Cape Tribulation

By Johnny Jet

G’day from Queensland, Australia! Last week we left off from Uluru/Ayers Rock. This week we’re in for another very special -- and adventurous --locale. We visit the only place in the world where two Natural World Heritage sites meet: Daintree Forest and Great Barrier Reef. If you like the tropics and everything that comes with it -- bugs, reptiles, warm water, incredible water and fish – you don’t want to miss this week’s getaway. So turn off your cell phone and put on your sunscreen -- we’re in Cape Tribulation, baby!

AYERS ROCK TO CAPE TRIBULATION
Getting from Ayers Rock to Cape Tribulation (also referred as Cape Trib), located in far north Queensland, requires a 2-hour, 25-minute flight on Qantas to Cairns (pronounced "Cans" by Australians). From there, seven journalist friends and I rented two Nissan Patrol 4-Wheel Drives from Avis for $70 AUD ($51 USD) a day. Before making the approximately 3-hour drive we stopped at the local grocery store for snacks. No Australian road trip is complete without Tam Tams!). The drive, hugging Australia’s northeast coast most of the way, was easy and picturesque – even in the rain. Then again, I wasn’t driving. I knew I was in for an adventure when I read the sign on the Daintree car ferry: "No Swimming. Crocodiles." Gulp. Good thing the car ferry took -- literally -- only two minutes. (FYI: The ferry operates between 6 a.m. and midnight every day.)

DAINTREE RAINFOREST
It was amazing: The moment we crossed the Daintree River and arrived on the other side, the entire landscape changed drastically. We were now in a dense tropical lowland rainforest. It felt as if the road was swallowing us alive, as we drove down its fauna-covered throat. The Daintree Rainforest is over 135 million years old, making it the oldest rainforest in the world – older than the Amazon. Although the Daintree Rainforest covers 750 square miles, it comprises only 0.2% of the landmass of Australia. (Australia is about the same size as the continental U.S.). The Daintree is home to the largest range of plants and animals on earth. It includes 85 of the world's 120 rarest species of plants, along with 430 species of birds, nearly a quarter of Australia's frog species, and over 60% of Australia's bat and butterfly species.

VOYAGES COCONUT BEACH RAINFOREST LODGE
Cape Tribulation, north of Daintree, is a popular vacation spot with lodging choices ranging from camping to deluxe accommodations. Voyages Coconut Beach Rainforest Lodge, the nicest, is listed as 4 stars. However, after staying there I’d rate it about 3.5 stars. It sits just a few feet away from the only place on the planet where two Natural World Heritage sites meet: the Daintree rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef – and it is smack in the middle of both. Its 66 rooms are modeled after Indonesian long houses. Most are just a couple of hundred feet from the beach, but because they are surrounded by the dense rainforest you would never know it. When we arrived at dusk it was raining and warm (the average year round temperature is 81 F = 27 C). The rooms are large, with polished timber floors and wood furniture. It was nice, but the ants crawling on my pillow and other bugs cruising around the floor reminded me immediately that I was in the jungle.

DINNER
But it wasn’t until after dinner -- in the spacious, modern, open-air Cape Restaurant that serves pretty good food, including unusual dishes like kangaroo and crocodile soup (the latter tastes like chicken) -- that my adventurous night began. I took a long, dark and lonely walk back to my room, dodging cobwebs and tree snakes. (I didn’t see any snakes, but I heard they were all around. I’m petrified of them -- I know, what a wuss). But after reading on AustralianFauna.com that "Australia has deadly spiders, and of the top ten most deadliest snakes of the world, Australia has six on the list," I was on edge.

CAPE FEAR
Before calling it a night I took a hot shower to remove all my sunscreen. As I rinsed off the soap I spotted the scariest spider I’ve ever seen. It was dark, hairy, about the size of my hand, and a definite sleep spoiler. I’m not particularly afraid of spiders, but this thing would scare Superman. I darted out of the shower like it was about to explode. I didn’t know what to do. I could have run out in the bush, but chose not to. After all, I was naked -- and there could have been more spiders out there. Fortunately, when I arrived I had read the welcome packet the hotel provides. One line said something like: "If you find any unwanted bugs in your room, call the front desk to have them removed."

