https://www.reddit.com/r/brisbane/comments/1igdoyk/advice_on_visiting_tangalooma/
created by Misura_k on 03/02/2025 at 01:40 UTC
14 upvotes, 22 top-level comments (showing 22)
Booked the Tangalooma Island resort and standard activities that they had around the easter break with some friends.
Heard that the resort used to be run down and food was terrible. is this still the case?
Additionally any dos/dont dos while visiting is appreciated and how to make the most of our time there.
Comment by dekekun at 03/02/2025 at 01:51 UTC
42 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Food is not great, its expensive and basic.
The resort is rundown, but you don't go there for the hotel room, you go there for the things outside the hotel room.
Take as much of your own food/drink as you can - you'll see on the boat over everyone has loaded eskys full of stuff.
Comment by timormortisconturbat at 03/02/2025 at 01:56 UTC
21 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Been twice recently. It's a bit low rent and run down, but its still fun. Even in the rain being on water around wrecks and sealife on a kayak or snorkelling is fun. I didn't do the sand slide, but those who did had a blast. Whales can be seen en route.
If you think you're going to have a resort stay, think "1970s resort when chips with potato skin on was flash" resort. And, you'll have fun.
Comment by Bonzaratbag at 03/02/2025 at 02:18 UTC
6 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Definitely book the dolphin feeding 1 evening get in early as books out., snorkel the wrecks and quad bike ride , and sand toboggan is a must.
Comment by exkweezme at 03/02/2025 at 03:13 UTC
6 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I went with a couple of friends at the start of January for three nights. We stayed on the top level of the kookaburra building in a ‘deluxe king’ room. The room looked like it had been recently renovated and was clean and tidy. No kitchen facilities but had a bar fridge and plenty of space for eskies. The sun set directly in front of the resort every afternoon so sitting on the balcony and watching the dolphins swim to the jetty each afternoon was really nice!
There’s plenty of BBQ’s around to cook on and while the food isn’t fine dining, it was edible but expensive. We didn’t go to their main big restaurant but had their cafe food and nightly grill service outside the cafe. They make a pretty decent coffee too.
The best thing about the whole resort is having crystal clear water directly in front of you that you can spend all day enjoying :)
Comment by wattahit at 03/02/2025 at 05:07 UTC
11 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Ignore the basement dwelling miserable reddit cunts. Its a nice island, food is yeah average but we're lucky to have a place like this so close to Brisbane.
Comment by isthatcancelled at 03/02/2025 at 02:04 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Probably better sticking to a day trip and remembering they can't tell you you can't use the beach of byo your own food.
The place is very run down and neglected.
Comment by battleunicorn11 at 03/02/2025 at 07:17 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Snorkel the Wrecks at slack tide so your groups weaker swimmers won't get washed out. They are amazing and if you go 2-3 times while you are there, you should see turtles, wobbegongs, rays and millions of fish. It's really amazing to have The Wrecks so close to Brisbane. Also, walk up the huge sand dune next to the wrecks just before sunset and watch sunset from there. It's absolutely incredible scenery from up there.
Comment by Neither_Bookkeeper48 at 03/02/2025 at 01:45 UTC
7 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Went 18 months ago. It’s not great.
Comment by Rohbotbotroh at 03/02/2025 at 02:14 UTC
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Lived and worked there for several years. Food has always been average. Take all your own stuff. Stay in an air b&b in a house up the hill if you can. Killer views.
Comment by kangaroolander_oz at 03/02/2025 at 02:14 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
The water was beautiful and clear in the days before the resort , probably still great.
Previously a Whale processing base .
Comment by OpenMindedWheel at 03/02/2025 at 02:27 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Food: Not much choice. They got a basic cafe, a breakfast buffet, Fish&Chips/Burger/Pizza kind of place, an Asian restaurant. They're all not good value for money and meh. If you want to save money, definitely recommend bringing some food of your own. I've also seen people do their own sizzle on the public BBQs.
Room: Depends on what you book. For me it was fine. Obviously not 5 star level. No complaints about cleanliness. Come with reasonable expectations.
Activities: Not all tours are prebookable. Imo the bus tours (Northern and Southern) are the best value as you can see more of the island However, these tours are not always on. Checking availability of these tours would be the first thing I would do on arriving. If you're already self proficient at swimming/kayaking/operating a hire boat, you'll find that a lot of the guided tours can be a bit of waste of money.
