Phillip Island Accommodation

Exploring Phillip Island

Phillip Island, a pretty retreat a couple of hours from Melbourne by car/ferry, is a fun summer weekend destination. The island itself, although not inherently beautiful, is a perfect retreat from busy Melbourne. It has a number of excellent attractions, including cute penguins and koalas, colonies of birds, and pleasant hiking.

The main town, Cowes, is in the north, where most of the hotels are located, although accommodation is spread throughout the island and includes the Island Accommodation in the east. There are also smaller settlements, and most have cool cafés and shops, but it’s the countryside that most visitors want to see. The island is well known in motorsport circles as host to big motorbike events which draw crowds so check ahead as hotels naturally get booked up fast when a big meet is on.

Hotels in Phillip Island

There is a range of options for all travelers. The most popular hotel in Phillip Island is the &TravellersChoice1, which has been booked &TravellersChoiceBooked1 times from our Hotels.com verified guests. Our guests also highly recommended &TravellersChoice2 in Phillip Island as it has been reserved &TravellersChoiceBooked2 times.

Sightseeing in Phillip Island

- Penguin Parade

The main attraction takes place every evening at Summerland Beach, toward the western end of Phillip Island. This is when the famous penguins waddle their way up to their nests for the night, and visitors can get ringside seats. You’ll need to pay for the privilege, and it can be expensive if you go at it alone with a warden, though visitors are rarely disappointed. One of the companies offering viewings in comfort is Penguins Plus.

- Koala Conservation Center

In the middle of the island is the fun F Oswin Robert Koala Reserve, where visitors get to see how koalas live in the wild. A boardwalk which is quite high up in parts leads past trees where koalas browse, while the Woodland Boardwalk goes through typical Aussie bush. There’s a charge but it’s not too expensive. The four-star Ramada Resort Phillip Island is one of the best placed hotels for seeing the koalas.

Transportation in Phillip Island

Many visitors choose to self-drive by either taking the Searoad Ferry from the mainland and the returning by bridge (doing a loop) or by taking the ferry both ways. You can also take a bus or taxi from Melbourne to Crib Point and then hop on the ferry, while several companies offer roundtrip tours. There are also chopper flights to Phillip Island Airport from Melbourne. Tour the island by Cleeland Bus Lines, do a Wildlife Coast Cruise, or perhaps rent a bike.