HELP IS ON ITS WAY
The guy arrived faster than cops in America -- and it was close to midnight. He shouted, "Bleep! That’s a bugger!" He said it was a banded huntsman spider, and it was not poisonous. He then informed me that they are actually relatively harmless. However, I made it clear there was no way that thing would spend the night in my room. We removed the monster without killing it, but it still put a damper on my night. For the first time in a long while I slept with a light on. Every hour I woke up and waved the in-room flashlight around the corners, under the bed and along my sheets, like I was searching for a criminal. I came up empty every time. Phew! Coconut Beach Rainforest Lodge: rack rates $35O AUD ($263 USD) per room per night; tel.: 61-2-8296-8010; fax: 61-2-9299 -2103, Email: travel@voyages.com.au.

CHARTER TO THE REEF
The next morning, blurry-eyed and shaking from lack of sleep, I joined the others in my group. They’d had a much more pleasant experience than mine, and they laughed at my story as we boarded a 50-foot boat operated by Voyages Odyssey H20. I have been to the Great Barrier Reef a few times, but no trip has been as easy or short as from Cape Trib. The ride out to the Mackay and Undine Reefs took only 45 minutes. It was super calm -- like a lake. The shore did not look too far away. The crew was young, fun and professional. They briefed everyone who was going diving and snorkeling. Safety was the main concern. Although the water was clear and warm, we were encouraged to wear stinger suits for protection from the sun and irukandji (a deadly jellyfish). After every dive, they did a roll call. We were out on the reef for five hours, basking in the hot sun and enjoying good food. The boat holds only 30 passengers, so make reservations in advance. Everyone went diving or snorkeling twice.

GREAT BARRIER REEF
The Great Barrier -- the largest reef in the world -- is one of the few natural wonders that can be seen from space. It’s 1,250 miles long, about the same distance as New York to Miami. It includes almost 3,000 separate reefs, comprised of over 400 different kinds of coral. There are more than 1,500 species of fish and 200 species of birdlife in and around the Great Barrier Reef. When I heard someone yell "There’s a shark!" as if that was very cool, everyone -- including me -- swam toward it. What was I thinking? I must’ve been sleep deprived. The shark was actually quite peaceful, but I’m glad it was a 20 feet away. I actually saw two different kinds of sharks: a white tip-reef and a shovelnose. Voyages Odyssey H20: $134 AUD ($100 USD) per person; children 5-11 $89 ($67); underwater camera $27 ($20); tel.: 1300-134-044 or 61-1-8296- 8010.

SILKY OAKS LODGE
An hour south of Cape Tribulation and a 20-minute (17-mile) drive from Port Douglas, on the edge of the Daintree Rainforest and the Mossman Gorge, is the exclusive Silky Oaks Lodge. It’s a 4-star hotel with 50 treehouses all named after Australian creatures. I was in the Crocodile Treehouse. Like the others, it nestled up in the gardens and rainforest, and offers plenty of privacy. All rooms have timber floors, a king-size bed, comfortable furnishings, a spacious bath with Jacuzzis, and a deck with a double hammock. I didn’t have to worry about snakes or spiders there, because the staff did a great job keeping the rooms very clean. (Of course, my prankster colleagues had the manager leave a fake spider on my pillow. When I returned from dinner I almost had a heart attack).

ACTIVITIES
Breakfast and dinner are included in the rates, and the food is very good. The best part, though, is the atmosphere. The dining room -- appropriately named the Treehouse Restaurant -- is located in a giant treehouse above the Mossman River, where guests kayak and swim. (There are no crocs: The water is too cold.) Sitting there listening to the gushing river makes (or at least seems to make) all your worries disappear. This is truly a relaxing place. Many guests play board games or read books. I opted to try a Koto massage from their acclaimed Healing Waters Spa. When it was done I felt like a jelly fish -- it was that good. Other activities include guided nature walks, mountain biking and nature slide shows. There’s a tennis court, fitness center, TV room, outdoor pool, free laundry facilities, and one computer with free internet. Silky Oaks Lodge: $350 AUD ($263 USD) per person, per room. Voyages Silky Oaks Lodge & Healing Waters Spa, Finlayvale Road, Mossman, Queensland: tel: 61-7-4098-1666; fax: 61-7-4098-1983.

WHEN TO GO
The rainy season runs from December to March. The high season, from June to the end of October, is when temperatures are coolest, and rainfall is minimal.