Driftaway Holiday Villas

Driftaway Holiday Villas is a small set of self-contained one and three bedroom villas on Best St at Yorkeys Knob, north of Cairns, where every villa is advertised as pet-friendly and pets stay free. That combination is rare on the Cairns northern beaches, where most properties either exclude dogs or charge per pet per night.

Dogs at the villas

Dogs are welcome in all villas, generally up to two pets per booking, at no extra charge. Each villa has its own private backyard and outdoor entertaining area with barbecue facilities, which does the heavy lifting for dogs that need room to stretch out while you self-cater. The villas are apartment-style with free Wi-Fi and self-parking, and the whole setup is simple rather than resort-grade.

The catch is that size and breed limits are not published anywhere reliable, so contact the property directly before booking to confirm your dog fits the rules and that Cairns council requirements are covered. Online listings are thin for this property, so treat the phone call as part of the booking.

Max: two dogs, no fee, private yard is the draw here. But nothing about the pet rules is published in detail, so confirm size limits and current arrangements before you pay.

Worth knowing

Yorkeys Knob Beach is within walking distance for on-lead walks, but this is crocodile country: keep your dog well clear of the water's edge, creek mouths and mangrove lines, especially at dawn and dusk. Check Cairns Regional Council signage for the zones where dogs can be off-lead on the sand.

Getting there and out and about

The villas sit in quiet residential streets about 15 minutes' walk from the beach and the Half Moon Bay Golf Club, a short drive from Cairns airport. For an off-lead run, Bamford Close Fenced Dog Park is a few minutes' drive south at Smithfield. For eating out, hidden@yorkeys welcomes dogs in its garden on Sims Esplanade and Doppio Zero covers the coffee end of the esplanade.

More options are on the Queensland pet friendly stays guide and the Yorkeys Knob destination page.