Silky Oaks Lodge, Port Douglas

• You're staying in the heart of the Daintree, with open spaces, swinging hammocks, and outdoor tubs that put the river, canopy, and wildlife front and center.
• Conveniently, you don't have to go off-site for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, with breakfast and dinner reserved for in-house guests and included in the rate.
• This boutique hotel serves up understated luxury, letting the surroundings do the talking. It's ideal if you value a quiet, relaxed, nature-forward vibe over showy extras.
• You'll find well-curated experiences included in your stay: daily yoga, sunset drinks, guided access to nearby walking trails, and transfers to Port Douglas.
• Accessibility is thoughtfully addressed, with one adapted room and wheelchair-compatible facilities and transfers available.

• Not the best (young) family option as children under 10 aren't permitted.
• Nature comes with trade-offs: open-air living means humidity, insects (especially in the wet season), and rainforest sounds day and night.

Authenticity

Silky Oaks Lodge is artfully shaped by its rainforest setting, with open-air architecture designed to dissolve boundaries between indoors and out. Polished timber floors, unwalled communal spaces, and suites that stretch into the canopy keep the focus on the surrounding environment rather than on decorative excess. Local culture is woven in through large-scale photography of nearby Mossman Gorge by artist Catherine Nelson, ceramic artworks by Aboriginal artists, and in-room books on Aboriginal dreamings and rainforest ecology. Even the food tells a local story, drawing on native and regional ingredients grown steps from the kitchen.

Location

Directly above the Mossman River in the Daintree National Park, Silky Oaks feels wonderfully remote while still offering easy access to Mossman Gorge and other Daintree activities. The lodge sits on a tranquil stretch of river surrounded by towering banyans, fragrant ylang ylang, strangler figs, and dense canopy. Guests are well positioned for guided forest walks, river snorkeling, and cultural excursions based out of nearby Mossman. Despite the seclusion, it's reachable via a scenic 90-minute drive from Cairns Airport (with transfers available) and less than 30 minutes from Port Douglas, gateway to the outer Great Barrier reefs, including the Agincourt Reefs.

Rooms & Bathrooms

Forty timber-clad suites are compact yet thoughtfully designed, with expansive decks that place guests directly in the treetops. Hammocks, curated book collections, and minimalist interiors ensure the rainforest remains the star of the show. Many rooms feature outdoor stone soaking tubs angled toward the canopy, while the Billabong Suites add fireplaces for cooler evenings. Bathrooms are spa-like, stocked with the lodge's own botanical "healing waters" products. Upgrade to the Daintree Pavilion for two separate bedroom wings, an outdoor atrium with a tiered pool, and wrap-around rainforest views.

Amenities

Guests can join daily yoga classes, unwind in the lagoon-style rock pool, sip sunset drinks at the Jungle Perch bar overlooking Mossman River, or book time at the Healing Waters Spa, inspired by Aboriginal beliefs around water as a life-giving force. Dining is a highlight, with the Treehouse Restaurant set high in the canopy, featuring a plant-to-plate philosophy and an Asian-influenced menu that spotlights regional produce and tropical flavors. A fully equipped gym, riverside lounges, and garden spaces round out the stay, and kayaking and swimming in the (croc-free) Mossman River are bonuses, as is relaxing on the octagonal river-view deck. Electric bikes are available, making it easy to explore Mossman Gorge and nearby trails.

Family-Friendliness

Silky Oaks Lodge welcomes families with children aged 10 and over, and teens older than 16 years can enjoy the spa. For larger families, the Treehouse Premium option and Daintree Pavilion are your best bet; the former accommodates two adults in a king bed and two children in sizeable daybeds, while the latter sleeps up to five guests in two king bedrooms and a daybed. All other suites accommodate a maximum of three guests.

Wildlife

The lodge sits in prime wildlife territory, home to some of Australia's rarest and most endemic species—roughly one-third of the country's mammal species live in the Daintree. You just might spot tree kangaroos, green possums, Boyd's forest dragons, and a range of birds directly around the property (the riverbanks below attract a steady stream of them). Not to mention the butterflies that frequently drift through dining areas.

Sustainability

Silky Oaks operates without single-use plastics, uses energy-efficient lighting and water-saving fixtures, and prioritizes suppliers who share similar values. Its kitchen garden supplies the restaurant with native ingredients/produce, reinforcing its plant-forward, locavore approach to dining. Design choices—from open-air construction to minimal disruption of the riverbank—underscore a clear respect for the fragile rainforest ecosystem. Just as important, the lodge invests in local communities through education initiatives, Aboriginal partnerships, and support for regional artists and producers.