HI - Cape Tribulation - Crocodylus Village YHA Hostel

If you enjoy nature, getting off the beaten track a bit, and lazy days in the rainforest or at the beach, don't miss Crocodylus Village YHA. This hostel has more character and out-there feel than any other we stayed at during our extensive travels around Australia. It is located off the main road heading towards Cape Tribulation at Cow Bay on Buchanan Creek Road (right turn heading north). Tour guides will likely drop you off here on the way back from Cape Tribulation.

So what's so special about this place? It really is literally in the rainforest. Green overwhelms the senses, with sunlight filtering in from above. You'll be greeted by the front desk, which has a bar adjoining it. Just beyond that, you'll find a huge canopied communal area, with neat wooden tables, comfortable couches, and the kitchen and restaurant. Pathways wind away from the main area here towards different cabins, which have mesh walls for privacy but closeness to the surrounding bush. Dorm cabins are divided into four rooms (real walls separate these) with separate entrances and porches for each. There are two sets of bunk beds in each. Six-share dorms, singles, and twins are also available. All are clean and comfortable, with the large clean bathrooms a short walk under the covered pathways.

This is the sort of place that appeals to all ages, including families with young children and older couples. (Rare to see at most youth hostels we encountered!) The ambiance is wonderful, with rainforest right there, no TV and very friendly staff. You have the option to buy dinner from the small restaurant, which offers a few different dishes each night, or you can cook your own in the kitchen next door.

As for activities, you can arrange a number of different things with the hostel. The night tours with "Possum" are wonderful and a bargain -- keep your eyes open for the many creatures inhabiting the forest right below (and above) your nose! Don't miss the opportunity to experience the rainforest at night. You can also take a self-guided tour during the day on their own trail, built to take you past interesting plants with numbered markers to correspond with information sheets you pick up at the office. Another good option is renting a bike. The beach is a few kilometers away and is a mostly flat to gentle downhill ride. Spend awhile lazing around here! We also biked to the Daintree Ice Cream Company several kilometers away, back towards the main road and to the right. There were very few cars, and the feeling of biking down a small road surrounded by rainforest was spectacular. Some ambitious travelers bike all the way to Cape Tribulation, and there are always other beaches to bike to. In the other direction you'll find a steep climb to a neat lookout (the ride up takes awhile -- the way down goes by in a flash!). There are other activities and attractions here too, just ask at the front desk. Cassowaries regularly travel through the camp and surrounding area, so keep your eyes open!

We really loved this hostel and couldn't bear to leave. Take some time here to relax from the busy life of traveling. Bring a good book, play some board games, enjoy good food and drinks, meet other like-minded travellers, bike through the rainforest, laze on the beach, explore the forest at night, and so much more. Don't miss it!

— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
March 2006