Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia

ECO-LODGE GLAMPING IN CAPE RANGE NATIONAL PARK

Nyinggulu Country – traditional lands of the Baiyungu and Yinigudura people

Receiving a call an hour before our estimated arrival time was the beginning of the outstanding service we were to experience at Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef. It was Leith, checking our location so that he could perfectly time the pickup at South Mandu carpark. To protect the national park, cars are not welcome on the dunes, and so guests are greeted at a designated time by a staff member driving a golf buggy to take them and their luggage to their glamping tent.

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Our earlier than expected arrival was no problem and we were whisked over the dunes to the lodge, arriving in time to drop our gear, grab some wetsuits, and join the afternoon snorkelling tour to Osprey Bay. Nothing like getting straight into it.

Our guides and drivers were Phil and Ackley who took excellent care of us and ensured we had an awesome time. And just like that, we were amongst it all – Ningaloo Reef, one of the best snorkelling spots in the world. We saw plenty of turtles and a large white tipped reef shark, all so very chill and not at all bothered by the entranced swimmers.

Afternoon post-snorkel was spent relaxing at the open-air lodge where we made use of the ‘make-yourself-at-home-help-yourself’ bar, beginning with a traditional glass of bubbles before mixing a couple of margaritas. For those unfamiliar with making their own cocktails, there was a handy recipe list at the ready for guests to have a crack at being mixologists.

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A stroll through the sand along the shore, helped us make our first Sal Salis sunset viewing spot selection from the many vantage points on the property. We began on the beach before moving to the open deck of the lodge, chatting with other guests, sipping bubbles and nibbling on canapes. Such a surplus of serenity!

This all-inclusive luxury lodge provides exceptional fine dining experiences every day, and our three-courses of deliciousness for dinner came with matching wines, the feast introduced to the guests by the chef and sommelier. There is also the added bonus of no expectation of ‘dressing for dinner’ – we are staying in tents, after all!

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Yardie Creek Gorge

An excellent night’s sleep meant that we woke just before the 5am alarm set to have us ready for our 5:45am departure for our sunrise Yardie Creek walk. Ackley was our driver, super alert in the dark, responsive to the roos and wallabies going about their business crossing the road with no intention of picking a fight with a tourist-filled van.

Yardie Creek Gorge was magnificent. Such a landscape! Loved seeing the black rock wallabies who weren’t particularly phased by the humans in the pre-dawn light. After sunrise we climbed via a rocky path to reach a viewing point overlooking a bend in the creek, providing spectacular views of the red limestone cliff walls, home to an osprey who was perched on her nest before flying off in search of her breakfast (seafood only, no meat).

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After our return from this walk, most people had a delicious breakfast, but after our feast of the night before we only managed coffee. But the breakfasts, as with every meal served at Sal Salis, were ample and sumptuous.

Mandu Mandu Gorge

The one upside of the shocking wind that buffeted the tent the night before our next excursion was that I had the opportunity to rise at 2am and check out the Milky Way in all her glory – perfect viewing in the complete and utter dark of Sal Salis. I have never seen a night sky like it.

With a faint orange light over the horizon, we drove ourselves to the Mandu Mandu Gorge carpark and set out over the ankle-jarring, round, white rocks of the gorge, where once fresh water flowed to the ocean. To get to the top viewing point on the cliff, we clambered over the jagged-rocked path, almost straight up, and once there, stayed put for about an hour, waiting and watching as the rising sun slowly lit up the gorge cliffs opposite. After making the most of the photo ops, we completed the circuitous route back to the car, carefully tackling some sections so steep it was safer to descend backwards, as though on a ladder!

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Sal Salis Beach

After our vigorous morning hike, we chose to spend the afternoon in camp, beginning with a stroll along the beach, spying quite a few blue-spotted fantail rays, all speckly turquoise, silver and rust in colour.

Donning our wetsuits again for our final afternoon, we walked to the very south end of our beach to enter the water for a leisurely drift snorkel back to where we left our towels. This was the favourite snorkel of the trip – so many different varieties of fish to see and no one else in the water. Oodles of parrot fish, rockcods, blue and yellow wrasses, surgeonfish, Hawaiian triggerfish, a couple of black tipped reef sharks, and a dusky Gregory damselfish checking me out with its yellow and mauve eyeshadow. It was the perfect way to spend the final afternoon.

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Sal Salis is an eco-luxury lodge with only a handful of safari tents just metres from the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef. With super-comfortable beds that are nothing at all like ‘camping’, an open bar in the lodge and five-star dining with matching wines for evening meals, this is the perfect (and most indulgent!) way to experience this unique part of Australia. We joyfully embraced being ‘off-grid’ for our three-night stay and focused on relaxation and the land, sea, sky and people around us.

LINKED POSTS: The overview account of our North West Cape adventure can be found here

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About bontaks

Nic is the the 'Bon' part of 'Bontaks.' Together we are Nic and John - two travel-addicted teachers who enjoy every opportunity to go places, meet people and experience life.

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