Island Paradise

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Whitsunday Coast

Many travellers to Australia, especially those with a sailing pedigree, head straight for the Whitsundays – a stunning, white-fringed archipelago in the Coral Sea – and struggle to leave. Opal-jade waters and pure-white beaches fringe the forested isles, while around them tropical fish swarm through the world’s largest coral garden – the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The gateway to the islands, Airlie Beach, is a backpacker hub with a parade of tanned faces zinging between boats, beaches and nightclubs. This is as close to the islands as some budget travellers will get.


Attractions

Must-see attractions

Guidebooks

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Whitsunday Coast and beyond