Top 10 beaches in the world , Hawaii

10. Kauna'oa Bay, Hawaii   (The Big Island)

Located on the Kohala Coast of the Aloha State’s Big Island, Kauna’oa Bay is the quintessential Hawaiian spot. The 0.25-mile-long (0.4-kilometer-long), crescent-shaped beach has plenty of white sand, palm trees, and calm, clear, blue water. In addition to swimming and sunbathing, beachgoers here can snorkel or ride boogie boards. (Be careful swimming, however, because there are no lifeguards on this public beach.) At night, nestle into the sands and peer out into the water to see if you can catch a glimpse of manta rays swimming.

"Perfect" has been used to describe Kauna'oa Bay on several occasions, and one look is enough to see why. Fringed with leafy palm trees and fine, golden sand, this beach is considered one of the island's best. White-sand beaches like this one are rare on the Big Island. It is no wonder that Kauna'oa Bay has consistently ranked among the top five beaches in the U.S. 

Stretching for about half a mile (800 m), the beach has two coral reefs and generally calm waters. The gently sloping shore at this cove is a good spot for sunbathing, but more adventurous visitors can try snorkeling along the rocky, southern side of the beach, where sea turtles, parrotfish, butterflyfish and other tropical fish can be spotted. However, during times of high surf, which is common in the winter months, a pounding shorebreak and strong rip currents can make entering the ocean hazardous. 

Kauna'oa Bay fronts the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and is therefore also known as Mauna Kea Beach. It is a public beach, but beachgoers have to pass through the hotel itself to get to the beach. One can get a free pass and map from the security office at the entrance of the hotel (tip: arrive early to ensure you're not turned away, as there are a limited number of parking spots). 

Kauna'oa is one of the well-maintained beaches on the island. Most of the facilities can be found in or close to the hotel, and equipment rentals are available at several beachfront shops. 

For visitors who stick around after the sun has gone down, the hotel turns on floodlights over the water. These lights attract plankton, which in turn attract hungry manta rays. There's even a lookout called "Manta Ray Point" where one can get a good view of these interesting evening visitors. 

Two other smaller beaches can be accessed by walking for about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of Kauna'oa - Waiulaula Beach and Mau'umae Beach. Both are two small pockets of white sand.

If you're not a resort guest, don't worry, you can still enjoy the beach via a public access entrance, but with some restrictions. The Westin Mauna Kea maintains both its own beach and the public beach and limits public access to 25 passes at any given time.

Child-Friendliness
rating:	4 of 5
more:	Abundant, sandy beach and relatively calm water, but non-guests won't find much for the kids besides the beach.

Swimming
rating:	5 of 5
more:	Crystal clear, relatively calm blue water.

Sand
rating:	5 of 5
more:	Because it is maintained by the resort, you'll find a wide beach with clean, white sand.

Atmosphere
rating:	5 of 5
more:	Even without resort-class landscaping and maintenance, the natural beauty of this beach is top-notch.

Non-Beach Activities
rating:	3 of 5
more:	The beach and resorts are the main attraction. Kailua-Kona, the nearest big town, is 40 minutes away by car.

Accommodations

Where to Stay

Best on the Beach
Westin Mauna Kea Beach Resort
Web: princeresortshawaii.com/mauna-kea-resort-hawaii.php
Like the beach, the 310-room Westin Mauna Kea Beach resort is vintage Hawaii. Built in 1965, it was the first resort to break ground on the Kohala Coast. In addition to standard guestrooms, all with private lanai, the resort has 10 suites, including the granddaddy of them all, the 8,000 square foot, free-standing Hapuna suite.
Throughout the resort, more than 1,600 museum-quality pieces of Asian and Pacific art grace the walls. Outside, lush vegetation - Kauna'oa is also the name of the vine that grows on the bay's shoreline - combined with meticulous landscaping create a lavish backdrop to this paradise.

