Dunk Island Resort

We visited Australia for the first time with twins girls in tow. Dunk Island was a wonderful experience, every single member of staff was attentive and went out of their way to please. The resort was fantastic fun for kids of all ages - but those without kids were able to enjoy the facilities without seeing kids if they chose to. Room upgrades are well worth the extra cost Barnfield rooms are very tired.

GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!!! Dunk Island has terrible beaches, you can't even swim, poor service and terrible scuba diving. We chose the resort because it listed lots of activities and scuba diving. I emailed beforehand to confrim. On our arrival we were told the boat wasn't going out since there was not enough people. We sat around for days begging to go out or call another operator ,on the 3rd day a staff member slipped and told us there was another dive boat. We called and they said we could have been diving all week with them and for half the price of Dunks boat. We booked for the next day and had a blast, no thanks to Dunk staff. We did manage to dive 1 day with dunk and it was terrible, I knew more then the dive master, and the price was ridiculous. Once at home I contacted Dunk and was told basically too bad.

Stayed there Christmas 2004 with our two kids. Island is beautiful with an amazing array of wildlife all around. Loads of activities for the kids (and adults) and a fabulous cascade pool which everyone enjoyed. Standard of food very good. Breakfast and Dinner included in price - go for the Italian restaurant by the pool for a more relaxed leisurely dinner. Alternative is often a buffet in main restaurant which is nice but a little chaotic and hard to stretch out longer than an hour. Staff were excellent, particularly the staff manning the kids club. The rooms were disappointing however. We stayed in a Banfield family room and it really was very basic and a bit disappointing - more bunk room than anything else with no decor worth talking of. There are more pricey rooms but I think it is only the view that improves rather than the amount of space or the decor. The resort itself could do with a lick of paint all around but all in all the resort is good value and the kids absolutely loved every minute of it.

Just back from our Australian Honeymoon where we spent 5 nights on Dunk. We took the Macair flight to the island, but as it is a single engine propeller plane, might not be for everyone. We had a beachfront room which was spacious and clean--one drawback, our "King-sized" bed was two full beds put together.

The food was usually excellent--way above usual resort fare. Great menu selections and a great wine list. The breakfast buffet did get a bit repeptitive, but then again, there is not much you can do with breakfast.

Plenty of water and other daytime actvities (great hikes, golf, horseback riding), but reef trips can get expensive, although the two trips we took (the Calypso and the Halley's Comet) were staffed by very knowledgable and friendly guides. Not much nightlife save for the "Jungle Jam" cover band and trivia nights, but if you've been active all day you don't really miss it.

The clientele is made up of thirty-something couples, and families, although a large contingent of senior citizens arrived for our last two days. Be careful--when it gets crowded with tour groups, service at the restaurants can be slow and you may feel a bit crowded.

Overall, great experience at Dunk.

My husband, daughter and I stayed at Dunk Island in late October. It was a good time to go as all the school holidays were over by then and the island wasn't very crowded at all. Easy to get a lounge chair by the pool or on the beach. There are so many activities for so many different tastes. Our daughter did the horse ride on the beach, I had a massage at the blissful Spa of Peace and Plenty and we all went on the outer Reef snorkelling trip on the small boat (can't remember its name) which was a highlight even though it was very windy and the water was very rough. The food was a revelation. I had expected very ordinary buffet style food but we were all very impressed by the variety and quality of the food. It was superb! The gift shop was very reasonably priced, which was also a pleasant surprise and I brought home quite a few nice things.

The biggest highlight for my husband and myself was the coconut milk and lime bath that we had at the Spa of Peace and Plenty in a private room in a huge, sunken marble bath with glass doors opening out onto the rainforest, a bottle of champagne, tealight candles and soothing music. Ah Heaven! Our daughter was happy to stay in the room and watch cable TV. We were only there for four days but it was just the tonic we needed to recharge our batteries before going back to the real world. Will definately go again!

