Southern Ocean Lodge, Kangaroo Island, South Australia

A hop, skip and mini bus ride – about 90 minutes in total including the 25-minute flight from Adelaide Airport – deposits us into the other worldliness that is Southern Ocean Lodge. And it is other worldly, a vision that arises on the clifftop on Kangaroo Island’s southwest coast with the Southern Ocean on one side and a sea of scrubby green on the other. In fact, there is nothing but nature as far as the eye can see. This remarkable lodge is cleverly designed, its 21 rooms – all named after shipwrecks on the island – stretching down the clifftop, each and every one with views to the ocean and privacy assured. We could watch the wild waves from every part of our Ocean Retreat – the bathtub, shower, the massive bed, the lounge, the very cool Great Dane swivel chairs and even the toilet, which has a copy of Dinkum Dunnies in it for a bit of Aussie history. We even have an outdoor lounge area, perfect for a glass of wine at sunset. But really, you can’t beat the Great Room for an afternoon drink or a morning tea or any time at all, with its lofty ceilings and massive glass windows bringing that view right to your lounge seat. A stay here includes all meals, an exquisite experience whether it is breakfast, lunch or dinner, an incredible array of South Australian and even Kangaroo Island beverages – the False Cape Sauvignon Blanc is very more-ish – and a selection of tours to show off the sights, including Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch in Flinders Chase National Park, koalas in the wild, and Australian sea lions at Seal Bay. We were there for a special anniversary, but Southern Ocean Lodge is so good, don’t wait for that special occasion because staying there will be one. southernoceanlodge.com