

While you consider exploring Fraser Island (Okay’gari), the world’s largest sand island, you’re principally pondering of journey off-road 4-wheel driving and a little bit of seashore tenting with wild dingoes – the final word journey.

So once we came upon a few world-class eco-resort with luxurious facilities on the island, we needed to test it out.

Kingfisher Bay Resort is an award-winning resort that has been working for greater than 30 years on Okay’gari (Fraser Island). It was constructed across the similar time that Fraser Island was made a World-Heritage web site.

The resort has been designed with environmental efforts in thoughts. They use the pure panorama as inspiration for the buildings, which mirror the dunes on the island.

The resort is not only a spot to remain, in addition they provide excursions, eco ranger talks for youths, guided walks, whale watching excursions, and 4WD rent.

Kingfisher Bay Resort is on the quieter western facet of Fraser Island, proper the place the automotive ferry from River Head drops you off.

At first, I believed we have been lacking out by staying on the western facet as a result of the motion appeared to be on the wild and rugged japanese surf facet.

However, I appreciated the softer expertise – the calm waters, the encircling bush, the onerous, flat sand, and the magnificent sunsets.

Issues to Do at Kingfisher Bay Resort

Kingfisher Bay Resort is not only about resting your head, however about having fun with the adventures of the island. Listed here are a number of the issues you are able to do on the resort…

1. Catch Unbelievable Sunsets on the Island of Paradise

Individuals come dashing from everywhere in the island at round 4:30pm to catch the solar taking place. The unassuming Jetty Hut seashore bar is the place they flock to seize their sundowners – bottles of champagne and platters of prawns, cheese, and crackers are on provide.

Yep. So we loved the sundown on western seashore with the platters and the drinks as properly.

Cheese and prawn platter with ice-cold beer and cider. As you’re proper on the seashore the ladies had enjoyable constructing sandcastles whereas the sundown.

2. Expertise The Bush Tucker Speak and Style Expertise

We loved experiencing the Bush Tucker Speak and Style expertise the Kingfisher Bay Resort places on each Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday for $15 a head.

It was fascinating to listen to about indigenous berries, fruit, and leaves available to us within the bush for use in cooking.

We advocate doing this expertise simply earlier than you eat at Seabelle as lots of the dishes ready will embrace the meals you hear about within the discuss.

The cooks introduced a number of meals of their pure, uncooked state and defined the place you could find these meals, and cooked some dishes with them in entrance of us, utilizing croc, roo, and emu, which we then sampled. It was scrumptious. When you’re a foodie, that is undoubtedly the discuss for you.

So whereas we have been having our bush cooking expertise smelling lemon myrtle and tasting quandongs they have been within the backyard doing the identical.

Kalyra can nonetheless recognise a few of these vegetation when have been are out within the bush now. I’m so grateful she had that have.

3. Go Wild on A Segway

You’ll be able to rent Segways to make use of on the seashore. It was the primary time I had been on one, and I used to be a bit of shaky at first however quickly acquired the hold of it and LOVED whizzing up and down the vast seashore.

We might simply watch the ladies as they performed on the sand and we acquired a while to play collectively on the Segways, and the ladies liked chasing after us.

Segways are $30 for half-hour, or you possibly can be part of a one-hour eco-adventure tour with a ranger for $79

4. Take pleasure in Guided Bushwalks

Resort rangers lead complimentary guided walks that can assist you get to know a bit of extra about Fraser Island, together with talks on the significance of mangroves, Aboriginal tradition, bush drugs and meals, and the dingoes of Fraser Island.

5. Take A Self-guided stroll

There are many strolling trails round Kingfisher Bay resort which can be lower than three hours you are able to do your self.

6. Take A Dip within the Out of doors Swimming pools

The swimming swimming pools are fairly superior. The ladies truly satisfied me to get into the water for a swim (I hate chilly water).

I didn’t final lengthy earlier than escaping to the heated spa which suited me higher.

Or higher but, the poolside bar that gives refreshing drinks and lightweight snacks.

It was a good looking, enjoyable outlook and we loved our final twenty minutes there earlier than our ferry got here to whisk us to Hervey Bay.

7. Get Lively on the Tennis Courts

When you prefer to get energetic in your trip, then head over to the outside tennis courtroom for a recreation or two.

There is just one tennis courtroom on the resort, so you could be affected person.

8. Calm down within the Fraser Island Day Spa

Take a break from the journey and benefit from the resorts spa providers. You’ll be able to indulge in lots of types of physique remedies, from facials to massages.

If you wish to benefit from the spa remedies, you will have to make a reservation beforehand.

9. Rent a 4-Wheel Drive

One of many solely methods to get round Fraser Island is by 4×4 car. You’ll be able to simply lease a 4WD from the resort and discover the island by yourself with out the necessity for a tour.

