Lakes Entrance Indulgence

East Gippsland has something for everyone this coming week. There are markets, music and adventure on offer.

To check out everything that is on in the region this week click here

LAKES ENTRANCE INDULGENCE

Immerse yourself in the jewel of the Gippsland Lakes’ crown and dial it up a notch with an indulgent getaway.

Lakes Entrance has top billing as a down-to-earth family holiday destination, but this water-loving town also ticks the boxes for an indulgent, luxurious escape. “Absolute waterfront” doesn’t even begin to cover it when you are staying in your own floating home, relaxing in a floating sauna and indulging at a floating fine-dining restaurant. It's just a short stroll between these over-water destinations, but this is one of the few itineraries we can say transport might be faster by boat.

WHERE TO STAY: IDLE LAKE HOUSE

Stay aboard your very own floating paradise. This boat house is moored on a private bay at the Lakes Entrance foreshore. Look out across the water from your bed (or bath house) or soak up the sun from your deck that skims the lake’s surface.

This isn’t ostentatious luxury – it's practical luxury. It's the view and location that is indulgent, backed by a spacious, airy layout and a carefully curated retro design.

There are two bedrooms, each with a queen bed, making it perfect for couples (or a couple of couples!) with a 2-night minimum stay. It’s utterly unlike anywhere else, and it’s one for the bucket list.

WHAT TO DO: KOHO SAUNA & WYANGA PARK WINERY

Sure, you’ve been in a sauna before, but have you ever been in a sauna floating at the edge of a lake? This Scandi-style bathhouse has a wood-fired sauna and a large floor-to-ceiling window so you can lap up the views as you unwind. The adventurous can take a cold plunge directly off the deck into the lake, or there’s a cold shower on the deck if you aren’t feeling quite so brave.

You can book either a public session (up to 4 people) or a private session (up to 6 of your own crew).

If the need to return to solid ground calls, head to Wyanga Park Winery, located in a rustic bush setting overlooking the North Arm. You can make your own way there and for a wine tasting or casual lunch or dinner (make sure you check out their Mexican nights), but Wyanga is best enjoyed on a winery lunch cruise. Departing from the Post Office Jetty, the cruise makes its way past the entrance, then glides up the North Arm. Arriving at the winery, there’s a full wine tasting, local cheese board and lunch from the restaurant menu.

WHERE TO EAT: SODAFISH

This exquisite restaurant builds its menu around the fruits of the sea. Given the restaurant is literally on the water, food miles are boat miles. Seafood might be the hero, but the team know that the food bowl of East Gippsland also provides some of the best beef, greens and dairy around, so the menu is an homage to everything that is fabulous locally.

In the relaxed-but-intimate dining setting, you’ll find a menu featuring king prawns tossed through garlic and chilli spaghetti, squid-ink risotto, barbecued octopus with chorizo, or grass-fed rib-eye. There’s also a chef's tasting menu with wine pairings available.