Something important to keep in mind about Dunk Island is you will not find white sand beaches or crystal clear turquoise water. Dunk is a reef island, so the beaches are a muddy beige, somewhat painful to walk on because of sharp rocks and coral, and for half the day, when the tide is out, a vast expanse of muddy pools.

Coming from Perth, with beaches so clean they squeak when you walk, I'm spoiled for the ocean. Nevertheless, as it was winter in my home state, I thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful Queensland weather, the reef, resort life and the amazing staff.

Transfers to Dunk involve either a 45 minute Macair flight, or getting to Mission Beach and taking the ferry. Return flights were included with our package and the small plane was one of the highlights of our trip. Taking a maximum of eight passengers (I think), the small plane gives an amazing view of the coast, the mountains and the reef.

On arrival at Dunk, we were immediately charmed by the staff and our room (a Beachfront room), which was large and lovely. However we were disappointed by the bathroom (tiny and inconveniently designed), the lack of internet access and the expensive local calls. We were also horrified on arrival to find the porch entrance to our room swarming with green ants. We did grow to love our room, with the sole caveat of its proximity to the main resort lodge and the awful cover band playing there at night.

At Dunk, you are at the mercy of the weather. Should it be fine and a little breezy, there are endless activities -- sailing a catamaran, paddling out to a small nearby island on a paddle ski, snorkelling, taking part in an archery competition or hiking around the island. All these are included in your tariff. However if you want the thrill of a jet ski tour ($215 per ski), a tube ride ($25 per 10 mins) or a Great Barrier Reef trip (starting from around $120) you'll find your money disappearing quickly. Watersports, the department of the resort that arranges most water activities, does not open until 9:30am, and is sometimes understaffed, though you'll find the staff incredibly accomodating and friendly. Be aware there are daytrippers and campers on the island who can also hire equipment, so don't get a shock at the prices posted on the board.

We throughly enjoyed the catamarans, however there was not enough wind on our two last days to take one out. We also took a Hayley's Comet reef trip (highly recommended) but unfortunately managed to catch the one blustery, overcast day which made the 1.5 hour trip out to the trip a bit hard on the stomach. A disposable underwater camera is a must on the island and any reef trips. I'd recommend some sweets and Dramamine also if you get motion sick.

There is no nightlife on the island, and also, nothing much to do should it be a rainy day (luckily we had none). The food is passable, with main courses being much better than the barely edible desserts. There is plenty of fresh fruit available at breakfast and dinner and a special kids' buffet too. Cocktails are priced around $15. Diet Cokes will set you back $3.50 and a basket of wedges or chips about $7.50.

This is not an island for singles, or someone by themself. It is an island full of older, foreign tourist couples or young families. There were also many pensioners at the time of my visit. However the staff make up for it, being the friendliest, most helpful, happiest, most outgoing staff I've had the luck of encountering. I never passed a staff member on a pathway without receiving a big smile and a hello. In such a large and bustling resort, each staff member really worked overtime to make me feel welcome and valued.

Also, the day spa is impeccable. From setting to therapists, it truly is a wonderful place to spend some time (and money).

Dunk Island was a fabulous holiday. I came back exhausted, with amazing photos and memories and a great tan.

Stayed at the Dunk Island Resort in early January, 2004. I have nothing but great things to say about it! The resort is absolutely beautiful, and it was our favorite place in Qld/the GBR.

Since airfare was kind of pricy to fly to the resort, we flew into Cairns, then took Mission Beach Shuttles down to Mission Beach, then took a ferry from Mission Beach to Dunk. The Bus ride took @ 2 hrs, and we stopped for gas/refreshments. The ferry ride took @ 20 minutes.

While on the ferry, 2 enormous sting rays were swimming in the water off the coast of the beach. I think the R/T transfer cost was @ $60/per person.

