Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Palm Bay Resort is a beautiful boutique resort nestled in the neck of Long Island, one of the iconic islands of the Great Barrier Reef. With our very own secluded private cove, Palm Bay offers spacious Balinese inspired villas with extensive views to the Whitsunday passage and Coral Sea. Offering complete tranquility and seclusion, Palm Bay is the ultimate natural luxury getaway.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Low key and relaxed casual hideaway on Long Island adjoining Mole Islands National Park. Approximately 25 rooms/bures. Nice private bures, some on the bay and others set back in the foreshore rainforest. Secluded and private with their own deck and outdoor chairs and even a hammock. Rooms are air conditioned with ceiling fan and opening windows. The bathroom is massive and has a lovely big shower. Bar fridge and tea and coffee making facilities are inside the large wardrobe within the bathroom. The staff were all friendly and polite with the majority being backpackers and a mix of locals from the mainland. The resort is reliant on rainwater but has electricity via a mains underwater power cable. Large pool and lounging area with plenty of umbrellas for shade. There's a spa on one side of the pool however this wasn't working at the time of my stay. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are available as well as a snack menu during other hours. Dinner is table service with other meals required to be ordered from the bar, including coffee and beverages. You can dine in the restaurant, take it to your room or by the pool. Dining pricing was reasonable and comparable to city prices. A surprise was a good range of Alcohol Free options in wine, beers and mocktails. Great to see us non drinkers have more options than juice and soft drinks now. Plenty of activities to do or nothing to do. Your choice. I explored the two trails through the National Park both South and North of the resort. The southern trail is a 6 km round trip to a spectacular little Sandy Bay on the north western side of the island. The northern trail is approximately a 5 km circuit, but is more challenging and is tide dependent as I discovered. I came to the end of the path at approximately 4 km as the beach path was completely submerged by the high tide, so it was a 4 km trek back the way I came, making it a total of 9km. There are kayaks, snorkeling gear and stinger suits to protect you when in the waters of the bay. A small shop with some souvenirs and snacks along with toiletries that you may need is self service, with payments at the bar.
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Date of stay: March 2025Trip type: Travelled solo
Room Tip:Transfers over by Island Transfers leaving from Shute Harbour should be booked online beforehand...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My wife & I spent Christmas Eve through Boxing Day here for our Honeymoon this last Christmas and what an experience. How many Christmases do you wake up to your own private island, white beach and crystal clear water?
With its Wallabies, birds, insects and all other wildlife, the island is truly amazing. There is no shortage of things to do with activities like trail walking, snorkeling, swimming, kayaking, beach cricket, boules and an onsite spa.
The beach front bar with a gorgeous view of a Whitsunday sunset was something to remember forever.
The swimming pool is fantastic, if not surprising at first with it being salt water! The bar is well varied and well priced with fantastic cocktails, lagers and wines.
We found the menu and food options very well priced (given what they could charge on a private island) with portions being large and exceptionally tasty.
Could the rooms be a little more up to date? Sure. But let's remember it is a private island in the middle of the Whitsundays with the only access to the mainland being a once a day shuttle boat. The beds are comfy, the rooms clean and the bathrooms large.
If the lack of Wi-Fi is the only negative about this place, it probably says more about the person reviewing than it does the resort. The last thing I needed at Palm Bay was Wi-Fi. The pool, beach and bar is all you need for a fantastic stay.
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Date of stay: December 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Palm Bay resort is the perfect place to stay if you want to avoid the crowds of Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island. A secluded resort nestled in Palm Bay that forces you to switch off and sit back and relax. We stayed here for 4 nights and have never felt so relaxed and away from the busyness of day to day life.
The resort itself it’s lovely. Small, secluded beach bungalows that are big enough for what you need. Private balconies that over look the stunning bay, giving you front row seats to the most beautiful sunsets. We found the room facilities perfect for what we needed and also very clean.
The pool area is also great. We came in winter so didn’t use it too much as it’s pretty cold! The bar was also great and reasonably priced. One of my criticisms would be the food menu and the lack of vegetarian options. The menu is very basic and ‘pub food’ that you may get bored of by day 2. The lack of meals to cater for dietary requirements was a shame and there definitely needs to be a bit more variety for those that don’t eat meat. Saying that, the food options that were available were delicious and reasonably priced.
