Printable property details
For more information and to book please visit www.mrandmrssmith.com or let us arrange your whole trip, by calling +44 (0)20 8987 4312 or from the USA dial 1 866 610 3867.
Near the village of Mossman, Port Douglas
Bali Hai
- Style
- Remote rainforest refinement
- Setting
- Tropical North Queensland
Bali Hai is the epitome of stylish self-catering and comprises four Balinese-inspired huts; three of them bedrooms and one the main house. The heady combination of cool stone floors, warm thatched roofs and Indonesian antiques is splendidly arrayed against the backdrop of the spectacular Daintree Mountains. Indulge your inner oligarch and book a poolside full body massage, or float around the infinity pool with a cocktail. More pioneering types might prefer to dip their toes in the nearby natural springs. The huts may be rustic but they don’t stint on the creature comforts. Coco Chanel, that doyenne of style, believed that luxury must be comfortable or else it simply isn’t luxury. Those responsible for this self-catering showstopper evidently agree.
'Thank you for creating this little slice of heaven. The magic of Bali Hai is mirrored in the warm hospitality of the charming hosts'.
'An absolutely amazing property. It soothed away every stress and strain in my body!'
'It was an absolute pleasure bringing our eight-month-old daughter here for her first holiday. Hans and Wendy, you have done an amazing job with Bali Hai and you should be very proud of yourselves. We look forward to letting all of Western Australia know of your perfect creation – thank you!'
In the know
House style
Balinese-style Buree huts
Grounds
Bali Hai sits in a nine-acre clearing amid dense mountainside jungle. The vast lawn runs down to the edge of a clear mountain stream that meanders through the valley. Upstream, is an orchard of mature trees laden with mangos, papayas and lychees.
Sleeps
6–8
Ideal for
Celebrity weddings, honeymooners or extravagant family holidays.
Rates
AU$650 a night for four guests, plus AU$50 a night per extra guest.
Minimum hire
Five nights.
Also
Pets are allowed by prior arrangement and smoking is only allowed outside.
Eating & drinking
Bali Hai has a superb dining room which opens up on three sides and overlooks the pool and mountains. There’s also a gas barbecue, and in-house catering can be arranged.
Children
Children are welcome.
Music
There’s a Bose surround sound system, TV/DVD/CD entertainment system and a selection of CDs.
Provided
Books (including recipe books), CDs, DVDs, board games, WiFi, fishing equipment, bed linen and beach towels. Champagne and an exotic fruit basket will be waiting for you on arrival. Spa treatments, yoga, car hire and day trips can be arranged.
Packing tips
Pack a Man Booker Prize winner and your favourite tunes. You’ll also need some river-scrambling shoes.
Eco policy
Rubbish is recycled, and eco-friendly cleaning products are used when possible.
Smith card offer
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check availability
To check availability and book a vacation rental property please call the Smith travel team on 1 866 610 3867. We guarantee best available rates on all vacation rental properties.
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Interior
Bedrooms
Bedroom 1: Thatched hut with kingsize bed, romantic crown canopy, and stunning Balinese-style en suite bathroom with private outdoor shower and sunken bath. View of the Daintree Mountains and Mount Demi.
Bedroom 2: Thatched hut with kingsize bed, romantic crown canopy, and stunning en suite bathroom with private outdoor shower and sunken bath. View of the mountains and rainforest.
Bedroom 3: Large room with kingsize bed, romantic crown canopy, and stunning en suite bathroom with private outdoor shower and sunken bath. View of the mountains and rainforest.
Kitchen The open-plan kitchen is fully equipped with Miele gas oven, enormous fridge/freezer with much-needed cold water and ice dispenser, Nespresso coffee machine and Saeco espresso maker, microwav. There’s also a walk-in pantry.
Living room The open-plan living area overlooks the pool and is simply furnished with intricately carved wooden doors and stone statues. An Indonesian cabinet houses a flatscreen TV and DVD player.
Dining room The open-plan dining area has a table which seats eight.
Other
Outdoor
Poolside A huge infinity pool sits in front of the sun deck which is furnished with comfy loungers.
Gardens
Parking There’s ample outdoor parking.
check availability
To check availability and book a vacation rental property please call the Smith travel team on 1 866 610 3867. We guarantee best available rates on all vacation rental properties.
Activities
Best picnic spot
The well-signposted Mossman Gorge is a five-minute drive away and is the prime spot for a romantic picnic and afternoon swim. The ancient rainforest borders a pristine river, which weaves its way through giant boulders big enough to accommodate your picnic blanket.
Best beaches
If you can drag yourself away from the blissful solitude, head for nearby Newell Beach, a 20-minute drive away. Swim in the aquamarine ocean (when stingers aren’t in season) or go horse riding along the beach (+61 (0) 7 4098 7583; www.ridethebeach.com.au).
Best walks
The Mossman Gorge. While you are there, make for Kuku Yalanji Dreamtime, at the entrance of the gorge, where indigenous inhabitants of the local rainforest offer guided rainforest walks with demonstrations of traditional plant use and identification of bush tucker.
Activities
The vibrant resort town of Port Douglas is a 15-minute drive away and offers a multitude of activities, including world-class golfing, day trips to the Great Barrier Reef, shopping, fabulous art galleries and world-class dining. Your hosts can organise day trips and a hire car.
Take a scenic helicopter ride to remote Aboriginal rock art sites and the outback, or try a heli-horse or heli-rafting safari (www.skysafari.com.au; +61 (0) 7 4099 3666).
