Wait a While Daintree Retreat in Cow Bay is a fantastic, tropical Daintree holiday rental. Surrounded by rainforest, it’s perfect for large families or groups wanting private and spacious accommodation in a truly stunning location.
Once you drive over the ferry onto the Cape Tribulation side of the Daintree, there are a few small eco-resorts and camping facilities but you won’t find big resorts and fancy hotels.
If you’re travelling with a group and you want something more than just a place to lay your head for the night, a Daintree holiday rental is a great option.
One of our favourites in the Daintree area is Wait A While Retreat in Cow Bay, which is about 30 minutes’ drive north of the Daintree Ferry.
This is the kind of place you stay in to get away from it all and just relax.
Even though there are lots of things to do in the Daintree area, we spent most of our time just enjoying swimming in the pool, lazing in the hammock, playing snooker, strolling around the gardens and socialising with our friends on the outside deck.
It’s that kind of place – spacious, comfortable, peaceful and very relaxing.
wait a while retreat
Designed by an award-winning South African architect, Gavin Paddock, this enormous open plan timber house has almost 500 square metres of living space.
It can sleep up to 9 people but there are plenty of sitting areas for everyone to spread out – my favourite spot to relax with a book is the top balcony, which catches the cool breezes in the afternoon.
eating
There are a few cafes and restaurants peppered along the road that weaves along the Daintree coastal road, but no supermarkets so make sure you take your own supplies with you. The last significant supermarket is in Mossman.
Wait A While Retreat has a huge open plan kitchen with a large pantry, lots of bench space and state-of-the-art appliances.
It’s a great kitchen if there are a few cooks all getting involved.
There is also a large barbecue on the lower deck and an enormous outdoor entertaining area with two separate eating areas.
things to do
Besides swimming, snooker, board games, reading (there’s a library of books at the house), lazing in the hammock and chilling, we spent quite a bit of time wildlife spotting on our visit.
The well established garden attracts a variety of birds, we even saw a cassowary on our first night, as well as wallabies and lizards.
Cow Bay Beach is only two minutes away by car or a short walk from the house.
It’s a great beach with a rope swing and a river, although be aware of the crocodile signs.
The waterhole at the river entrance is also an indigenous ‘men’s cultural place’ where they swim and bathe.
We even saw a bar of soap resting on a tree branch beside the waterhole!
If you’re feeling a bit more active and want to explore the area there are other attractions in the area including crocodile cruises, Daintree Ice Cream, the Daintree Entomological Museum (bugs and butterflies), sea kayaking and various guided rainforest tours.
big thumbs up
We absolutely loved staying at Wait A While Retreat. It’s such a relaxing haven and it is designed to immerse its guests in the tranquillity of the beautiful Daintree rainforest.
It is ideal for groups who are looking for somewhere to get a way from it all and spend time together just relaxing in nature.
travel nq fast facts:
- Wait A While Daintree holiday rental is 2 to 2.5 hours from Cairns
- It sleeps up to 9 people – there are 3 good-sized bedrooms plus a mezzanine with a daybed than can be used as a bed plus plenty of room for trundle beds. There are two large bathrooms at each end of the house. Linen and pool towels are provided
- It is solar powered and the tap water is safe to drink
- Satellite television and internet are available
- Directions: Turn right on Buchanan Creek Road which leads to Cow Bay Beach. Wait A While is the last driveway on the left hand side before you reach the beach.