Comment by Fencesitter787 at 03/02/2025 at 02:44 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
pack ya picnic stuff for a day trip :)
Comment by hgRipples at 03/02/2025 at 03:04 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
It's fine there, it's not a 5 star resort experience but you don't get nothing out of it. Food is fine and they have a few activities which are good. We went there a couple months ago and I was impressed with their organisation, though we didn't stay overnight just did day trips from Brisbane. Definitely worth going, and the boat ride is beautiful as are the beaches. For the do's and don'ts though, DO go on the sand safari activity but DONT forget extra water and try to keep your mouth closed (even though that's obvious) while going down the hill as sand in your face and lungs isn't nice!
Comment by AussieEquiv at 03/02/2025 at 02:50 UTC
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Gheebulum Kunungai (Moreton Island) is much better, try visit that when you're over there. The 'resort' itself is pretty dated and only occupies a very small, built out and boring, portion of the Island. They do organise some tours to allow you to see more of Moreton Island, though it's much easier/cheaper to see if you have your own 4wd.
Mt Tempest, Dessert, Blue Lagoon, Lighthouse, Big/Little Sand Hill, Tangalooma Wrecks (for which the Resort was named) are all worth seeing/doing if you have time. If you're a War history buff then the gun placements near Cowan Cowan or Rous Battery are also worth checking out.
Comment by the_real_bobby_o at 03/02/2025 at 01:47 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Day trip will be safer for your health.
Comment by No_Throat_5366 at 03/02/2025 at 02:02 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Went last year, didn't stay in the resort so can't comment on accommodation but food was fine. It's overpriced and not that great quality but it's fine. We just had standard burgers, chips etc. , about 10min walk away. We airbnb'd a house just down from resort which was unreal. Would recommend it if you can, if you have even one person with 4WD they can cart heaps of food over to save you buying on island as well.
Comment by what_is_thecharge at 03/02/2025 at 02:59 UTC
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
You will be paying $100 a day per person for below average food.
Comment by No-Maintenance749 at 03/02/2025 at 02:43 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
went 6 months ago, we took our own food, we booked a 3 room apartment, it was not bad, everything is pricey though food wise, for the love of god do not buy anything in their little convenience store, stupid expensive.
Comment by Misura_k at 03/02/2025 at 06:59 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Thanks for the tips/comments
will make sure to pack some food and not rely on what’s on the island and have low expectations for the accommodation quality
Comment by 2212214 at 03/02/2025 at 09:09 UTC*
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Only ate out once at the chinese restaurant (fire& stone) which was good but overpriced by about 30% compared to mainland brisbane but that's the island tax. For the rest of our meals we ate in so just bring some groceries and some cooked it in the rice cooker and had sandwiches for breakfast.
Acoomodation we stayed in was clean and quite new (accomodation near the jetty), I don't know where people are getting the idea that tanglalooma resort is run down.
We did sand tobogganing (very tiring to get up the hill) which was an experience and the southern safari tour. The bus broke down and we were stranded for an hour waiting for the other bus to pick us out and was eaten alive by midges whilst waiting. Also be aware of the strong current at tanglalooma wrecks as well as the heavy boat traffic.
Comment by Upper_Ad_4837 at 03/02/2025 at 09:54 UTC*
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Take your own 4wd if possible, take your own good food, snacks , esky's, and make use of bbq's at the resort .
I've tried all the restaurants at the resort, and was extremely disappointed to the point we started buying food at the convenience store to cook our own on the BBQ, you could get steak and salad/ veg ect . But we didn't plan on the resort food being so crappy.
Edit: I would have happily paid and was prepared to pay $ for good restaurant meals / food , they don't exist there .
Other than that, it's a beautiful place ( the island that is ) the resort itself is a minimum spend maximum profit enterprise , in a great setting .
Comment by Roachy_22 at 03/02/2025 at 11:44 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Sad to hear from all the comments that the resort is now run down. I used to chef there 35 years ago and I always thought that it was a nice place back then with lots to do. Haven't been back on the island since I lived there though.
I did hear that they sold it some time ago? Guessing the new owners DGAF.