Merely pack up a picnic, your seashore towel and loads of water, and zip down the seventy-five mile seashore to discover the websites.

Head over to Lake McKenzie, a glistening turrquoise lake recognized for its pure magnificence. This is among the few spots on the island you possibly can swim, so make the most of it.

Cease off to discover the mountain climbing/biking trails, or hunt for the enduring shipwreck.

The resort has parking out there, however you could pay $25 AUD for parking every day.

10. Take A Boat Tour

There are a number of boat excursions you possibly can take at Kingfisher Bay Resort Fraser Island. There are sea explorer cruises, which take you to the northwest facet of the island to discover the pristine waters.

You may also take whale watching cruises (seasonal) to see migrating whales taking part in within the heat waters with their new child child calves.

Eating at Kingfisher Seaside Resort

There are a number of decisions for eating places at Kingfisher Bay Resort. There are additionally a number of bars on the resort, together with the brand-new Rainforest Bar.

Buffet dinner and breakfast at Sand & Wooden

The buffet breakfast at Sand & Wooden had loads of choices and was of normal buffet breakfast type. The waffle station was a selected favorite spot on the buffet desk.

The restaurant of a night does alternate between buffet and a la carte, relying on season.

I’m not an enormous fan of buffets and I used to be fearful about overeating so I went for the buffet solely as an alternative of mixing it with a full breakfast meal.

I want I did it with the meal as an alternative.

There weren’t that many choices for me being gluten-free, so a meal would have been higher and I wouldn’t have overeaten.

The a la carte on the Seabelle Restuarant

We advocate splurging for a bistro meal on the Seabelle Restaurant. The top chef has drawn inspiration from Fraser Island’s indigenous Butchulla tribe – crafting his menus to mix seasonal, native produce, recent seafood, Australian bush tucker, and island dwelling.

You could cease on the bar earlier than dinner for some bush-inspired cocktails. A few of your favorite cocktails with a twist, together with native indigenous components.

After which as an alternative of dessert, go for the affogato. It was the primary time Craig had it and we each liked it (sure I snuck a little bit of his)

Babysitting at Kingfisher Bay Resort

How did Craig and I get to really have time alone to take pleasure in all that lovely meals at Seabelle? A child sitter in fact!

Kingfisher Bay affords a babysitting service for visitors. Fiona got here to our villa to spend a couple of hours with the ladies, they usually completely liked her.

She took them for a stroll across the property and thru the resort gardens, stating the various totally different indigenous vegetation.

Lodging at Kingfisher Bay Resort

Kingfisher Bay resort has totally different lodging sorts starting from two and three-bedroom self-contained villas, loft villas, multi-share Wilderness Lodges, resort lodge rooms, and Kingfisher Homes.

Since we’re travelling as a household, we opted for a tree-top government villa, which was like a small three-story split-level home.

We liked it, particularly its location set excessive on the tree-covered sand dunes. I simply want we had extra time to loosen up inside it we have been so busy exploring lovely Fraser Island.

It was spacious and comfy with three bedrooms, an enormous lounge room with a fuel fireplace, a eating room, laundry faciltiies, wifi, and a full kitchen.

Rooms begin from $279 AUS and go up from there. Villas and homes are dearer than resort rooms.

Test-In/Test-Out Expertise

It was very easy to test out and in of the Kingfisher Resort. Because you additionally obtain a ferry terminal shuttle, you don’t want to fret about discovering the resort on this gigantic sand bar.

You simply want to seek out your method to the Mainland Reception at River Heads (Store 7/54 River Heads Purchasing Village, River Heads Highway, River Heads QLD 4655).

It’s suggested to check-in 40 minutes earlier than to the ferry departure time.

If you wish to, you possibly can even get an airport shuttle for a small payment, to fret much less about making an attempt to get there.

You may also take the car ferry your self and drive to the resort. Merely head to the check-in reception at River Heads and the reception group offers you additional directions.

Be aware you must pay for parking.

We took the ferry switch and have been taken to the property location. The entrance desk employees have been very pleasant and useful and advised us about all of the amenities on the resort.

Merely present them your reserving affirmation, passport and the bank card or debit card you booked with and also you’re away!

In case you are travelling with small children, you possibly can reserve additional beds with mattress sheets or toddler beds/cribs beforehand for an extra cost. Merely contact the reception and make particular requests.

Fraser Island Video

Click on play to see the enjoyable you possibly can have on Fraser Island…

The Verdict

Kingfisher Bay Resort Fraser Island was a refreshing break from the adventurous facet of Okay’gari, and was a cushty place to remain.

For households, it’s nice, since there are such a lot of issues for the youngsters to try this adults will love too.

After we return to Queensland, I so wish to return to Fraser to spend a for much longer period of time.

My dilemma now’s whether or not to go for the bush-bashing journey or simply disguise away with a bit of extra consolation and leisure at Kingfisher Bay Resort.