The Whitsunday Islands

The Whitsundays contain over 90 islands, mostly uninhabited and continental (the tips of underwater mountains). The surrounding water is a marine park and fall within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.

Still tired from last night, we had to get all our stuff together and get to Shute Harbour to catch the morning ferry to one of the islands. When we arrived we decided to meet my parents a day later and stay a night on the island, thanks to a deal they were doing at the time.

Our first stop was Hamilton Island, which we stayed for two hours. The most built up of all the islands, Hamiton has the big flashy resorts and a few of the high rise hotels aswell. It attracts the money aswell, judging by the size of some of the boats at the marina. We spent out time looking round the colonial style shops on the wharf. Unfortunately we didn’t have time but the only way to get around the island is to scoot around on a golf buggy like some crazy golfers grand prix. We also saw the Koala Sanctuary on the island.

After the lunch on the boat, our next and main stop was Whitsunday Island and Whitehaven Beach. The biggest of the islands, we spent the four hours we were there relaxing on Whitehaven Beach on the south-eastern tip. Supposedly the best beach in Australia and one of the best in the world.

Then onto Long Island where we were spend the night. The island is only 2km wide and 9km long but big enough to house 3 resort, one of which was the Long Island Beach Resort, which it turns out we were to come back to but not know at the time. Nice resort with loads to do, such as the rainforest walks, which we did the following day and a good beach, which we spent a few hours on before getting the boat back to Shute Harbour and Airlie Beach.