There is a spa at the resort and prior to our arrival both on booking and a week prior to arriving I emailed asking if we needed to book spa treatments in advance. We were advised that you can book your spa treatment on arrival. Both my partner and I were extremely excited to have a spa experience and it was one of the main attractions of our week away. On arrival we went to book in to be told that they were fully booked for the week and could not cater to any treatments. This was highly disappointing due to me asking (twice) previously if I needed to book in advance and to be told twice that we can book on check in. Definitely something to consider if this is a main attraction for you.
The staff are very friendly. It’s hard to know who is actually in charge and who the GM is but everyone is there to help you with any queries. I believe it’s a new management in charge and you can see everyone is trying their best.
Overall, it’s the perfect place to getaway and switch off. The calm waters are stunning to swim in, the rooms have everything you need and the pure serenity of the place makes you never want to leave.
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Date of stay: June 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This is our 3rd time to this resort/retreat??? Why the question marks, well the staff don’t know if it’s a resort or a retreat.
Where in the world does the bar close and lights out at 9pm sharp?
The bar/restaurant is the only way to purchase anything on the island. We asked why the bar is closing at 9pm as it never did before in our last 2 stays. We were told very abruptly, it’s a retreat that’s why. The restaurant food doesn’t reflect a retreat. Everything served with salad/veg and chips, (had better pub food). If you are a vegetarian there is not one hot meal on offer. Only boring salads. Another night while we were finishing our dinner a staff member started moping around our table with bleach. I politely asked to stop right away. Lights were then switched off and the bare minimal lights were left on till we finished. The reason we were told the lights must go off because of the guests in their bungalows. The restaurant area is far away from the bungalows!
It was a very cold week, I know that’s unusual for the Whitsundays but they didn’t have reverse cycling air-con in most of the rooms so the guests were freezing. They ran out of blankets & umbrellas. a
The open fire in the bar area wasn't aloud to be stoke enough to get a flame. When we tried to put more logs on we were told not too. But we are freezing. The next night the logs were taken away and still no flame in the fire place. Again we asked why. One reason, it’s not cold enough, another we have ran out of wood and yet another it’s locked up. Seriously the staff argued about everything.
It’s really sad as the resort/retreat is really a place to relax and unwind. Unfortunately this time we felt like it was an old peoples home, lights out at 9pm.
Our bill at the end certainly reflected this as well. It was only half the amount of the previous two visits and then we mostly cooked our own meals. This time we ate every night in the restaurant and as we couldn’t stay later in the bar as we couldn’t buy more drinks. Really guys want to make more money keep the bar open.
As they say service is reflected from the top down. We asked for the manager to be contacted about why we can’t have a flame in the fireplace and why the bar is closing at 9pm. We never heard a thing from her.
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We spent 5 days at Palm Bay. It was really lovely! We had welcome drinks on arrival, and our bags were taken up to our room for us. A real white lotus moment as we arrived by boat to the island! We stayed in the hibiscus suite which was authentically decorated and had the most amazing views. The beds were lovely and comfy and it was clean with good air con. The island itself is so secluded so a 5 day escape was just enough. We filled it by relaxing, having drinks by the pool and the sunset bar which was just outstanding of an evening to watch the sun go down. The resort had kayaking for free which was a lovely touch. Were from the U.K. so not sure what Australian holidays are like, but September weather was cloudy with bouts of hot sunshine and hot weather which was just perfect as it seemed quiet time of year. We took a day trip with the paradise explorer which could be booked directly with the hotel. Would definitely recommend! Staff were lovely and friendly. Only thing I think could be improved would be the food and a few more bits and pieces in the shop. The food was clearly all so fresh but I think as the it’s the only available restaurant on the island, improvement in the quality and cooking would make this resort a place of perfection.
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Date of stay: September 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Don’t get me wrong - the views here were stunning. We booked a beach front villa and it was so lovely overlooking the water and taking a few steps to be on the sand. Having our own balcony was great too - we could sit out there and watch the sunset. I feel this is what you are paying for though because for the price, I would’ve really expected breakfast to be included, room service and cleaning and at least some liquid hand soap in the bathroom. The shower was very small and the bathroom in general needed an upgrade. There was no TV in the bedroom either. As for the restaurant, the food was very average.
