looking for a wind-down week on the beach in n qeensland
 

Hi, I am a woman age 40(young at heart) travelling solo and looking for somewhere not too expensive to wind down on the beach at the end of my trip. My budget for accomodation is about Au$1000 max. I've been searching various websites for packages, but it is very frustrating as they all seem to be based on double occupancy, which seems rather unfair to me! Does anyone have any suggestions as to mid range resort/accomodation beachside or even a site that caters to solo travellers? Would also like to do some snorkeling, but mostly just unwind. Thanx!

Hi - well yes - based around double occupancy is unfair to the traveller. I guess the operators see it differently! Anyway, it makes me mad too. I have one place I can think of you might be interested in. I visited last year and though it was excellent. You can take trips to the reef, do a night wildlife walk, even get up to Cooktown if you like (recommended).

It is not a resort. No swimming pool, no shops, no hairdressing salon, no laundry service (there are washing machines) - but it is "on" (behind a thin fringe of trees) Cape Trib Beach. You can check it out at:

www.capetribbeach.com.au

Cheers.

Not a resort either, but a B&B with pool and a few steps from beach about 15mins north of Cairns. Single rate is AU$77 a night which includes tropical fruit, croissants, local coffee and cooked breakfast if you need it. Run by Jo, a mine of information on area, and a a friendly but unintrusive host. www.beaches-at-holloways.com.au

Hi, pilinka,
Would suggest you follow Pat's advise as she, Pat, is in the B & B business, too.

oops, pressed the wrong button!
Was going to add if you want to snorkel look at going to Michaelmas Cay. Pat, a regular contributor and a mine of local information and knowledge, recommends this tour, and some of our fellow travellers last year endorsed the personalised attention you get on this trip. We will be taking this option when we return to Cairns, instead of the large trips.

Hi pilinka. Check out this website: http://ellisbeachbungalows.com.au
Fabulous beach, nice bungalows, some less expensive options if you want. Ellis Beach is between Cairns & Port Douglas and is one of our favourite places in Oz. Good luck.

I walk my dogs on Ellis Beach at least once a week, it is indeed a lovely beach, and one of the nicest, if not the best, in the area. Its a bit tricky to get to without a car, the public bus service stops short at Palm Cove. It really only has one eating house on the main, and quite busy road, but you can self-cater.

I should have given a better description of the location of the B&B at Holloways Beach, its basically small residential beach suburb of Cairns, very little tourist infrastructure, but a delightful beachside restaurant, Coolums. Due to the vagaries of tide, there is not a lot of sandy beachfront in its main area, but take a walk on the beach a bit north, as I have just done today, there's a virgin sandy wilderness area there, dolphins, birdlife, a few locals walking their dogs and that's about it.

Check out
http://www.palmcove.net/
Muck