Looking for a good vacation spot overseas? Perhaps trying to visit another country for the first time? It might not be what crosses your mind first, but Australia is a wonderful location for both first-time travelers and experienced vacationers. The country has more than eight thousand island destinations to choose from, each offering its own variety of local attractions and wonders.
Australia is a large country, as evidenced by its thousandfold of islands, but there is no reason to let that intimidate you. In this article, we will help you plan your vacation properly by providing some information about the continent’s most famous paradise islands.
Fitzroy Island
One of the most popular island destinations in Australia, Fitzroy Island a great place to visit, whether you are traveling alone, with a romantic partner or with your family. The island has different activities to choose from regardless of who you are taking the vacation with. For family trips, you can try registering for the Great Barrier Reef tour right on your first day to bring the trip an exciting start. On the Great Barrier Reef tour, a local guide will help you take a ride on the catamaran, slowly cruising around the island so you can begin to observe and absorb the scenes of nature. If you are not on a budget, riding the glass bottom boats might make the experience better by allowing you to gaze under the ocean floor as you travel. Other parts of the program include visiting the best beaches on the island, as well as aquatic spots where travelers can try various water activities like snorkeling, diving, kayaking and even jumping on the ocean trampolines.
A visit to Fitzroy Island will not be complete without trying the many trails and treks the mountainous terrains have to offer. You can take your sweet time with your date on easy walks like the Nudey Beach Track, where you can hold hands and stroll slowly until you arrive at the namesake beach. Just a warning, though – it really is a nudist beach, as the name implies, so take caution. If you and your partner are looking for something more exciting, the Summit Track is a challenging trail that takes backpackers roughly four hours to finish. This trail includes a little boulder-climbing, ledge-walking and trekking deep into the heart of the rainforest.
Rottnest Island
Rottnest Island is another well-known paradise island in Australia, situated along the western coast of the continent and easily accessible from the port city of Fremantle. Rottnest Island is home to at least sixty distinct beaches, so you will definitely have your hands full on deciding which one to go to. The beaches on the island are similarly beautiful, however, so it comes down to a matter of personal preference. Each of the beaches also carries its own selection of resorts, restaurants, and bars, so you might want to consider those features as well in choosing a beach to visit.
Rottnest Island is perhaps more famous for its rare and homegrown animal species. The island serves as the natural habitat of the quokka, famous cute marsupials known to be both selfie and tourist-friendly. Hundreds of backpackers go to Rottnest on a daily basis hoping to snap a selfie with the ever-smiling quokkas. Not a fan of the quokkas? You might want to take a picture of the exotic Humpback Whales instead, as they normally frequent the shores of the island during the migration season. Southern Right Whales can also be seen migrating during the third quarter of every year, although they are a little harder to spot because they don’t spend a lot of time splashing on the shores.
Click here for a detailed guide on exploring Rottnest Island too.
Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island has a history as rich as its natural landscapes. The island was once a penal settlement, with mutineers from the Royal Navy vessel HMS Bounty taking the place as their home. Their descendants would go on to reside on the island and even speak their unique hybrid language, the Norf’k. More than half of the island’s local populace is currently made up of the mutineers’ bloodlines.
The natural attractions in Norfolk Island are a sight to behold. There are long, tranquil lagoons which lead to open woodland areas filled with ferns and pines, perfect for family picnics or romantic walks. There are also towering ranges and cliffs for travelers looking to climb their way into adventure. For laid-back tourists, there are a number of national parks and nature reserves for further observation and enjoyment. Some of these establishments also offer farm-fresh menus for a more organic immersion on the island’s culture. People who have gone to Norfolk will tell you that walking is the best way to travel on the island. This is because the island is full of trails that will lead you to different kinds of attractions, from plant-rich valleys and botanical gardens to rainforest clearings beaming with local wildlife.