Next Best Bet
Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel
Web: princeresortshawaii.com/hapuna-beach-prince-hotel.php
If there's one strip of sand on the Big Island that rivals Kauna'oa Bay, it's Hapuna Beach and the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel, nestled in the cliffs above. The resort, with its 350 guest rooms, including 36 suites, shares 1,839 acres with its sister property, the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel.
The area takes its name from underground springs that once created natural artesian fountains - called hapuna, or spring of life. The resort stays close to its roots, pledging to offer an environment where travelers can rejuvenate. Guests here also have full privileges at the Westin Mauna Kea, just a short walk or free bus ride away.

Best Family Hotel
Hilton Waikoloa Village
Web: www.hiltonwaikoloavillage.com
The locals call Hilton Waikoloa Village Disneyland and, like the land of Mickey, it hits the mark with kid-friendly features - a monorail, an acre of swimming pools, a lazy river, a man-made beach and a four-acre lagoon complete with dolphins. The resort's 1,240 guestrooms and suites are divided among three low-rise towers. Seven restaurants serve up Japanese, Chinese and Italian as well as steak, seafood, snacks and even organic dishes. Guests can also enjoy privileges at 2 golf courses, 8 tennis courts, 6 bars and an 18-hole executive putting course.

Best Hideaway
Kona Village Resort
Web: www.konavillage.com
With 125 individual cottages, Kona Village offers an escape from the modern world, without doing away with luxuries expected from a trip to paradise. There are no en suite telephones, TVs or radios and guests stay in individual, thatched roof cottages strewn across 82 acres of seaside property. Of course, you will never be far from the modern world and all of its diversions - pools, restaurants, bars, tennis, sailing, kayaking, snorkeling, volleyball, a glass-bottom boat and petroglyph tours are all available. Located about 15 miles south of Kauna'oa Bay, this resort also offers access to black-sand and white-sand beaches located nearby.

Food & Drink

Where to Eat

Best Waterfront Atmosphere
Kamuela Provision Company
Web: www.hiltonwaikoloavillage.com
The popular Kamuela Provision Company at the Hilton Waikoloa Village serves up a stunning view of the Pacific along with creative Pacific fusion cuisine that takes full advantage of the sea's bounty as well as local gardens. The atmosphere is causal but the entrees are upscale. Sit inside or if it's whale season, ask to be seated in the lanai dining area, which offers some of the best whale watching in the resort. The restaurant is also home to the resort's only wine bar, with more than 40 labels offered by the glass.

Excellent Local Seafood
Cafe Pesto
Web: www.cafepesto.com
With plenty of fresh local seafood, and a curious combination of Italian and Asian inspiration, Cafe Pesto is a tasty alternative to the local resorts. Set in the tiny harbor town of Kawaihae, the Cafe began as a take-out pizzeria and quickly became associated with regional cuisine. Take your pick of culinary delights - from the fresh catch of the day, to wok-fired shrimp and scallops to Pacific island seafood risotto and, of course, hand-tossed pizzas with creative toppings.

Best Family Restaurant
Lu'au, Westin Mauna Kea Beach Resort
Web: www.maunakeabeachhotel.com/
It might seem hokey, but for family fun Hawaiian style, a lu'au is a must. Every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. on the oceanside lu'au grounds of the Westin Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, resort staff open the emu pit - an underground oven where a pig has been roasting for most of the day. The pig is removed, prepared and then served up as part of a traditional Hawaiian buffet. Join the feast and relax while local hula dancers entertain to the tune of ancient and modern Hawaiian music.

Activities

What to Do

Best Kid Stuff
Parker Ranch
Web: www.parkerranch.com
It may come as a surprise to most visitors - and their kids - that the 50th state is home to the nation's largest privately owned cattle ranch. Sprawled between the Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, the 225,000-acre Parker Ranch surrounds the town of Waimea and Kamuela. It produces 10 million pounds of beef each year, and its paniolos, or cowboys, work nearly 400 horses and more than 50,000 cattle. During the summer, there are even rodeos. The ranch also offers tours, wagon rides, historic homes and plenty of dining options - believe it or not, there's more than just beef.

