Discover the essentials of Lizard Island with an expert guide from someone who’s experienced it firsthand.

If only one could measure a good time on Lizard Island by how much sand has been collected in your cossies. Or how many hours you’ve spent lolling on your day bed before the sun seeps over the horizon. It’s fitting that Lizard Island is named after the Whitsunday island’s best-known resident: the yellow-spotted monitor lizard. You can spend much of the late afternoon flat out like a lizard drinking at a gin tasting.

And while your skin won’t be as scaly as this suborder of reptiles after a visit to Essentia Day Spa, you can certainly change the colour of your kaftan to better blend in, like a chameleon, with your surrounds. Lizard Island was named by Captain James Cook in 1770 because of its many monitor lizards. But to the Traditional Owners of the lands, seas and skies of the region, the Dingaal and Ngurrumungu peoples, the island is known as Dyiigurra, and it represents a sacred place.

Location

Lizard Island is in the northernmost part of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, Australia. It’s about 240 kilometres north of Cairns and about 28 kilometres off the Queensland coastline. The island is accessible by charter flights from the East Air Terminal at Cairns Airport and takes about an hour to get there. From above, the sun colours the frayed edges of the Ribbon Reefs, which appear like vibrant threads in an azure embroidery. It also paints its contours, gilding its neatly stacked granite boulders and rows of gums. Lizard Island is 1624 kilometres northwest of Brisbane and home to 1013 hectares of national park. It’s also a part of the larger stingray-like formation of islands that makes up the Lizard Island Group. If you have a boat that is larger than seven metres you can pull up in designated reef anchorage areas like Watsons Bay and Blue Lagoon. And if you have your own plane (many guests do) you can use the lavish resort’s private airstrip.

Style and character

Lizard Island Resort is one of three Luxury Lodges of Australia properties in Tropical North Queensland. And despite the fact it’s one of the most luxe resorts on the Great Barrier Reef, it retains its laidback charm. The villas have an old Queenslander aesthetic, which is timeless, and a luxury element that emphasises light-filled spaces and a casual coastal chic. Although there are no tins of empty paint lying around, it’s likely the villas are all painted in Surf Mist, a light, neutral colour that complements the mix of contemporary natural textiles, earthy rattan light fittings and textured throws.

Lizard Island Resort was refurbished in 2015 after being damaged by cyclones, and Melbourne-based designers Hecker Guthrie turned to nature for ideas, forms and materials. The villas and restaurants are timeless thanks to the fact the indoors and outdoors appear to merge. Hecker Guthrie revels in texture and detail and employs wood and fabric to define the aesthetic of the living environment. But the greatest luxury of all is the location of the resort and exclusivity of access to the island’s diverse landscape.

Rooms

There are only 40 rooms, suites and villas scattered around the 1000-hectare resort, with stone pathways that funnel guests through the greenery to the resort’s bar, restaurant, pool and spa. The luxury Lizard Island accommodation includes: Oceanview Villas, which are perched like eyries overlooking Sunset Bay; Gardenview Suites and Rooms, tucked away in tropical gardens; Beachfront Suites situated along the arc of Anchor Bay; and Oceanview Plunge Pool Villas where you can float like a starfish in your private plunge pool. Premium Leif products are used in the bathrooms and the rooms and suites are bright and breezy with wide-angle views of the sea or garden. I’m staying in an Oceanview Villa, which is a standalone cabin framed by palm trees bent into the wind.

Beach towels and beach bags are provided for those who want to flipper straight into the sea. A hairdryer is available in each room, but to be honest, the Lizard Island look is more #beachhairdontcare. There’s also an iron and an ironing board so you can iron your linen outfit ahead of the evening meal. To ensure your comfort, the resort offers a pillow menu that includes a range of hypoallergenic microfibre pillows that range from squishy to firm.

Facilities

On the entertainment front, the rooms have LCD Televisions and Bluetooth speakers so you can crank your Island Vibes playlist. Although there is air con, the whirring of a ceiling fan will heighten that sense of connection to the tropics. Workaholics will appreciate the office desk and stationery. While those in holiday mode will likely work their way through the fully stocked mini bar and take advantage of the tea and coffee-making facilities. There’s complimentary wi-fi, but the best views are of sea and sky. Leave your phone in the room and take one of the complimentary motorised dinghies to explore the coral reef gardens that fringe the island.

Lizard Island has an Essentia Spa onsite, which is designed around the concept of sodashi, a Sanskrit word for ‘wholeness, purity and radiance’. Choose between a diverse menu of day treatments such as the Pure Radiance Facial, Detoxifying Marine Body Wrap and Signature Massage. The resort has a swimming pool, tennis court, gym and tour desk. There’s also a communal lounge and laundry.

Food and drink

A stay on Lizard Island is all-inclusive with menus that draw inspiration from the tropical environment. Meals are enjoyed in the open-air Salt Water restaurant, an indoor-outdoor space where diners welcome the gentle caress of a sea breeze. The menu changes daily and is inspired by the ocean’s bounty and seasonal produce sourced from the mainland. Champagne, beer and spirits are on offer throughout your stay, and guests are invited to take part in a Wolf Lane Tropical Gin Tasting Masterclass at the Driftwood Bar & Wine Cellar. Breakfast is a la carte at the exclusive island retreat, and there are signature experiences such as seven-course Beachside Degustation Dining with matching wines and a menu tailor-made by the executive chef to suit the occasion. Personalised Beach Picnics are also popular, as guests can motor to a private beach via dinghy. The Marlin Bar is at the end of the boardwalk and is a public bar that has welcomed guests since 1975. Expect everyone from visiting celebrities to salty sea dogs to make cameos at the bar, which is open on Tuesdays and Fridays from 5pm.

Things to do

Visitors to Lizard Island tend to be quite active as there are a lot of things to see and do. Cook’s Look offers one of the best vantage points of the island. Hike here in the cool of the day at dusk, when the colour in the sky changes from bands of pink to blue.  A comprehensive guide to Lizard Island will always include a trip to the famous Cod Hole, famous for its resident potato cods and brightly coloured tropical fish. Visitors can also snorkel straight off the sand.  The Australian Museum has a Marine Research Station on the island where many visitors choose to volunteer. Help build the Australasian Fishes station’s image library used to identify fish or record frog calls to help the scientists learn more about what is happening to Australia’s frogs.

Lizard Island is all about experiential luxury, with everything a short amble away. The beaches are secluded and seductive. Flipper straight off the beach at Watsons Bay to find giant clams and sea turtles in the Clam Gardens, an exclusive experience that is one of Lizard Island’s greatest draws. Lizard Island is also known the world over for its game fishing, something the island specialises in. The nearby Ribbon Reefs are considered some of the best in the world for big game fishing. Fish all day and come back to your luxury villa to enjoy oysters and Champagne on beaches that are like a scene stolen from a postcard.

Is Lizard Island Resort family-friendly?

Lizard Island welcomes children aged 10 and over, which is the perfect age to take advantage of all of the island activities. Extended families often book out The House, an architecturally designed home with an adjoining cottage that sleeps eight.

Access for guests with disabilities?

The resort offers some accessibility with wheelchair-friendly paths leading to the restaurant and villas, but the island’s national park has limitations for those with mobility issues. Contact Lizard Island for more details.

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