Great Barrier Reef Places
- Overview
- Places to Explore
- Sights
- Restaurants
- Hotels
- Entertainment
- Shopping
- Travel Tips
- Features
- Fodor's Choice
- Deals
- Guidebooks
Lizard Island
The small, upscale resort on secluded Lizard Island is the farthest north of any Barrier Reef hideaway. At 2,500 acres, it's larger than and quite different from other islands in the region. Composed mostly of granite, Lizard has a remarkable diversity of vegetation and terrain, where grassy hills give way to rocky slabs interspersed with valleys of rain forest.
Ringed by stretches of white-sand beaches, the island is actually a national park with some of the best examples of fringing coral of any of the resort areas. Excellent walking trails lead to key lookouts with spectacular views of the coast. The highest point, Cook's Look (1,180 feet), is the historic spot from which, in August 1770, Captain Cook finally spied a passage through the reef that had held him captive for a thousand miles. Large monitor lizards, for which the island is named, often bask in this area.
Lizard Island at a Glance
Elsewhere in North Coast Islands
Travel Deals in Great Barrier Reef
- $1398* -- Australia from L.A. w/New Zealand Stop (R/T w/Tax) Air New Zealand
- $1552 & up -- Australia 4-Night Trips w/Air, Save $250 United Vacations
- Australia Independent Journey IExplore
- $1398* -- Australia from L.A. w/New Zealand Stop (R/T w/Tax) — $1,398 Air New Zealand
