WE consulted the well thumbed cocktail book for the umpteenth time of the evening, scanning the recipes for the next helping of fruit and alcohol.
It was my turn to make the drinks. So I hacked off a few chunks of pineapple, added a slice or two of melon, a couple of strawberries, mixed in a dash of gin, rum and lime juice and presented the concoction to my new-found friends.
It was an off-menu cocktail. And off the menu it was likely to stay judging by the grimaces which accompanied everyone’s first hesitant taste. It was a beautifully warm evening on Bedarra Island, a tiny haven in the Coral Sea four miles off the Queensland coast of Australia.
The private island, owned by P&O Resorts, is said to be Australia’s most exclusive resort and comprises just 15 villas tucked away in the rainforest. Even when full, you are sharing the island with just 29 other people.
Most guests spend their days in isolated bliss. I was no exception – I barely saw a soul during my all-too-brief stay.
But the evenings were more social affairs, spent dining on fabulous food before retiring to the open bar. It was here that this international collection of virtual strangers wiled away the hours chatting about nothing in particular.
So secluded is the accommodation that you can barely see your neighbours from your balcony. Each villa is set back from the footpath which meanders through the rainforest yet is only a stone’s throw from the beach. But then that is the whole point of Bedarra – privacy and relaxation. And cocktails of course.
Aimed primarily at couples and honeymooners, Bedarra is a luxury hideaway where there is really very little to do apart from relax. Water activities are available, but only of the serene kind. You won’t find jetskis, just motor dinghies and paddle skis enabling you to explore deserted beaches and neighbouring islands. The most strenuous activity on offer was tennis but I never saw anyone playing.
I did use the paddle ski, however. But rather than venture too far, I spent a couple of hours paddling close to the secluded bay, watching giant turtles come to the surface before gliding effortlessly away. Bedarra is an all-inclusive island. But there’s no buffet food or set meal times here.
And while there are set menus comprising starters such as morton bay bugs (mini lobsters) or Tasmanian oysters with main courses of red emperor or blackened quail, staff pride themselves on being able to supply, within a couple of days, whatever a guest wants.
Only once could the head chef recall a time when he failed to meet a request – and that was when an American woman asked for rattlesnake.
“We tried,” he said, clearly disappointed at his failure.
The all-inclusive tariff allows guests unlimited drinks from a bar crammed full with bottles of Bollinger, fine wines and beer.
All of these drinks – and more besides – are available 24hrs a day. No barman, no till, no questions asked.
So why was it then, that each time I approached the enormous fridge, I felt shifty. It took some while to check no-one was watching before whipping a bottle of champers.
If it’s activity you are after, Bedarra will disappoint. But if you fancy a massage on the beach, want to take a hamper of food and champagne to a secluded bay or just watch the sea from a hammock on your balcony, it’s the place to be.
Dunk and Bedarra
n Three nights on Dunk and two nights on Bedarra cost £1,130 per person with Gold Medal Travel, sharing a twin room between April 1 2000 to March 31 2001. Price includes Bayview Suite on Dunk with all meals, trip to the Great Barrier Reef, transfers and villa accommodation on Bedarra with all meals and drinks.
n Bridge The World offers Dunk Island for £66 per person per night sharing a twin room. A three-night romantic package on the island costs £279 per person including breakfast, one evening meal, a picnic lunch, a sunset cruise, a massage and a bottle of wine.
n Kuoni has a seven-night all-inclusive package to the islands – four nights on Dunk and three on Bedarra. The £2,276 price is inclusive of flights and transfers.
n Tailor-made specialist Travelbug features Bedarra Island at £265 per person per night.