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 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 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 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 Hamilton, Daydream, South Molle, Brampton and
Long Island and the do-it-yourself camping on
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,
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 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
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 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.
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