Best Day Trip
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Web: www.nps.gov/havo/
Home to both the world's most massive volcano, Mauna Loa, and the world's most active volcano, Kilauea, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park may be the Big Island's biggest attraction. The park's 218,000 acres range from sea level to a dizzying 13,677 feet at the peak of Mauna Loa. Kilauea's ongoing volcanic activity, meanwhile, continues to add mass to the Big Island, spewing molten lava that slowly increases the island's base. Hiking trails abound, as do cautions about the area's fragile ecosystem. The park has been named an International Biosphere Reserve as well as a World Heritage Site and more than half of its acres have been designated wilderness.

Best Site Seeing
Helicopter Tours
The Big Island, although not the most populated of the Hawaiian islands, is the largest, so there is plenty of ground to cover. And the best views of the island's diverse terrain can be seen from the air. Helicopter operators close to the Kohala Coast include: Sunshine Helicopters: 808-882-1223; www.sunshinehelicopters.com

Best Stargazing
Mauna Kea Observatories Support Services
Web: www.ifa.hawaii.edu/info/vis
At 14,000 feet, Mauna Kea offers of one the island's best vantage points for exploring the sky. Each evening the Mauna Kea Observatory Visitor Information Station, located at 9,300 feet above sea level, hosts a stargazing program. The road to the visitor's center is paved and children are encouraged to visit, but to get higher into the mountain a 4-wheel drive vehicle is needed. Traveling the unpaved road to the summit is arduous and visitors must provide their own 4-wheel-drive transportation. In addition to its sky view, Mauna Kea also offers another rare Hawaiian treat - skiing. There are no lifts or ropes, but for those who want to race down a snow-covered mountain before they head back to the beach, there is no better bet.

Top 10 beaches in the world , Malaysia

9. Langkawi, Malaysia

Crafts – Asian Heritage Center

Langkawi, officially known as Langkawi, the Jewel of Kedah (Malay: Langkawi Permata Kedah) is an archipelago of 104 islands in the Andaman Sea, some 30 km off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia. The islands are a part of the state of Kedah, which is adjacent to the Thai border. On July 15, 2008, Sultan Abdul Halim of Kedah had consented to the change of name to Langkawi Permata Kedah in conjunction with his Golden Jubilee Celebration. By far the largest of the islands is the eponymous Pulau Langkawi with a population of some 64,792, the only other inhabited island being nearby Pulau Tuba. Langkawi is also an administrative district with the town of Kuah as largest town. Langkawi is a duty-free island.

Most Popular Beaches in Langkawi

Pantai Cenang

Pantai Cenang – Langkawi’s main vein – may not be as rowdy as the Las Vegas strip but it is Malaysia’s most developed west-coast beach; its shores are a gorgeous mix of white sand, crystalline turquoise-blue waters and verdant palms.

Crammed with mostly budget to mid-range hotels, Pantai Cenang – located 25 km west of Kuah – is also home to more than a few high-end resorts. When the sun goes down a peculiar jumble of backpackers, expats, Asian tourists and families throng the main road to eat, drink and window shop.

Pantai Kok 

 

The beach along Pantai Kok is dominated by mostly high-end upscale resorts like the Sheraton and Tanjung Sanctuary. The beach is beautiful with clean sands and clear waters but it’s the tourist attractions, as well as the relative peace and quiet, that makes this place so popular.

Lined with a thoroughly modern marina, Pantai Kok, on the western part of the island approximately 12km north of Pantai Cenang, fronts a beautiful bay surrounded by limestone hills and verdant jungle. On the waterfront, at Teluk Burau, is the spanking-new Telaga Harbour Park, a yachting marina with a string of shops, bars and restaurants, plus a petrol station, bank and post office. Additionally it has several recreational attractions including a cable-car ride to the peak of Mat Cincang Mountain and the Telaga Tujuh Waterfalls.

Pantai Kok’s relatively undisturbed locale as well as its verdant greenery makes it doubly popular – especially if you love nature or want a quieter holiday destination.

