My wife and I went to Thala Beach Lodge for 5 days/4 nights, as the first part of our honeymoon and holiday in Australia. It was perfect for us, top-notch and exactly what we wanted. It’s very much a rainforest resort: bungalows along jungle paths, with the whole resort secluded on its own with a private beach. There are no other resorts nearby.

It was beautiful, spacious, classy, and relaxing. Bungalows have lots of room for two, and beds and bathrooms and balconies are all spacious. Care has been taken so that even when the bungalows are close together, your outdoor balcony space doesn’t look into anyone else’s bungalow (that I could see).

Some people complain that the beach facilities are non-existent. Yes, that’s true, but we loved that. You get towels, you get a sprinkle shower, and then it’s just sand and water. There are some trees for shade. Perfect. We don’t want anything else: simple, relaxing, natural. The beach is sandy and long, with almost no one on it. If you want to shower, you go back to your bungalow. It’s not stinger season until November, and there had been no croc sightings there recently, so we were able to swim every day without problem.

The pools are small, but nice and cool, and right by the main bar and restaurant. Or, there’s a smaller, secluded pool (perfect for a romantic midnight dip).

Restaurant was quite good. We found some simple but excellent wines (like the 2004 Step Road shiraz). Service was tops: attentive and smiling and helpful, never overbearing.

It is remote from any other resort, which is excellent (many of the resorts elsewhere are back-to-back, long stretches of building after building). It was quiet all the time, and dark at night. There are weddings on almost every weekend, but we were in one of the farthest bungalows, and didn’t hear anything from the late-night celebrations.

The four free shuttle buses in and out of Port Douglas every day were great; we ate in Port most nights.

Yes, it’s in the jungle. There are scrub turkeys and lizards. Yes, we got hissed at by a snake on the path going back to our bungalow in the dark one night. That’s the Australian tropical jungle! If that’s going to freak you out, don’t go. If you want “luxurious nature”, go.

Thala Beach Lodge was exactly what we wanted, and it delivered what it said.