Arrival:

The Sanctuary is set deep in the Daintree forest on a dirt road (a few kms off road). We arrived in early December before the wet season really set in but a 4WD wouldn't appear to be necessary to explore the area - we got around fine in a sedan. If arriving at night the Sanctuary could be tricky to find. It is sign posted adjacent to the Beach House. The wonderful offsite caretaker Rob was at the gate to greet us and gave us a few tips on how to navigate the house and the steep driveway. The friendly manager Vicki rang us the next morning to make sure we were settled and to give knowledge of the area. We loved the fresh fruit tropical basket and breakfast supplies.

The Property:

The house itself is divided up into different rooms that can be let out to different parties. My family of 5 decided to take the whole house and found it to be the right amount of room. One of the rooms is set below the main house that we didn't need or have access to. The house has really comfortable beds with beautiful linen, robes and lovely furnishings. The one thing you will need to embrace is that the house is essentially an outdoor accommodation. If you've stayed in the tropics of asia you will be familiar with accommodation set in the elements. The air conditioning is window slats and ceiling fans. One of the bathrooms is in open air. And the bugs and creatures will share the house with you and eat your fruit if left out! The house is also self sufficient for energy which means no toasters or haidryers as the house can't supply the energy in such bursts.

Undoubtedly what you are paying for is location. The Sanctuary is set above the rainforest canopy with stunning vistas across the Daintree and the ocean. If you are lucky you will witness some amazing sunrises, sunsets and thunderstorms in the evening. There is a set of binoculars to enjoy the view and perhaps spot a whale. There are numerous tropical fruit trees on the property and my kids loved learning how a mango and star fruit grew. They also loved chasing lizards. We were a little disappointed that the road (dirt track) was between the property and the ocean, but that is getting picky about heaven! On a hot day though (every day!) you will probably need to drive down to the beach especially if you have kids.

The fridge had a maddening seal that required brute force each time to open (kids couldn't budge it). The cooker was servicable but a little tired and rusty. Lighting is difficult especially if you like to read. Service was promised every other day but was not seen once in our three night stay. A pool of some sort, even a plunge pool would make this place top notch.

In the area:

It's a short drive to everything to see. The property unfortunately has no pool so in stinger season your mission will be to find great swimming spots. The Beach House YMCA just across the road has a small pool you can use when staying at the Sanctuary but get there early before the backpackers wake up. Mason's cafe has a swimming hole nearby but again gets busy. We found perfection at the Butterfly Museum. The collection itself is OK but for the most Australian experience ever, their swimming hole set on a crystal clear stream could be enjoyed by yourself - it's stunning. Ocean Safari do fantastic reef tours where you will spot green turtles on the reef. Do a shop in Mossman or one of the towns before the Daintree River crossing as the supermarket in Cape Trib has limited supplies. If you drive the main road out of Cape Trib at sunrise you will probably encounter Cassowary.

The verdict:

The Sanctuary is a slice of heaven and will leave a lasting impression on your soul. It really is a unique and wonderful once in a lifetime experience. However at $650 a night some of the details could be improved.