Recently, Libby from Brisbane asked us -   I am planning a romantic weekend away to Cairns but we are very environmentally conscious.  We would like a small, intimate resort that is built in natural surroundings with little impact on the environment.   Are there any Eco friendly hotels you can recommend? 

Libby, there are many Eco Hotels and Wilderness Retreats that are designed in harmony with their surrounding environments.   The main focus is to be environmentally, socially and economically sustainable.   Most eco accommodations preserve the native vegetation and as such are great spots for wildlife viewing.   Activities leave little or very low impact on the surrounding environment.   In Australia the range of Eco Hotels and Wilderness Retreats can be found in a variety of coastal, rainforest and mountainous regions. 

As you are headed for Cairns then I would recommend the Daintree Eco Lodge and Spa, nestled in the world’s oldest rainforest and just 40 minutes drive from Cairns.  There are 15 ‘tree-houses’ in this small boutique resort.    You can be pampered in the Aboriginal inspired Daintree Wellness Spa.   There is the Julyamba Restaurant & Gallery which serves spa cuisine based on a native twist such as a Smoked Crocodile Salad or Lemon Myrtle Fettuccini.

Other eco-retreats in the area include Silky Oaks Lodge & Healing Waters Spa Mossman, Thala Beach Lodge Port Douglas and Daintree Wilderness Lodge Cape Tribulation.   The best time to head for Cairns and Tropical North Queensland is during the winter months between April and October.  The temperature is still in the mid to high 20′s but the rainfall is low.  It can be very humid between October and January, and there are high rainfalls between December and March.

There are some fantastic Eco Resorts and Wilderness Retreats around Australia.  Some of my favourites are the Freycinet Lodge in Coles Bay and the O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat on the Gold Coast.   You can view our range of Eco Hotels and Wilderness Retreats in Australia here.