Pantai Tengah 

 

Situated just around the southern road bend of Pantai Cenang, Pantai Tengah is a basically a continuation of Pantai Cenang. It is the longest stretch of beach in Langkawi – there are a few basic chalets here as well as a few big, all-inclusive resorts here that are especially popular with young families.

There’s not much sightseeing here; truth be told that’s the case for most of Langkawi Island. However, there are more than a few ways to kick back and relax; spas are a dime a dozen and finding a tour operator to liven your day up with an island-hopping or mangrove eagle-feeding tour is as easy as pie. Pantai Tengah is a good place for gastronomic options and the nightlife scene here is definitely something to shout about but shopping outlets are sparse.

Tanjung Rhu

 

Located just beyond Pantai Pasir Hitam, Tanjung Rhu has one of Langkawi’s best shorelines. The waters are as clear as crystal, the sand is powder-fine and driving towards this beach you’ll have to pass a dense corridor of jungle. The area is absolutely secluded and the atmosphere is silent and peaceful. Bordered by intermittent limestone crags, Tanjung Rhu is gorgeously breathtaking and even though it may be as hot as Hades in some of the other areas of Langkawi, here the air is crisp, clean and cool.

There are a few roadside stalls selling Langkawi’s local favourite – mee gulung – but other than that the area is quiet. Featuring clean roads, this quarter of Langkawi Island is the domicile of the Tanjung Rhu Resort as well as the Four Seasons Resort and the well-heeled tend to gravitate here.

Top 10 Things to Do in Langkawi

1. Langkawi Cable Car 

Pantai Kok Attractions

 

 

The entrance for the Langkawi cable-car, which takes visitors all the way up to Mount Mat Cincang, Langkawi’s second highest peak,  is located in The Oriental Village in the upper northwest of Langkawi Island, near Pantai Kok. Entering the village and passing through the pleasant oriental garden and souvenir shops, visitors make their payment at a counter before stepping onto an escalator which brings them to the cable-car pedestal.

Once in, the cable-car ascends; you’ll begin to notice the temperature dropping and a windy breeze begin flowing into the cabin through ventilation slits at the top.

 2. Al-Hana Mosque in Langkawi

Kuah Attractions

Al-Hana Mosque is billed as the largest and most popular mosque in Langkawi. A peach-and-gold structure situated to the west of the picturesque Lagenda Langkawi Dalam Taman, along Persiaran Putra, the mosque is topped with a gold onion-shaped dome and enjoys a great location close to the waterfront.

Also known as Masjid Al- Hana, it is located in Kuah and the whitewashed shrine is close to many of the island’s best-known tourist attractions including Dataran Lang and the Kompleks Jeti Pelancongan. Plus, it is only a short walk away from many of Kuah’s duty-free stores.

3. Langkawi Eagle Square - Dataran Lang

Kuah Attractions

Also known as Eagle Square, Dataran Lang is one of Langkawi’s best known manmade attractions, a large sculpture of an eagle poised to take flight. A sight that greets visitors to the island via ferry, the 12 metre-tall statue is one of the island’s most instantly recognizable monuments.

Located at the southeast corner of Pulau Langkawi, besides offering beautiful views of Kuah Bay, Dataran Lang has beautiful miniature fountains, terraces and bridges, making it the ideal place for those postcard-perfect holiday photos. The square is a good place to watch ferries ply across the harbour but plan a trip here early in the morning or late in the evening when the sun is at its least intense.

4.Langkawi Sky Bridge

                 Langkawi Sky Bridge

Langkawi Sky Bridge is a 125 metres (410 ft) curved pedestrian cable-stayed bridge in Malaysia. It is located 700 metres (2,300 ft) above sea level at the peak of Gunung Mat Chinchang on Pulau Langkawi, an island in the Langkawi archipelago in Kedah. The last scene of Indian movie Don: The Chase Begins Again was filmed here The Langkawi Sky Bridge is accessible by the Langkawi Cable Car.

