It's easy to understand why people seldom leave the property once they arrive at Bali Hai for a holiday. What's the point of going to all the touristy spots in the rainforest when you're in a microcosm anyway? Bali Hai provides the full rainforest experience.

This private Bali-style house is set on lush green lawns amid 13.6 hectares of tropical rainforest, its tranquility enhance by the soothing sound of trickling water from the stream at the bottom of the garden. But this is no ordinary garden - it's a paradise of tropical flowers, mainly heliconias and gingers, grown to attract the butterflies and to provide the stunning display of fresh flowers throughout Bali Hai. Then there are the fruit trees - four varieties of limes, pawpaws, mangoes, jak fruit, mulberries, mangoe-steens, yellow passion fruit and more.

This tropical sanctuary is only five minutes from Mossman, or 20 minutes north of Port Douglas. It comprises four separate pavilions - the main kitchen/living area with its permanent outdoor dining table. overlooking the pool that appears to end in the rainforest itself. The other pavilions are for sleeping, with two Balinese-style bathrooms and sunken baths, walk-in wardrobes and one with a private courtyard.

The third pavilion houses the 'day-room' ideal for mid-day naps in the heat, with no walls but just the gentle breeze. There's also a laundry attached with all the mod cons.

Depending on what's in season, guests arrive to a huge welcoming bowl full of fruit. It will most likely also include an entire stalk of bananas, samples of the local Daintree tea, coffee, papaw chutney and other local taste treats.

And you don't have to go far for fresh herbs. There's a vegetable and herb garden growing if you feel like fresh lemon grass tea, Coriander, an eggplant or two, or just garlic chives. Saves having to go out to shop, although Scomazzon's is only five minutes away.

Bali Hai has the ultimate gourmet's kitchen, right down to a pestle and mortar. There's serious cookware, a Commercial-grade over, dishwasher, an ice-making refrigerator, microwave and cappuccino machine, all in stainless steel finishes.

At nighttime the tranquil scene changes. Gas flares and outdoor lighting highlight the banana palms so that you can enjoy outdoor dining Queensland style. That is when all the creatures come to life - bush turkeys, bandicoots and birds, trying to outdo each other vocally. And frogs - everything from cane toads to over-friendly sand-coloured varieties that blend in with the paving stones and who love the bathrooms at Bali Hai.

Bali Hai is owned by Wendy and Hans Van Der Wolf, who are passionate about the region and what it has to offer. For them Bali Hai captures the best of the temperate climate, vegetation and wildlife. There is no need for air conditioning, for example, as all doors slide back to allow in any breeze or the cooler night air, which is accompanied by the rainforest dew, or rain in the wetter season. However for those people who are not so keen on being so in touch with nature, the doors can be closed and fans will stir the air.

Wendy and Hans asked Cairns-based architect Chris van Dyke to design Bali Hai, as he specialises in tropical architecture and has won environmental awards for his use of timber in homes. Wendy had collected ideas and was keen on plaster wall finishes and a thatched roof. Chris didn't need convincing.

The couple have recently bought their fourth property on 12 hectares of durians and mango steens. They also own two beach properties that they rent out. "So much for a quiet retirement" exclaims Hans "But we love it".

Their dream says Wendy, "is to provide a total escape for people", which is why she grows vegetables and herbs on the properties, "It also puts people who live in apartments in cities back in touch with nature."