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Date of stay: September 2022Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The resort is in a beautiful location, on a bay surrounded by nature. Wallabies visit the resort every evening and there is a wide variety of birds. Nice swimming pool with plenty of sun beds and shade, or you can take a sun-bed on the beach. The reception will help making arrangements for snorkeling trips with is a must when you stay there. The restaurant is not gourmet but adequate. Staff extremely friendly and helpful. No internet is available, and your phone might not have reception, depending on provider. Reason for not giving 5 stars is the state of the room we had, which was #1. Broken and loose floor tiles, sliding doors for the closet were missing and some lights in and outside the room were broken. And cleanliness of the bathroom could have been better, eg ventilator in the ceiling was almost blocked due to dust collected in it.
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Date of stay: December 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A few days after we left Palm Bay, my husband exclaimed that he was missing it. My reply, "I think we will always miss Palm Bay."
For why? Well firstly, it is beautiful but many places that a holiday designations are beautiful so that can't be the whole story.
There is something about the concept of Palm Bay that just works. I think it is the self catering in part and the relaxed atmosphere in general that did it for us. The self catering means that your schedule is entirely your own, providing you have pre-ordered your food then you will be shown your box in the fridge on arrival and then there is none of the planning meal times around restaurants that happens in many places. No washing up, that's taken care of and if you can't be bothered then their pizza cooks do a pretty great job of filling that gap.
The rooms are set up for ideal relaxation too with a porch and hammock directly facing the ocean. There are kayaks on the beach which are free to use and the pool area is lovely.
Having the communal kitchen, bar and pool in the same place is also a stroke of genius because it makes for a wonderfully convivial atmosphere that was quite unique. It brings the social element of staying in a hostel into the setting of a luxurious hotel.
The spa treatments are also well priced and we both agreed that we had the best massages that we have ever had.
Don't miss out on wandering the bush trails either. An early morning walk will take you along paths that are literally full of butterflies, it was truly magical.
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Date of stay: December 2019
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed at Palm Bay for three nights in early January and, as others have noted in their reviews, the resort was extremely understaffed during the time we were there. The few staff that were available seemed to be doing their best to keep across all the jobs required - they were friendly, though obviously stressed. It also meant that sometimes common areas were untidy or took longer than you would expect to be cleaned, and it could take time to e.g. order a drink or have someone answer a query. I would assume / hope that this is not always the case.
We were aware that the restaurant wasn't open every day, including two days of our stay, and brought provisions with us to prepare meals etc; but I could imagine that for those who didn't know in advance, this would be an unpleasant discovery on arrival. There is a small shop attached to reception, but it only has the basics. It is worth checking before you go as to whether the restaurant is open or closed on the days of your stay and plan accordingly. The restuarant was open for the first day of our stay and the food we ate there was delicious.
The location is really beautiful and that is what we went there for. My husband and I did some nice walks, went swimming and snorkelling, and kayaked around the bay. We also spent time relaxing, napping and reading - a perfect break for us! Our room was lovely and had everything we needed, though if we were to go again, we would ensure we had a bungalow right on the beach (ours was set slightly back)
Overall, we had a lovely time at Palm Bay Resort and would recommend to others, as long as you are aware that not all services are available and it is not all inclusive. Hopefully the issue with understaffing was short-term and not an ongoing problem, as that did hamper the experience for all involved. It is, however, a beautiful location.
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Date of stay: January 2022
Value
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A few words come to mind, Paradise, magical. Staff are fantastic. Food is delicious with huge portions. We stayed in hibiscus room. The views are amazing, but if you have problems walking then it can be a bit of a challenge to get to the room. You soon forget the chalenge when you open the doors to the room. We had cockatoos visiting us every morning. A suggestion i'd like to make to management is binoculars in the hibiscus rooms would be amazing, to help viewing the whales during whale season. We were lucky to get to see some whales when we were there. The room comes with a fridge which is great. We requested a microwave and staff organised a microwave for us. Again staff are helpfull and are lovely to talk to. Also a shout out to island transfers watertaxi from Shute harbour to Palm bay resort. Phil and his team are amazing. Loved our stay and defenitely will come back one day.
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Date of stay: July 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Long Island, Australia8 contributions5 helpful votes
Thank you for your question. Yes, you are correct we don't allow BYO. If you want to bring a special bottle of wine for a special occasion that is fine, however no spirit bottles or slabs of beer.
We have a well stocked bar at the resort and you can also buy wine, beer and cider from our shop at reasonable prices.
You can also take these drinks back to your room.
There are more places to choose from in the Long Island area.
PRICE RANGE
C$148 - C$239 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
AustraliaQueenslandWhitsunday IslandsLong Island
NUMBER OF ROOMS
25
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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