 5. Langkawi Underwater World

Pantai Cenang Attractions

Spread across nearly six acres, Underwater World Langkawi is one of the island’s best-known attractions. Located at the southern end of Pantai Cenang (almost at the border of Pantai Tengah), beside the Zon duty-free shopping centre, it is Malaysia’s largest aquarium. The huge white-washed structure houses more than 200 different species of marine and freshwater fish including harbour seals, rockhopper penguins, sharks, giant rays and the enormous Amazonian arapaima – the biggest freshwater fish in the world.

6. Langkawi Beaches

Langkawi Attractions

Langkawi’s white sand beaches are simply some of Malaysia’s best. From its sandy bays to sweeping coastlines, the island’s beaches are beloved by locals, beach-bummers and travellers from across the world.

Pantai Cenang and its southern appendage of Pantai Tengah is the island’s most developed stretch and the place to head to for trendy restaurants and bars. Pantai Kok, located 12 km north of Cenang, fronts a beautiful bay surrounded by heavily forested mountains with limestone caves. Those looking for a more upscale affair can head to the sandy strips of Tanjung Rhu and Datai Bay. 

7. Langkawi Islands

Langkawi Attractions

Langkawi isn’t just one big island, but a collection of around 100 islands that form an archipelago. While most are uninhabited, a few have been designated for tourism so that visitors from all over the world can admire and appreciate the magical beauty of Langkawi. There are many island tours available from operators to get you started. Note that most tours do not operate during the monsoon season from July to mid-September as the seas become choppy and potentially dangerous.

8. Langkawi Waterfall

Langkawi Attractions

Langkawi has a few waterfalls that offer a scenic and peaceful location for a picnic or simple relaxation. However, these waterfalls tend to be quite shallow and slow-moving during the dry seasons. When there’s rain, however, the waterfalls will begin bursting with life once again. The best time to see these waterfalls in their element is during the rainy season at the year-end.

9. Sunset Cruise in Langkawi

Langkawi Attractions

Langkawi Sunset Cruise is a mid-afternoon daytrip that takes you sailing on the Andaman Sea as you kick back and relax on board a yacht. The upscale adventure starts off at the Awana Porto Malai jetty; once on board, there is an open bar with chilled soda, fruit juice, wine, and beer.

The cruise takes you within almost-touching distance of some of Langkawi’s deserted islets – unique limestone outcrops and exotic marine life are part and parcel of the voyage. Friendly yacht staff top up drinks and generally encourage a boisterous time. The million-dollar moment happens when the sun sets on the horizon and you are lounging in a deck chair with a cold drink.

10. Sungai Kilim Nature Park in Langkawi

Langkawi Attractions

Sungai Kilim Nature Park is a 100sqkm protected mangrove swamp with mangrove forests, remote beaches and blue lagoons. From the river banks up to the estuary, there is a good variety of flora and fauna here, ranging from the overhanging ‘bogak’ trees to iguanas, macaques and tree crabs.

Located at the northeast tip of Pulau Langkawi, the Sungai Kilim Nature Park is also noteworthy for the beautiful limestone rock formations emerging from the river bed to the unique mangrove swamps all the way to the sea. Fun fact: Note the interesting (and funny) names that some are called: the Temple of Borobodur, the Elephant Stone and the Hanging Gardens.

Top 10 beaches in the world , Caribbean

8.St. Barts

Explore this island of paradise...

 

About St. Barts Island

This arid, volcanic rock of just eight square miles is home to an eclectic mix of iguanas, night-blooming cactus, and fabulous beaches as well as luxury yachts, designer boutiques, and celebrities… Peopled primarily by descendents of the original French settlers and transplanted Europeans, this is an island with a strong, independent personality. Through the vagaries of its history it became a duty-free port and more recently liberated itself from the administrative yoke of Guadeloupe. It is certainly the most unusual of the French West Indies islands.

• How to get to St. Barts?

