The Whitsunday Islands

Have you ever walked on sand so pure and fine that it felt like flour squishing between your toes while it cushions your soles?

I mean the softest, whitest sand I have ever seen and felt. So pure and smooth, in fact, that it is barely a bother to find it in every nook and cranny of the body, the places were sand usually goes and can be discovered several days and showers later.

Where is this paradise, you ask? It is a small, remote island off of Australia’s eastern coast, near the ports of Airlie Beach and Shute Harbour, called Whitsunday Island, one of the main isles amongst the group of 74 that make up the Whitsunday Islands.

The sand is so perfect and fine because it is pure quartz that was ground up and dispersed during a volcanic explosion thousands of years ago. It lines the six kilometres of Whitehaven beach and the Hill Inlet, a shallow cove of water that is ever-changing due to the fine sand getting pushed by the tide into different formations.

One of the most wonderful things to do at Whitehaven beach is to simply lie in the sun and enjoy the soft bed underneath you. You can also swim in the lovely water, but you have to watch out because the waters of full of crabs and manta rays.

Between all of the Islands, which can only be accessed by boat and many of which are totally uninhabited by people, are amazing spots for snorkeling and scuba diving. The diverse corals of the Great Barrier Reed stretch out beneath the water and there is no lack of fish and other marine life to see either. Whales and dolphins can also be spotted often.

The best way to see the Whitsunday Islands is by taking a sailboat cruise for at least a few days. That way there is ample time to explore the underwater world, as well as the different islands and beaches. But don’t forget to lie back and take a nap on the beach and under the sun as you sail along the pristine waters – nothing is more relaxing that an afternoon snooze with the sun as your blanket and the sky as your ceiling.

The Daintree Rainforest

Have you ever seen a Cassowary up close among the fig trees and idiot fruits? Maybe you are not quite sure what a Cassowary is. A year ago, I had never even heard the word. There are only a couple of places in the world to go if you want to see one.

The Daintree Rainforest, located in the far north on the coast near Cairns in Queensland, is the world’s oldest rainforest at 135 million years. It is one of the most complex ecosystems on Earth and is home to 430 species of birds, 13 of which are exclusive inhabitants. One of those 430 species includes the Cassowary.

In case you were wondering, the other place to find a Cassowary is in New Guinea.

The Daintree, however, has a lot to offer aside from Cassowaries, starting off with trail hikes that allow you to absorb the beauty of the various trees, plants, animals and flowing water. Its intricate ecosystem harbours massive trees of various types, such as fig trees and Blue Quandons, which are not only the giants of the Daintree, but they hide other plants from the sun and also produce a small blue fruit. 28 of Australia’s 36 species of mangrove can also be found in this beautiful habitat.

The rainforest is also teeming with animals apart from the Cassowary, who plays an integral role in the ecosystem by being a seed disperser for over 100 species of large fruit-bearing rainforest plans. Other fauna include crocodiles, who line the banks of the Daintree River, the Musky Rat-Kangaroo, feral pigs, the Azure Kingfisher, the Crab Spider, the Spotted Cuscus (similar to a sloth), Sugar Gliders and Bandicoots. There are also millions of insects, Rufous Owls, Golden Orb Spiders and Goannas, just to name a few.

You can even take boat tours on the Daintree River to spot several of these animals, including those massive crocodiles. I was lucky enough to see some of the river’s largest. While on the boat, we discovered some unannounced passengers; little frogs glued had themselves to the back of seats!

There was one thing I discovered while visiting the Daintree that I hadn’t anticipated at all. Before getting aboard the boat, I was offered coffee or tea. But this was not just any tea – it was tea grown in the rainforest! I’m not a tea drinker, but Daintree Rainforest tea is in a league of its own!

The Daintree Rainforest is one of Australia’s most lush and beautiful areas. It used to stretch out into what is now the country’s Red Centre, where Ayers Rock (Uluru) can be found. The vast canopy of the Daintree should not be missed – just don’t leave anything other than footprints, or take anything other than photographs.

Byron Bay

Byron Bay is a small New South Wales beach town that sits on the eastern most point of Australia’s mainland. It is 140 km south of Brisbane and 600 km north of Sydney. It is a popular tourist attraction, especially for backpackers.

