Lizard Island | Return to Paradise
Celebrated as one of the world’s most idyllic island retreats, Tropical North Queensland’s Lizard Island is all set and reopened on December 14, 2020, after remaining closed for nine months due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Only a handful of staff have stayed on the remote island – the northernmost in the Great Barrier Reef and an hour’s flight from Cairns – to keep up maintenance and ensure the resort’s tropical gardens and beach-house-style suites are ready for when guests return.
While the resort has been closed, the team has also been working on some new ideas offering an even more personally designed stay. From now on, guests will check in to the resort at Cairns and start planning their stay then, booking in spa treatments and private or guided experiences including a private luxury boat charter for fishing, snorkeling, and diving on the reef.
Now, the team is busy ordering local seafood, top-grade Queensland beef, and tropical fruits for its new breakfast lunch and dinner menus, which are all included in the tariff along with drinks – from wines, beers, and spirits to non-alcoholic juices and sodas.
There are just 40 suites dotted around the resort, each looking out to the beautiful turquoise waters of the Coral Sea and tropical gardens. This means the island is never crowded and guests and hop aboard a motorized dinghy to explore the Great Barrier Reef and find one of the twenty private beaches to relax on for the day. The resort can pack a gourmet hamper full of gourmet provisions and – and bubbles if desired – to take on the Treasure Island-style adventure.
Guests can explore remote snorkeling and diving spots on the inner and outer reefs where hundreds of vibrant fish and coral species thrive or retrace Captain Cook’s footsteps on the hike to Cook’s Look for panoramic views of the reef. A tour of the Australian Museum Lizard Island Research Station offers a fascinating insight into the current research and day-to-day conservation of Lizard Island’s incredible natural environment.
Recently voted Travel + Leisure’s top Australian resort in its acclaimed World’s Best Awards 2020 list, and then placing among the Top 20 resorts in the Australia Pacific region in the Conde Nast Traveler Reader’s Choice Awards for 2020, Lizard Island is the ultimate summer getaway and – after a year of travel restrictions – now is the perfect time for a real holiday treat.