There are a number of ways to wend your way to St. Barts, all of which require traveling through the air, or on the water, or both. Most of people use commercial flights.

 

By plane

The easiest and most comfortable way to get to St Barts is by airplane. A number of major airlines have regularly scheduled international flights into St Martin, a neighboring island to St Barts, with local companies providing the connecting flights to the island’s Gustave III Airport, located just five minutes drive from Gustavia.

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By boat

You can also get from St Martin to St Barts by boat, from a charter speedboat to daily ferry service, taxi-boat, private yachts or sailboat.

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• Where to stay on St. Barts island ?

The wide range of accommodations in St Barts comprises 70% luxury villas and 30% hotels. In contrast to most other Caribbean tourist destinations, St Barth has an extremely active rental market for private villas, cottages, and apartments.

The local authorities were smart and understood a long time ago that large-scale development was not in keeping with the size of the island, and seriously controlled the scale and style of building permits for hotels. As a result the island’s hotels are intimate, with a relaxed ambiance and natural elegance.

Prices range from moderate to extremely expensive, with a corresponding level of service, from good to excellent. From mid-December to mid-April, prices are considered “high-season,” and decrease considerably in “low season,” during the summer. However the prices go up and are the most expensive during the Christmas holiday season.

  Villa Rentals by Owner

For the past several years, the St Barts villa rental market has continued to expand, with an inventory of almost 635 high-quality villas available for seasonal rental. They are finely appointed and designed to appeal to a clientele seeking a private, personalized vacation experience.

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  Villa Rentals Personal Advisor

With so many villas to choose from we offer this complimentary concierge service to finding the perfect villa for your stay on St. Barths. Our advisors are available to guide you through this process.

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  Hotels and Resorts

Approximately 30 hotels, from simple to high luxury, represent close to 500 rooms. Most offer all of the services one expects at a quality hotel, but on a smaller scale as only three of these establishments have over 40 rooms, while most have closer to 20.

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  Cottages and Bungalows

Small clusters of cottages, often family run, can have a very personal character. Very popular, these cottages fill an intermediate category between hotel and villa, yet always with a touch of St Barts style.

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  Rental agencies

There are quite a few agencies that specialize in luxury villa rentals in St Barts. Agency staff will work with you to find the perfect villa that meets all of your needs.

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• Activities and Leisures

On the island of St. Barts, many visitors spend their days on a reclining chair, baking in the sun, nodding over the book they didn't have time to read at home, wondering which restaurant to try next. There are, of course, other things to do.

  Beaches - Bathing

There are fourteen beaches on St. Barths, all blessed with gleaming white sand. Few are crowded, even in peak season. All are public and free. Nudism is ostensibly prohibited and topless is not unusual.

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  Spa and Wellbeing

Several fitness centers with a wide range of equipment, aerobic and dance classes, massage, yoga...

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  Scuba diving

Lessons and guided tours with SCUBA, with a mask and snorkle or even on a submarine.

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   Motor Yachts and Jet Skis

If sailing is not your cup of tea, but you still want to experience a trip on the ocean, there are other ways to go. First, you can rent a motor-boat with or without a captain from 17' to 55'...

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  Sailing

What is more relaxing and enjoyable than a sailing trip? Several rental agencies and a few private boat-owners offer you outings with a crew, for a day or a half-day or more...

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  Submarine Trips

Travel six feet beneath the surface of the sea, in safety and comfort, and gaze upon the breathtaking abundance of colorful sea life that lives in and around the Marine Park of Saint Barth.

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   Sports

St. Barts offers many opportunities to work up an appetite, from of course water sports to a all range of other activities:

• Deep sea fishing
• Tennis
• Volleyball
• Surf and windsurfing
• Waterski
• All sports

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  Shopping

St. Barts is a duty free port, and shoppers will be delighted with the range and number of shops: from a shaded table by the side of the road, to the elegant displays and marble floors reminiscent of Rue du Faubourg St. Honoré in Paris.

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  Nightlife

For those in search of an active and glittering night life, the choices in St. Barts are few.

