Get back to NATURE

BLISS OUT AND UNWIND AT THALA BEACH NATURE RESERVE

Lying facedown on the massage table, I hear the birds of the rainforest tweeting in the treetops that surround us. Leaves rustle in the cool breeze that floats into the bungalow through the open wooden shutters, and warmth from hot stones sourced from nearby rivers oozes into my body. A beautiful picture of Millaa Millaa Falls in the Atherton Tablelands hangs on the wall above me, and candles flicker in the corner. My spa therapist, Alanie, gently rubs organic virgin coconut oil with mango and pineapple extract into my skin. Pressure points are pressed, knots are unknotted, and I find myself letting out long, deep sighs as the stresses of everyday life slowly disappear. All too soon my treatment is over, and I relax on the verandah of the Rejuvenate Spa, sipping a refreshing peach iced tea as I take in the scenery at Thala Beach Nature Reserve.

NATURE LOVER’S PARADISE

Just south of Port Douglas in Queensland’s tropical north, eco-retreat Thala Beach Nature Reserve is set on a former sugarcane farm on a headland, with its own private beach and two enticing free-form pools with rock waterfalls and grottos.