The first day was spent on board The Voyager, where we enjoyed a four island day cruise.
We started the day at Daydream Island. In 1930, a couple left Sydney in their Yacht Daydream on a world cruise. They got as far as the Whitsundays (only about 1,000 miles) where they fell in love with the islands. They purchased what is now Daydream Island and set about establishing a tourist resort.
After enjoying a buffet breakfast, Ryan and I only had about an hour to explore the island.
Ryan feeling the ocean and discovering it's warm!!
The main beach at Daydream Island Resort
A small portion of the extremely large pool that overlooks the beach at Daydream Island
Lover's Cove
Ryan and Me at Lover's Cove
After spending a short time at Daydream Island, we boarded The Voyager and cruised for about 45 minutes to Hook Island, which is the second largest island in the group, but has only one small resort.
Hook Island Shore
View of Hook Island Resort from the water
The Resort Store
Looking toward Whitsunday Island from Hook Island ~ this is where we snorkeled
Getting ready to snorkel... we saw some beautiful fish
After snorkeling, we went on a semi-submersible sub and got to see the abundance of reefs. Here is Ryan on top of the sub.
...and we saw a sea turtle swimming around...
before we set sail for our next island, Whitsunday Island. We cruised around the east side of the island and ate a delicious buffet lunch on board.
After a short cruise around the east side of the island we landed at Whitehaven Beach, one of the regions most precious jewels. Stretching like a pure-white ribbon beside a sea of crystal-turquoise water, Whitehaven is unforgettable!!!
Enjoying the hell out of each other : )
Stealing a kiss
Knowing that we're seeing something special
Looking south
Looking North ~ The beach stretches on for almost 7 miles
Sadly, we had to leave Whitehaven. We boarded The Voyager to cruise to our fourth and final island, Long Island. Long island is about 6 miles long and is covered in dense forest. There are plenty of walking tracks. However, Ryan and I were just too tired to hike by the time we got there. Instead, we relaxed on the beach and enjoyed a tropical cocktail.
The next day, we returned to both Daydream Island and Long Island. Cruise Whitsundays has high speed vessels that transfer day trippers between the mainland and the islands. We bought an island hopper pass and set out on our own itinerary.
We started the day by returning to Long Island...
We were much more refreshed than when we visited the island the day before, and we hiked three separate trails that gave us good views of the island and the sea.
We spotted subtle signs of island life,
Thousands of Butterflies,
Spider webs,
And a cute, little rock wallaby
before heading back to the dock to catch the next vessel.
Next, we returned to Daydream Island where we had a half a day to wander around and take in the sights. And, let me tell you, this island definitely lives up to it's name.
Wouldn't it just be horrible to watch a movie here?
The pool on the south side of the island
The helicopter pad where we watched helicopters coming and going
A great place for a BBQ
The three mermaids watching over the main beach
The wedding chapel with a view of....
THIS! ...and YES I did get an idea!!
And perhaps the best part of Daydream... our wallaby encounter (check out the video on my Facebook page to see more)
At Lover's Cove
It's a rough life... but, somebody has to do it!
On our third and last day, we stayed near Airlie Beach on the mainland. Airlie Beach is bordered by Conway National Park to the South. Ryan and I rented mopeds and drove through the forest and along the coast. Since we both have our motorcycle licenses, the guy rented us 150s, and we had a blast!!
Off the beaten path!
There's nothing like riding in a sundress and leggings.
Our long weekend in the Whitsundays was incredible. Words can't describe the beauty of the region. We have our memories, and we have our pictures. However, Ryan and I both agree that we have to visit The Whitsundays again before moving back to The States. So, our plan is to return next June and enjoy it all over again!
