07 Nov Berkeley River Lodge – a perfect remote, luxury honeymoon destination

If you love a remote, rugged, wild adventure, with a touch of luxury, then Berkeley River Lodge should be on your bucket-list and definitely a consideration for that unique honeymoon experience.

Australia’s most remote luxury lodge

Billed as Australia’s most remote luxury lodge, Berkeley River Lodge sits on the rugged northeastern coast of Western Australia, in one of the world’s last remaining truly wilderness areas – the Kimberley region. Perched on the top of sand dunes overlooking the Timor Sea, the lodge is only accessible to guests by small plane. A stay in one of the resort’s comfortable luxury villas will reward you with spectacular ocean sunrises and Berkeley River sunsets.  Your all-inclusive stay encompasses all meals, wines, beer and spirits and a myriad of adventures – from river cruising to hiking, fishing, swimming in rockpools and under waterfalls – or just lazing by the pool. With limited Wifi and mobile phone access, it is a fantastic way to digitally detox and enjoy a remote, luxury honeymoon, after the frenzy of a wedding, or to celebrate a milestone birthday or adventure holiday with friends and family! I visited in March/April 2023 as part of a group of six friends, keen to explore more of our beautiful Australian backyard.

En-route via Darwin and Kununurra

Just getting to Berkeley River Lodge is an adventure! We flew from Brisbane to Darwin, Australia’s northernmost capital city, in the Northern Territory, staying overnight at the Darwin Waterfront Precinct. A great spot to explore, including a walk over to the nearby Stokes Hill Wharf for sunset drinks and eats. On one evening we had a pleasant walk at sunset from our hotel to dine at the famed Char Restaurant, housed in the historic Admiralty House, which showcases local beef and seafood. On our return trip via Darwin, we ate at the spectacular waterfront Pee Wee’s at the Point. The next morning we rose early in the summer heat to partake in a Walk Darwin Heritage Tour  – a great way to discover the history of this fascinating city that has endured everything from cyclones to WWII bombings.

The following day we flew across the border into Western Australia, to Kununurra, staying overnight at the Kimberley Grande Resort. We had arranged a pick-up from the airport, which proved to be just as well, as taxis are not a widespread commodity in this remote town! As we were travelling out of season (the official tourist season runs from April to September) there unfortunately wasn’t a lot open, so our first stop was the Kununurra Visitor Centre, to check what was on offer. We managed to visit Kimberley Fine Diamonds to drool over the precious pink and natural Argyle diamonds, now even more rare due to the recent closure of the mine. We also perused the Aboriginal artworks at the Warmun Art Centre, and let’s just say that the Wild Mango Cafe was a welcome respite on more than one occasion! If you are travelling there in the tourist season, I hear that the Hoochery Distillery and Pumphouse are a must visit, as well as the Museum.

 

If you have a bit of time you could arrange a trip to Lake Argyle, the largest freshwater storage in mainland Australia – nine times the volume of Sydney Harbour, and a visit to the historic Argyle Downs Homestead Museum, showcasing the lives of the early pioneering Durack family. Triple J Tours is a popular and knowledgeable operator in the area. Cruising and swimming in the lake are popular activities, but be sure to check with local guides around the exact location of the some 25,000 crocodiles which inhabit the area!

Spectacular scenery

As  we soared above the remote and beautiful outback Kimberley region in a light plane towards our destination of Berkeley River Lodge, we witnessed some unique and spectacular land and water formations, being at the tail-end of the wet season. After touching down on the dirt airstrip at Berkeley River Lodge, we were met with a glass of sparkling and a 4WD trip to the main lodge, where we were again greeted with a welcome drink and given the lowdown about our stay.

Remote luxury

The next morning, due to the two hour time difference from Queensland, I was awake at the crack of dawn; but who doesn’t love opening your eyes to a stunning beach sunrise from the comfort of a king-size bed? Each air-conditioned private retreat rests lightly on the earth, so as not to disturb the pristine surroundings, jutting out over the sand-dunes to take in the watery vista beyond. Clad in corrugated iron and timber, the cabins contain every comfort and some unique features, such as outdoor bathrooms, so you can shower and bathe under the cloudless, sunny skies or starry nights!

I was accompanied on more than one occasion by some friendly baby frogs lapping up the watery excesses of my ablutions. The resort is blessed with a natural bore and the water is the purist you will ever taste and have the pleasure of bathing in, probably in your lifetime! I’m not sure if it was a figment of my imagination or a wishful placebo, but I returned home with smoother skin and shinier hair….someone should really work out how to bottle and commercialise the elixir of Kimberley water!

All-inclusive wilderness adventures

On entering our villas, we were presented with our pre-scheduled itinerary of inclusive activities, which are of course optional if you’d prefer to just hang around the lodge, at the pool or on the verandah of your villa. I would encourage you to try as much as possible though, as you never know when you will have the opportunity to explore this remote region again – one of the lessons we have all learned from the recent pandemic!