Smith tip
Visit during the mango season and pack as many as you can into the ice box. When frozen, mangoes are much easier to slice and are a refreshing poolside snack. Simply take them out of the freezer and peel one half like a banana and the flesh will be soft enough to eat. It’s like eating an icecream (without the calories!) Alternatively, whizz them and make fruit smoothies or Mango Daiquiris.
Eating, drinking and dancing
Cafés
Soul n’ Pepper
+61 (0) 7 4099 4499
Soul n' Pepper is right on the water facing the former sugar wharf and is the perfect spot for a casual breakfast before the Sunday market. The freshly squeezed juices and tropical fruit platters are sublime and their signature breakfasts are served in cast iron frying pans.
8/2 Dixie Street, Port Douglas, Queensland 4877
Java Blue
+61 (0) 7 4099 5814
This cafe serves the best coffee in town and is popular with locals so it’s always buzzing. They serve fresh juices, wraps and sandwiches with a choice of bread.
3/2 Macrossan Street, Port Douglas, Queensland, 4877
Beaches Café
+61 (0) 7 4099 4998
This classic Aussie beach kiosk has plastic chairs and a sand-covered floor. Wander in barefoot for an ice cream or tuck into one of their superb burgers.
Cnr Mowbray Street / Esplanade, Port Douglas, Queensland 4877
Junction Café
This cafe is in the nearby town of Mossman, five minutes’ drive away, is locally renowned and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Front Street, Mossman
Treehouse Restaurant
+61 (0) 7 4098 1666
At nearby Silky Oaks Lodge, this restaurant nestles in the rainforest on a deck overlooking the Mossman River, an idyllic spot for lunch or a romantic dinner. The cuisine is modern Australian with a tropical flair.
Finlayvale Road, Mossman
Nautilus
4877 +61 (0) 7 4099 5350
This restaurant is the most romantic place to dine in Port Douglas, hands down. Under a canopy of towering palms, you are served sumptuous seafood by candlelight. Dinner only.
17 Murphy Street, Port Douglas, Queensland
Restaurants
Salsa Bar and Grill
+61 (0) 7 4099 4922
This charming restaurant, in an old wooden Queenslander building, dishes up tropical, modern Australian cuisine. The vibe is lively yet relaxed and is perfect for lunch or dinner.
26 Wharf Street, Port Douglas, Queensland 4877
2 Fish
+61 (0) 7 4099 6350
2 Fish is a great option for a casual lunch or dinner. The scallops with pancetta are beyond delicious and their speciality is market fish cooked seven different ways.
Shop 7, 20 Wharf Street, Port Douglas, Queensland 4877
check availability
To check availability and book a vacation rental property please call the Smith travel team on 1 866 610 3867. We guarantee best available rates on all vacation rental properties.
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Housekeeping
A complimentary cleaning service is provided for stays of eight days or more. More frequent cleans can be arranged with an additional charge.
check availability
To check availability and book a vacation rental property please call the Smith travel team on 1 866 610 3867. We guarantee best available rates on all vacation rental properties.
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Planes Regular flights are available to Cairns from all major cities in Australia with Qantas (www.qantas.com.au), Virgin Blue (www.virginblue.com.au) and Jetstar (www.jetstar.com). There’s also an international terminal at Cairns. Sunlover Helicopters offer airport transfers from Cairns airport to most resorts and islands along the coast (+61 (0) 7 4035 9669; www.sunloverheli.com.au).
Local taxi service Mossman Taxi Service (+61 (0) 7 4098 1138) or nearby Port Douglas Taxi (+61 (0) 7 4099 5345). Rainforest Limousine Service offers airport transfers to and from Cairn (+61 (0) 7 408 186 687; www.rainforestlimo.com.au)
Directions by road It’s a one-and-a-half hour drive from Cairns to Bali Hai, along one of the most spectacular stretches of Australian coastline. There are plenty of car hire companies at Cairns airport and city, including Hertz (www.hertz.com.au), Avis (www.avis.com.au) and Europcar (www.europcar.com.au).
Review
Bali Hai is set in blissful isolation surrounded by 80 acres of ancient rainforest with unparalleled views of the Daintree Mountains and Mount Demi. A long gravel driveway cuts through dense tropical rainforest to this nine-acre clearing on the side of a mountain. Distinctive Balinese-style Burees (thatched roof huts) contain three bedrooms and a main house with open-plan kitchen and a living and dining area overlooking the infinity pool.
The front of the main house and the master bedroom can be entirely opened up to take full advantage of the spectacular valley scenery, and all the bedrooms look out over the rainforest-cloaked mountains.
The brainchild of Hans and Wendy Vanderwolf, these smart self-catering huts are luxury itself. The Vanderwolfs personally selected the Balinese furnishings and antiques to complement their tropical setting. The sensational crown canopies above the beds lend the rooms a regal air, and intricately carved doorways and stone statues feature throughout.
For an especially spoiling view the heated swimming pool with its dreamy mountain vista takes top prize.
After a restorative nap in the hammock on the front terrace, saunter down the grassy slope and take a cheeky dip in the spring-fresh mountain stream which winds through the valley. When you’ve dried off, meander upstream to the orchard of mature tropical fruit trees laden with mangoes, papayas and lychees, and pick your own breakfast.
There are plenty of attractions in downtown Port Douglas and the World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest and Great Barrier Reef are practically on your verdant doorstep. If you’re seeking sustenance after a day of dedicated sight-seeing, a sunset cocktail on the deck will hit the spot. Bali Hai is quite simply the perfect retreat for frazzled urbanites.
check availability
To check availability and book a vacation rental property please call the Smith travel team on 1 866 610 3867. We guarantee best available rates on all vacation rental properties.
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