Hamilton Island :)

The Boyfriend and I flew away on a short getaway to Hamilton Island in mid-June (yeah, very behind my blog posts)... it was a very much needed break to escape the cold wintry Melbourne weather.

I can't believe I'm actually saying this but heck, I miss the sun!! And boy oh boy, waking up to this view below every morning was simply PERFECT..

We stayed at the Reef View Hotel, overlooking the Catseye Beach and were lucky enough to have gotten a 50% discount off with the Entertainment Book. 

Looking back at the pictures as I pull this post together makes me miss Hamilton Island. How I wish if only we could go on yet another getaway. We had such a good time there together. :)

We went for a short 5 days 4 nights trip, where we spent 2 days and 1 night out at the great barrier reef itself. It truly was a stunning and memorable experience - so much so that I've decided to dedicate a post to share my Reefsleep experience.

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There are several restaurants and cafes to dine at Hamilton Island, ranging from casual dining, a tavern to even fine dining. We didn't get to try that many places, but I've still got a few to share if you're planning to head up to sunny Queensland.

Being the cheapo Asian that I am, I brought over some bread loaves and instant noodles to fill our tummies on days when we feel too lazy to head out to eat. Seriously, I was happy just sitting out on our balcony in the sun. Very unlike me, I know.

Our first stop when we arrived with a grumbling tummy was at the Manta Ray Cafe. The Boyfriend and I shared the half-half pizza - half Meatlovers and half Brunch.

The pizzas weren't that fantastic, and there is nothing to shout about really. Edible, but not wow, if you know what I mean.

What I really loved about The Manta Ray Cafe though, was its location at the Marina, overlooking the Yacht Club. Nah, can't say no to a view like that, can you?

And of course, we did indulge in that holiday must-do fish & chips by the sea. We had the Fisherman's Basket from Popeye's Takeaway that consisted of scallops, prawns, squid and fish and chips.

It was considerably cheap, filling, and good... and my only complaint was the long wait. There was quite a queue when we arrived and it took them quite a while to prepare for our meal.

There aren't that many tables and seats available in store, but luckily we managed to secure a bench by the sea where a parade of cockatoos look on. They were so bold, and not a tad bit afraid of us - they just stood there staring at you and your food. 

We headed to the Steakhouse on our second night after we spent the whole morning snorkelling and working up an appetite.

The boyfriend had the scotch fillet whereas I, on the other hand, had the rib eye. Our steaks were served with a jacket potato, topped with sour cream and bacon. You also get to pick a sauce of your choice to go with the steak.

Verdict? I'd say it was unexpectedly yummeh... the meat was juicy and tender just the way I like my medium rare steak done - which explains why there was a long queue every night we walked past.

Steakhouse did a fantastic job... but the standard isn't high enough to meet the wow factor.

It is important to note though that ever since we tried the steak at the The Barn on Mount Gambier, we've set that as our benchmark, and so far nothing can beat our awesome experience as yet. 

The Boyfriend booked a table at the Mariners Restaurant on our last night which was absolutely divine.

I was so tempted to go for the hot & cold seafood platter, but the hefty price tag of $200 put me off... and boy am I glad we ordered ala carte.

The Boyfriend had the Seafood Tagliatelle which he scoffed down in no time. I asked if he liked it and he said something along the lines of "yeah it's good, but I prefer yours". 

Well because my whole baby baramundi was perfect! Nuff' said. 

To end the night, we shared a chocolate and macadamia brownie served with chocolate fudge and blackberry sorbet. It was no doubt a rich dessert, but all of the elements went really well together.

It was incredibly DEE-LEE-CIOUSSS! All in all, a perfect dinner to wrap up our trip. 

We couldn't ask for more... T'was a really, really good, relaxing trip and we were blessed with perfect sunny weather all week long. I had the time of my life indeed. (:

Thank you, Hamilton Island - you were what we needed most - a perfect getaway. But most importantly though, credit goes to the Boyfriend for company was best. ♥

I am already looking forward to our next holiday. I don't know where we'll go next... but I'm hoping that it'll be either Europe or Japan.

Next post on reefsleep coming up! Till then folks.

*UPDATE* Read my post on our amazing Reefsleep experience at the Great Barrier Reef, yes on the reef itself, well not literally, if you know what I mean.