River cruising

On our first day, after a hearty breakfast, we hopped in the 4WD to be taken across the beach to the boat that would ferry us on the river cruise – a great introduction to the Berkeley River scenery from the comfort of a shady vessel. We swam in rock pools and under waterfalls in 30+ degree water temperatures (tick, tick for a girl from the sub-tropics!), searched for wildlife (a rock wallaby escaping the heat in the shadow of a cave; and crocodiles – preferring to stay in the warmth of the water, so none sighted unfortunately). We ate lunch and sipped wine perched on a rock beside a waterfall and marvelled at how lucky we were to experience this wondrous natural environment.

Fishing

Not being a regular fisherwoman, this was truly a highlight for me! Our expert guide sped us towards a waterfall on the Berkeley River where we fished from the boat and off the rocks. All six of us caught Barramundi with one of our crew snagging a Threadfin Salmon. We ensured we threw back any undersized or oversized fish (with the larger Barramundi turning into females and therefore protected for breeding purposes) but were rewarded with one Barramundi and the Salmon that were the perfect size for the chef to cook up for lunch that day. We then headed to a reef just near the mouth of the river in the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf for some salt-water fishing. One of our group snagged a Spinning Whale Shark, which successfully snapped its line, launching itself to freedom. I’m not sure who was most excited by our successful trip – our enthusiastic guide or amateur group – either way, we all came back smiling and ready to wash down our sashimi Salmon and grilled Barramundi with a cold beer and glass of chardonnay.

Hiking

Our hiking day was a bit of a challenge for me, not least due to the 38 degree heat and my short legs, which make clamouring over rocks and jumping over crevices very challenging! I also didn’t take my hiking boots (big mistake!) as I made the, wrong as it turned out, assumption, that the walking would involve more gentle hiking and swimming rather than rock-scrambling. It was an adventure to say the least! I am grateful for our guide Tilly and a few staff members who tagged along on their day off, as well as some hearty group members – for pulling me up over large boulders and across deep gaps to ensure I didn’t fall into the croc-infested waters below!

Sunset helicopter experience

I hadn’t originally planned on the helicopter flight operated by True North – which was at an extra cost to the included activities – but as my husband Mark opted out, I decided to take his place. It was quite a spectacular adventure, encompassing landing on the top of a waterfall, swimming in more rock pools, exploring some of the best Aboriginal rock art I have ever seen, and soaring over remote inland stretches of wilderness. The finale included sunset drinks and nibbles on the flat-topped Mount Casuarina followed by a spectacular journey over the sandy stretch of Berkeley River beach towards the lodge.

4WD sunset beach drive

Our last day was spent lazing by the pool, reading and sipping cocktails until late afternoon when we headed off on a 4WD sunset beach drive. Our guide, Bruce, an avid environmentalist, is on a mission to save the many turtle nests that dot the beach. Wild dingoes are prone to dig up the mounds and eat the eggs before the hatchlings have a chance to emerge, so Bruce has devised a solution of covering the unhatched turtle nests with chicken wire. This enables the baby turtles to escape unscathed, hopefully managing the trek to the water’s edge without incident. We were eager helpers in the turtle saving exercise, in between scouring the beach for hermit crabs, before reaching yet another idyllic location for sunset drinks and nibbles!

Tips for the perfect remote, luxury honeymoon

There is a lot to be aware of when travelling to a wild, remote location, so below are some of my tips!

• It goes without saying that you need to check the weather in advance and pack accordingly. It can be exceedingly hot but can also be a bit cool in the evenings during the Winter. Make sure you take sunscreen, insect spray, swimmers, long sleeved, collared shirts for sun protection and a broad-brimmed hat. You will likely wear your swimmers every day with clothing on top.
• Depending on which time of year you visit, the experience will be slightly different. We visited just at the end of the wet season, so there was still a lot of water in the rockpools and waterfalls, however, it was extremely hot!
• Despite the 10 kgs bag limit due to the light plane flight to Berkeley River Lodge, I encourage you to pack your hiking boots if you intend doing any walking! Apart from that, waterproof plastic shoes, such as Birkenstocks, are ideal. Plan to get wet and covered in red dust every day!
• You can leave luggage at your hotel in Kununurra if you need to take more than 10 kgs for a longer trip.
• Don’t take anything you aren’t prepared to throw out at the of the trip if it gets damaged. The long pants I went hiking in ended up in the bin after being shredded by the rocks – luckily they were a couple of decades old, so no loss on my part!
• Drink lots of water and take some hydrolytes. I took a hydrolyte every morning and went through many bottles of water during the day. In the hotter months, it is also important to immerse yourself in water over your head, to avoid heat stroke.
• Ensure you take out travel insurance that includes not just flight cancellations, but also accommodation cancellations and medical evacuation. If you get sick or injured, the only way out will be on a light plane or helicopter.
• As there is limited Wifi and mobile phone coverage, share your itinerary details with your loved ones so they know how to contact you in an emergency.
• Berkeley River Lodge is a remote, wilderness, experience, so expect the unexpected and enjoy the adventure!.

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