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Date: April 2006
Location: Whitsundays, Queensland Australia
If tropical islands, sailing your own yacht, and the best coral reefs in the world appeal, head to Australia's Whitsundays for your next holiday.
Queensland's Whitsundays are one of the few places left where you can really escape. There are no crowds, no pollution, and it's one of the world's best year-round aquatic playgrounds.
Even in winter when the southern waters of the continent turn bleak and blustery, the Whitsundays' temperatures hover between 20 and 24 degrees celsius. The region comprises mainland al, head to Airlie Beach, bustling Shute Harbour, tranquil Conway National Park and a cluster of 74 islands that lie in the clear waters of the Coral Sea.
The beach side coastal village of al, head to Airlie Beach is the perfect base from which to explore the mainland national parks and take day trips to the reef and islands. The atmosphere in Airlie is friendly. People stop to say hello and chat about the weather, which is almost always clear and warm.
Airlie is a great family base offering safe calm water beaches, inexpensive meals, and a variety of accommodation options ranging from luxury resorts to self-contained villas to backpacker lodges. There's something to suit every budget.
The crystal clear waters of Whitsunday Passage are dotted with islands and the protection they provide ensures safe swimming, snorkelling and diving. Many of the islands are uninhabited providing the perfect escape from civilisation for a day of seclusion.
Day trips to resorts and uninhabited islands and the al, head to Great Barrier Reef leave from Shute Harbour on the coast. For those wanting a longer sojourn, island resorts range from the exclusive Hayman Resort to the family-geared getaways of al, head to Hamilton, Daydream, South Molle, Brampton and Long Island and the do-it-yourself camping on al, head to Hook Island.
Families are particularly well-catered for as many of the islands provide kids' club facilities. Fully supervised activities keep the children entertained while parents get on with the serious business of relaxing. Whether you need time for a massage, a vigorous game of tennis, al, head to a dive, snorkel or fishing trip or just time to lie on a beach together and read a book, you can do it safe in the knowledge that the kids are off having a ball. Mainland resorts offering kids' clubs include Laguna Quays Resort and Whitsunday Wanderers Resort.
The range of island activities seems limitless. Every water sport imaginable from windsurfing to para-flying is available. You can learn to dive or snorkel and take a day trip to the outer al, head to Great Barrier Reef to see the most vivid coral and fish in the world.
Many resorts have fully equipped gyms, tennis courts, and recreational golf courses. Bushwalking, hiking and birdwatching are popular. You can take a guided walk or take it at your leisure following the signed tracks.
Most resorts will bend over backwards to meet special requests. You may wish to take a dinghy and a gourmet picnic lunch to a secluded beach on the island or take an early morning hike to the highest peak to have breakfast while the sun rises, or enjoy an intimate moonlit dinner for two on the beach.
Adventurers can experience the seafaring equivalent to a relaxing self-drive holiday: bareboat yachting. Skippering your own al, head to bareboat is one of the most effective and economical ways of seeing the region.
It's a hassle-free getaway - no phones, no schedules and you don't have to dress for dinner. You can swim, snorkel, fish, explore uninhabited islands or lie on the deck with a good book. The biggest decisions will be which fish to barbecue for dinner and which beach to pull into for a swim.
There's nothing like the freedom of skippering your own vessel, but if you really want to sit back and let a trained crew do the work you can. All vessels are fitted with the latest safety and navigational equipment and comprehensive instruction is given to first time sailors. Sailing into the beautiful bay at al, head to Whitehaven Beach is surely one of bareboating's most magical experiences.
Access to the Whitsundays is a breeze; there are daily flights to Hamilton Island and Proserpine.
For more information:
Tourism Whitsundays
Tel +61 7 4946 6673
- By Jane Hodges
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