'Waves of time and billows of ages, it all comes together here, in one beatific communion.
Acclaimed Australian author Tim Winton used the words quoted above to describe his emotions after spending a few weeks in the Bay of Islands in Queensland, Australia.
Russell is one of the least known island retreats in the whole of Australia. It is neither bountiful in comparison to other super-star island venues nor is it too big to attract big branded hotel companies to set their resorts here. But what it is, if one is forced to assert, is truly much more enjoyable than most other islands.
Spanning just about 25 square kilometres, it won't take you even half a day to traverse the whole island. But this, in any way, shouldn't come as an off putting factor because a quick trip to Russell will be good enough to revitalize your senses so that you can get back to business when you return home.
If you are trying to explore newer avenues of travel, Russell should be at the very top of your wish list. It is off the beaten path, it is beautiful and it is certainly relaxing. The only advice we can extend here is that get your plans flowing “ for there is no time to be lost!
As a part of our own plans to get yourself going, we are presenting a short directory of Russell hotels that will help you settle on the best option for you (not that there are many to be probed!).
Cheap Hotels in Russell
As the popular opinion goes, the hardest challenge while visiting Russell is not finding cheap hotels, it is rather finding any and every hotel!
This is a rather discomforting thought for potential tourists but it should be taken with a pinch of salt. If there were too many resorts around here, Russell wouldn't look like Russell anymore, now, would it?
While lodging with such affordable hotels in Russell, you need to be aware of a few ground rules. You should be careful enough not to confuse Russell with some more extravagant island retreats like Mallorca or Hawaii just because it resembles more to a rough, dusty gold nugget than a polished golden work of art. But that innate spark of gold cannot be hidden, and that spark should be your sole motivator while visiting Russell, if not anything else.
Another thing that must be mentioned here is that rather than making do with whatever Russell has available in the name of hospitality, you would stand a better chance to score a good hotel in nearby mainland places. That way you will still be able to explore Russell, provided that you are fine with a little bit of commuting in a ferry.
The Meadowbrook Hotel in Meadowbrook is one such hotel that can beat many Russell hotels in terms of affordability and comfort levels.
In Redland Bay, the Redland Bay Motel can satisfy your basic requirements of budget and convenience.
Luxury Hotels in Russell
Once again, extending the same logic that was applied in case of budget hotels in Russell, we are compelled to say that tourists are better off staying at a luxury hotel in nearby places rather than Russell itself, as there are only so many options you can have access to on the island.
On Hope Island that is nearby Russell, InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort is one such place where you are guaranteed to find world-class hospitality, albeit at steep prices that might throw your tour budget off the track.
Ramada Hope Harbour can also be looked at as a viable and cheaper hotel to InterContinental. Its supreme location on Hope Harbour makes it further more popular among luxury and comfort chasing tourists.
Alternative Accommodation in Russell
There's little to explore in the way of holiday rentals in Russell. This case emerges purely from the fact that the island itself is very short-spanned, and it wouldn't make much sense for permanent residents to put their properties up for rentals.
That said, holiday homes do exist in nearby places like Hope Harbour and Meadowbrook. These, when coupled with other rental accommodation options on the mainland, offer a good enough set of options that tourists can choose from.
Things to Do and See in Russell
The most popular activity that tourists love to immerse themselves in while enjoying a vacation on Russell Island is basking in the glorious Australian sunshine. With its warmth and the soothing background chants of ocean waves, it would be very hard for you to not get lost into your own world “ a much needed break your mind and body needs!
Apart from indulgences of mental kind, there are many other activities to do in Russell. Ferrying and shipping are two major members in this list. You can either join a local ferry crew or rent a boat/kayak of your own to explore easy waters around the island, and perhaps catch a fish or two in the process.
Various nearby attractions like Hope Harbour and Bay of Islands will also make your stay in Russell quite worth its while!
Ideal Time to Visit Russell
The best time visit Russell, without much deliberation or doubt, has to be the time of mid-summer.
Being located in the Southern Hemisphere “ and quite near to the Antarctic Line “ winters in Russell tend to bite. They usually last from August through to November, making life uneasy in their wake.
As the Christmas approaches, however, things start looking up from the weather point of view. Temperatures begin to soar in the high 70s and soon enough, Russell is shining proudly in the warmth of summer sun. Summer here, just like Australian mainland, lasts from December to March.
While December is too hectic in terms of tourism, March can be dotted with rain. So, the best time to visit Russell is the month of February.
Be warned though, even cheap hotels in the area tend to become costly during these peak periods!