Once at Dunk, we were given a tour of the resort area, then taken to reception to check in. We stayed in the lowest priced rooms (I think it was a Banyon type room), and it was great. Very large, big bathroom, comfortable bed. It did have a balcony, but we didn't go out on it because there were a lot of tropical bugs flying/crawling around out there. That's to be expected in the tropics.

The pool areas are beautiful - you have your choice of 2 - the cascading pool, which tended to be more crowded, and the butterfly pool, which is right next to the beach.

The restaurants were pretty good. They had a breakfast buffet each morning (included in the price of the room) and the food varied each day. Lunch was on your own (not included in the price), but dinner was also included.

For dinner, you had your choice of the buffet, or a 3-course prefixe meal. Book early if you prefer the 3-course meal, as the reservations book up quickly. We ate at the buffet both nights as we couldn't get a ressie. Once night was mediterranean, and I think the other was asain.

The food was pretty decent - not amazing, but better than average.

The drinks at the main bar were pretty good - plenty to choose from, but not that cheap. They have pool tables, live music, and board games for you to play in the bar area, which is an open-aired area that connects to the pool that is next to the beach. We sat here every night playing games, listening to the band, and drinking cocktails.

The resort also has water activities, which are kind of expensive. We took an innertube ride (I think it was $25 AUD for 2 people). Kind of scary for me, lasted about 10 minutes.

We also did the jetski island tour. With this tour , you can either have your own jetski, or 2 people can share one (which we did). We then had our own tour guide take us out and around the entire island, which lasted @ 2 hrs. It was absolutely incredible. We stopped at a private beach on the other side of the island for a rest stop, and hung out in the water eating snacks the guide had. This was definitely the highlight of our stay.

Absolutely fantastic, and we'd definitely go back. We were debating whether to go to Dunk or Hayman, as in the end the prices were comparible. However, Dunk included two meals a day, which Hayman did not, and it was cheaper to get to Dunk than it was to get to Hayman.

You won't be disappointed!

We visited Dunk in September 2003 and really did not know what to expect. We arrived on an 8 seater plane at the smallest airport I've seen and were greeted with cold fruit juice. We stayed in the Bayview Suites which were lovely and by fat the best accomodation option. They are right on the beach and you can lie in bed and watch the waves from your room .Bliss. The food was superb and we looked forward to our eveining meal every night. They tened to do have theme each night, there was always a buffet or some night it was Alacarte which was wonderful. There are many things to do on the island, such as walking in the rain forrest, snorkeling, watersports, diving or being lazy. And even though there can be up to 300 guests at any one time you never feel like its busy. In fact the beach was usually deserted. The pools were busy though with families. You must go on the sunset cruise (adults only) which we re-named the booze cruise as everyone entered into the spirit and we made some great friends from all over the world.

They even lay on a minibus to transfer the 500 m back to the resort after the cruise. very useful when you can hardly stand! All in all, this is a wonderful place. if you want total luxury and a kid free zone this may not be for you , but if you want a laid back resort where the service is great and the staff are very firendly , you love food and you want to be on the barrier reef then this is for you . I only wish I was there now!!

Beautiful without being pretentious. Very casual and laid back - rooms are simple but spacious and well appointed. Great activities and hiking at your doorstep.

I spent three days on Dunk Island in July 2002. It was the best vacation I've ever taken. My only regret was that I didn't spend more time there. We were upgraded to a suite on the beach upon arrival! We never saw our luggage from the time we boarded the boat in Mission Beach to the time we walked in our room and saw it there. We spent time hiking around the island, snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, swimming in the pool, hanging out at Coconut Beach, birdwatching, visiting the spa, drinking tea and watching sunsets, trying out archery, coconut husking, and hiking in the rainforest in the dark. There are so many incredible activities and the attention to detail that the Dunk Islander staffies have makes Dunk Island my favorite place on earth!

Thank you so much for making the three days I spent on Dunk Island so memorable.