Bangalay/Rachael Tagg
There’s no need to wait until you arrive at Bangalay Luxury Villas for holiday mode to kick in. The magic really begins on the 2-hour drive from Sydney, when you’re treated to a visual amuse-bouche to whet your appetite ahead of your arrival. Just past Kiama, the winding road opens to a spectacular vista of ocean cliffs and crashing waves on your left with rolling green hills unfolding to your right. It’s a heavenly combination of coast-meets-bush, which Bangalay effortlessly encapsulates.
WATCH: Take a tour around Bangalay Luxury Villas
Nestled behind the sand dunes of Seven Mile Beach on the NSW south coast, Bangalay strikes a beautiful balance between luxury accommodation and Aussie beach shack. The black-clad self-contained villas blend seamlessly with the striking native landscaping, connected by a sleek timber boardwalk.
It’s the kind of destination that’s perfect for a couple’s romantic weekend get-away, while at the same time pitching to families with 16 spacious self-contained villas accommodating up to 10 people.
With a salt-bush margarita chilling in the villa’s fridge ahead of our arrival, all we needed to do was turn up and kick off our shoes. We settle in with cocktails out on our private deck, taking in the calm at the end of the day.
The interiors are an ode to contemporary Australian coastal style, with layers of natural materials, colours and textures borrowed from the outdoors to create a warm and inviting space. Under-floor heating, air conditioning, ceiling fans and a gas fireplace cater to every season. And with a complete kitchen and laundry cleverly built into the streamlined design, there’s really no need to ever leave your villa.
But leave we must, as dinner awaits at Bangalay Dining. We stroll down the boardwalk just past the dining room to take in the quiet majesty of the resort’s pool at sunset. Lined with sun lounges and eucalypts, it’s a striking setting for a late afternoon swim in the bush.
But back to the excellent in-house restaurant, which was recently awarded a coveted Chef’s Hat and features on every decent foodie guide to the South Coast. By night, the dark and intimate space is a welcoming atmosphere for couples, groups and families. The menu is inspired by its locale with a masterful approach to native ingredients. While we dine on local grass-fed sirloin, Warrigal greens, Coral coast barramundi and sea purslane, our 11-year-old is delighted with the free-range chicken nuggets on the thoughtful kid’s menu.
By morning, the linen blinds are thrown open and the dining room is transformed for breakfast, with a line-up of classics including bacon and egg rolls, avo on toast and granola. Our tip? Don’t skip the Bloody Marys. They’re the perfect bookend to the previous evening’s saltbush margaritas.
With no end of local attractions and activities on offer, it’s easy to fill your itinerary with the likes of surf school, whale and dolphin watching, kayaking, bushwalking and beach horse riding. We’ve already planned our next trip, starting with a visit to nearby Bundanon Art Museum.
But it’s hard to go past the quiet beauty of Bangalay itself, and spend your days instead unwinding by the pool, taking long walks on the beach, enjoying an in-villa massage or a private yoga lesson by the pool. Pack a couple of books and you’ll be sorted.
To make a booking, head to Booking.com
Better Homes and Gardens was a guest of Bangalay Luxury Villas.
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