Whirlwind Whitsundays: Australia's Own Stunning Tropical Paradise
Leave your passport at home and forget about an uncomfortable long-haul flight, there's a spectacular tropical paradise right here in Australia. You don't need to save up your annual leave in order to visit. In fact, although the alluring islands of the Whitsundays have been a siren's song luring visitors to stay for weeks at a time, you can experience the sheer beauty and wonderment of the Whitsundays with just a long weekend.
While there's a lot to see and do in the Whitsundays, you would be surprised by just how much you can pack into a few days and still leaving feeling wonderfully relaxed. A few days doesn't seem like much at all, but treat yourself to a whirlwind visit and you'll feel like you've been there for much longer - and you'll definitely want to go back. With stunning scenery and lovely accommodation at every turn, you can experience everything from sea kayaking to scenic sea plane flights along with giant turtles, azure waters, pure silica sand and some of the best coral reefs in the entire world - right here on your doorstep.
When you're continuously being amazed every second that you're here, a quick trip to the Whitsundays feels like a week's worth of memories and incredible experiences. Arriving on Hamilton Island, soak in the grand scale and grandeur of the scenery before heading off to explore the island itself or connecting with a boat transfer that will take you to any number of the stunning islands that make up the Whitsunday group.
If you're planning a whirlwind Whitsundays holiday, some things you simply can't miss. Must-do activities on your itinerary should include a scenic sea plane flight over the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef with views of iconic Heart Reef, the most photographed spot of the entire 344,400km² area of reef. You simply can't miss a visit to the 7km stretch of soft, pristine white sand of iconic Whitehaven Beach. Comprised of stunning, 98 per cent silica sand, Whitehaven Beach is ideal for swimming, snorkelling, sunbaking and kicking back with a picnic. It's a trip to the beach that you'll never forget. When you're finished exploring the islands by air and land, it's time to descend under the water and discover the incredible under water wonderland of tropical fish and colourful coral.
With all these unforgettable activities on offer you could be forgiven for thinking your short break is going to be jam-packed with things to do and places to be, but with everything so conveniently close to your accommodation, you'll have plenty of down time to enjoy doing nothing at all. So spend a lazy long weekend in the Whitsundays and see how many incredible adventures you can cross off your list.
(11th January 2017)