DAE’s Shane had the opportunity to witness the magic of what makes Boambee Bay Resort so special through the eyes of his friends, Ben and Tanya – who have made it their annual family holiday.

My good friends Ben and Tanya are used to going to fantastic resorts all around the world, seeing new cultures in Tokyo, months at a time in Europe, either cruising or flying, checking out New York or one of their favourites, Las Vegas.

I was at their house one weekend enjoying a cold beverage in the Gold Coast sun when Tanya told me they have been invited by Ben’s cousin to join them for a week at Boambee Bay Resort. Considering she was used to holidaying in destinations such as London, Prague or Chicago, Boambee Bay was not on the top of Tanya’s travel bucket list, but it was a great opportunity to spend time with the whole extended family, so off they set on the road down the coast to Coffs Harbour.

Skip forward a couple of years, Boambee Bay has now become an annual trip and is the week circled on the calendar, so much so that it has become a 2-week annual trip. I was lucky enough to join them last year for a few days and wow! What an amazing place and now I get to share that trip with you.

Now, this is what Timeshare is all about! I arrived in the morning on Australia Day, checked in and walked straight out the back gate to the amazing Boambee Creek Estuary. Lucky for me my friends had already staked a claim at one of the benches and had the BBQ going. I could smell the sausages cooking (and I’m pretty sure I could taste that beer already). While you can get a guided tour down the estuary from an experienced marine biologist if you like, we were more than happy to just hire some canoes, have a go on some paddle boards and simply kick back, relax and watch the kids running around in one of nature’s amazing little waterparks. When the sun went down, it was time to make the trek back to our rooms (a whole 50 metres away) and get ready for the night’s festivities – which included left over BBQ and each other’s company while the kids had an early night after tiring themselves out all day.

The next day saw me up before the hordes and out for a run around the headland. What a fantastic run, about a 4km round trip from the resort around the headland and back. You can make it as challenging as you like it to be, and for me that meant I chose to run the steep ascent to the Headland Lookout (that hill just won’t run itself). If you want a slightly easier, more relaxing route, just keep going past the lookout trail and you will end up on Sawtell Beach for a lovely stroll along the golden sands. On the way back, stop in and grab a coffee by the estuary at the Boambee Creek Kiosk, their coffee is really nice – and make sure you get back during the week for a burger or a milk shake.

Five minutes south of the resort, you will find yourself in the laidback beach town of Sawtell. Many people have rated Sea Salt Fish & Chips the best fish and chips they have had, so make sure to stop in and grab yourself some local seafood. My personal favourite was The Spare Room; get there between 5 and 6 for happy hour, select from the $10 cocktail section and make sure you try their espresso martini. They make a great pizza and have other selections of food, but what really makes this place stand out is the live music. Wednesday and Sunday will immerse you in authentic old school jazz vibes and pair that fantastic live music with some good company, some nice food and cold drinks. That’s heaven.

The first time I went to Boambee Bay Resort, I stayed for one night and without much time to get out and explore the local area, I decided to try the Indian restaurant at the resort. I must admit I wasn’t expecting much from an onsite restaurant, but how wrong was I! It was some of the best Indian food I had ever eaten, I was completely blown away. Good news is, my favourite Indian restaurant is back, so make sure you check it out while you are there.

I haven’t even touched on the spacious rooms, the onsite facilities that include the amazing adventure pool that is the centre-piece of the resort, a big favourite of children and adults alike to frolic the days away, the spa, sauna, tennis courts, basketball and squash courts, mini golf and bowls. So much to do, you might end up making the common mistake of not even leaving the resort for the entire week and missing out on the local attractions simply because you will be so busy enjoying all the resort has to offer.

Make sure you get up the road to Coffs Harbour. I can’t talk too much about my night at Element Bar, but what I can say is the craft beer and scotch selection was fantastic. There is some great Mexican Tapas, Thai and a steakhouse all down the main street, Harbour Drive, but what you absolutely must try is Latitude 30. It may not be the cheapest option in town, but right out on the peer and views of the ocean paired with an amazing menu and drinks selection, it is an experience you should not pass up while in town.

There are so many things to do in and around Coffs from the Big Banana, the Sky Pier, Dolphin Marine Conservation Park and Dorrigo National Park that you will find it a struggle to fit it all in. What a shame. You might just have to make the trip again, and again, and again… You are only limited by your imagination.

For those of you coming from “Over The Ditch”, you fly to Sydney and then either catch an hour flight up to Coffs Harbour or a 6 hour drive. My option would be the drive to take in some of the Aussie scenery, but either way, the extra travel time is more than worth it for this pot of Aussie gold.