Jessica and the JAG: The Daintree Rainforest/Silky Oaks Lodge

After our first night in Australia we had a delightful breakfast & a quick walk around Cairns. Then we headed north for Silky Oaks Lodge. This little resort was truly amazing. It is situated right on the Mossman River & all of the rooms are "treehouses" complete with hammocks on the balcony. It was so relaxing and the perfect start to our trip with two wonderful nights.

Bush turkey - they ran wild at Silky Oaks

The resort is secluded in the rainforest so thankfully they have an excellent restaurant. Our first meal there was some of the best food I ate on the trip. I had a delicious duck risotto the first night, but the best things I ate were what Drew & Rick ordered (thankfully they let me taste theirs!). Here are the descriptions straight from the restaurant itself for all you foodies out there:

Pesto crusted Reef Barramundi on Dupuy lentil, artichoke, exotic mushroom & fresh herb warm salad finished with a vincotto vinaigrette & lime
Pan fried lamb rump on a ratatouille tart, mushroom arrancini, parsnip cream and blueberry jus

The best part is that the restaurant is open air and set right on the river in the midst of the trees. It is a great dining experience & that's where we enjoyed our tropical buffet breakfast each morning.

We went out on a full day tour of the Daintree Rainforest & River from Silky Oaks Lodge. Our tour guide was so knowledgeable and had so many interesting things to tell us. She took us on a hike through the rainforest & to Cape Tribulation (where we saw a crocodile sunbathing). We then went on a crocodile tour down the Daintree River & capped the day off with afternoon tea back at Silky Oaks Lodge. It was a fabulous day! And we had such a great time at Silky Oaks Lodge. I would definitely recommend it if you ever find yourself in northeastern Australia.