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Top 10 beaches in the world , Australia

7.Fraser Island, Australia (World Heritage Listed)

( Wander the World's Largest Sand Island )

 

 

Perched on the sunny Queensland coast 161 miles (259 kilometers) northeast of Brisbane, Fraser Island is the world’s largest sand island and home to a wonderful beach. This World Heritage Site is an ecologist’s dream, with 640 square miles (1,664 square kilometers) of unspoiled natural paradise. Rain forests with 1,000-year-old trees sprout from the sand. Lodgings here accommodate a wide range of tourists, from the backpacking ecology lover to pampered resort fans.

Perched on the sunny Queensland coast 161 miles northeast of Brisbane, Fraser Island is the world's largest sand island and home to one of 2002's world's best beaches. But this World Heritage Site has more to offer than just sun and sand. It's an ecologist's dream, with 640 square miles of unspoiled natural paradise. Rain forests with 1,000-year-old trees sprout from the sand, Australia's second-largest collection of freshwater lakes dot the island and whales frolic in the sheltered waters just off the coast. The island is also teeming with life - 230 species of birds and 25 species of mammals, including wallabies, possums, flying foxes and Eastern Australia's purest breed of dingo, roam the island. Of course, for those more interested in sunbathing than exploring the ecosystem, there is a 75-mile stretch of beach that runs along the island's east coast. Above and beyond the abundance of soft sand, there are a host of water sports as well, from snorkeling to sailing, kayaking, fishing and more.

For nature-loving beach enthusiasts, there may be no better place in the world than Fraser Island. And remote and undeveloped as it is, it still manages to offer lodgings to suit almost any traveler - from the backpacking eco-tourist to the resort-seeker.

Images for Fraser Island, Australia

 

 

• Getting There

Sunstate and Flight West airlines offer daily flights to Hervey Bay. From there, charter flights and helicopter service offer travel to Fraser Island. Visitors can also reach Fraser Island via ferry. Once on the island, getting around is limited to four-wheel drive vehicles as there are no paved roads.
                                                        

• Timing

Fraser Island is on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, which tells you a bit about the weather. Average temperatures tell you more - the maximum temperature from December through March is around 80 degrees Fahrenheit; average low temperature from June through August hovers around 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Lodging

Fraser Island is extremely remote and impossible to traverse without a four-wheel drive vehicle. Therefore, its lodging options are limited to one main resort, Kingfisher Bay - which offers everything from rustic to resort lodgings - plus Fraser Island Retreat and Eurong, and a multitude of campsites offered by the national park.

• Cuisine

Just as lodging is rather limited, so too is dining. Because getting around isn't easy, most people tend to eat wherever they're staying - either at a resort or by cooking their own meals at their campsite. Either way, visitors will likely get a true taste of Australian cuisine - which has in recent years seen an upsurge in the use of native ingredients, including bush tomatoes, seeds, nuts, lemon myrtle, fungi, and even emu and kangaroo. Such ingredients are usually melded with more common ingredients for a uniquely Australian dining experience. Australia's coastal regions benefit from an abundance of seafood, which means marine life is likely to be a mainstay on Fraser Island menus - from rock lobsters, to prawns (shrimp), abalone, scallops, cod, perch and countless other varieties.

• Travel Tips

The 75-mile strip of beach on Fraser Island's east coast is also its main thoroughfare, which means driving is for four-wheel drive vehicles only and certain rules apply (such as the sensible warning from locals to avoid driving when high tide is approaching). However, one rule is the same throughout Australia - drivers stay to the left, even when on the beach and there's no handy yellow line to mark the middle of the road.

                                                         

• While You Are There

If visiting between August and October, don't miss the excellent opportunities for whale watching. The sheltered waters of Fraser Island are Australia's whale-watching capital, and magnificent humpbacks can be spotted on the island's western side.

                                               

• To Fake That You've Been There

Casually mention that Fraser Island's Aboriginal name is "K'Gari," or paradise.