Most visitors are attracted by Byron Bay’s beauty and all of the activities and events it has to offer. One of its main draws is the surf. People come from all over the world to surf at Byron’s spectacular beaches. The clean stretch of golden white sand is the perfect contrast to clear blue skies and perfect waves crashing down. You can also go snorkeling or scuba diving, also popular due to the fact that Byron Bay is where temperate and tropical waters meet. For those who seek higher thrills, you can soar down over Byron’s beauty by skydiving. There is also an active whale watching industry, which is a significant contributor to the local economy.

Byron Bay is also home to Byron Bay Lighthouse, which has the most powerful beacon in Australia. The lighthouse is a wonderful lookout point, sitting at the peak of a large hill, overlooking the town. One of the best ways to visit the lighthouse is by riding a bike up to the summit. Additionally, most area hostels promote or run daily excursions that take participants up to the lighthouse to sit and watch the sun rise from behind the expanse of the Pacific Ocean.

Byron Bay is a quaint little haven, with cafés, restaurants and shops lining the streets in the centre of the town. There is also an active nightlife, driven mainly by tourists and backpackers. Some of the main hotspots are Cheeky Monkey’s, Cocomangas and the Top Hat Bar.

Residents of Byron Bay generally lead laid back or alternative lifestyles. Organic and vegetarian diets are popular and there are many artists and musicians in the city.

The town also hosts many yoga events, pagan assemblies, and music festivals like Splendour in the Grass and the East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival. Other events include the Byron Bay Writers Festival, the Byron Bay Film Festival and the Byron Underwater Festival. During these occasions, the town often swells to full capacity from the volume of visitors.

Byron Bay is a small but absolutely lovely beach town that is perfect for relaxing, enjoying the scenery, shopping, discovering new local restaurants and taking part in many outdoor activities and festivals. It is one of Australia’s best locations to spend some time unwinding without having to leave behind life’s conveniences.

Sydney

Australia is one of the most beautiful and unique countries in the world, so it is no surprise that its largest city, Sydney, is no different. It has a little bit of everything. Sydney has a well-developed downtown district, known as the Central Business District, or CBD, as well as many significant outer business districts like Bondi Junction, and over 300 suburbs.

The city houses well-known landmarks like the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Tower, Sydney Harbour and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It also boasts other tourist attractions like Darling Harbour, Sydney Town Hall, the Queen Victoria building (which hosts a shopping mall) and The Rocks (a historic area with shops, restaurants and a weekly market).

A sharp contrast to all of the buildings and houses, however, are all of the city’s parks and beaches. A significant portion of the CBD consists of Hyde Park, the Domain and the Royal Botanical Gardens. As well as many parks, there are also over 50 lovely beaches to visit throughout the city.

One of the first ones I had the pleasure of visiting was Coogee, a beach in south Sydney. I have to admit, all of Sydney’s beaches are beautiful, but they all have their own unique elements that make them different. Coogee has a stone boardwalk overlooking the sand, the ocean and Wedding Cake Island, which sits about 800 metres off of the coast.

One of the things I liked most about Coogee though, is the hiking path that leads all the way to the world-famous Bondi beach. The trail is very diverse – it starts out as an asphalt sidewalk crawling up a grassy hill, but transforms into a trodden dirt path, laid out stones, and sometimes melts away to an imaginary line as it crosses a few beaches, coves and parks. The Pacific Ocean stays sprawled out on your right side the whole time, whether you’re standing on the sand at Mackenzie’s Bay or practically perched on the edge of a cliff near Gordon’s Bay. One of the most intriguing sites is a large cemetery floating on a slanted slat of escarpment facing the water. Just before reaching Bondi you’re taken up another large hill/cliff, complete with park areas, benches and spectacular lookout points. You follow stone steps back down to Bondi beach proper where you can bask in the sun on the warm sand.

Sydney is a city that has weeks upon weeks worth of things to do and places to explore. Getting to Australia is a long journey indeed, but Sydney is definitely a city worth visiting at least once in a lifetime. For me personally, one time was just not enough!