7 reasons why you should visit Daydream Island
List
By Danielle Reckless
In the heart of The Whitsundays, you’ll find an island destination that holds so much magic you’d think it was the stuff of daydreams. In fact, it nearly is.
Daydream Island is a gateway to our Great Barrier Reef – but it’s long been a destination in its own right. This jewel attracts holidaymakers from all walks of life looking to celebrate or rejuvenate: family holidays, group getaways, romantic escapes and even destination weddings.
While the incredible Living Reef steals plenty of the spotlight post-$100million makeover in 2018-19, there are so many reasons why you should visit Daydream Island. Here’s 7 of them.
1. The accommodation sets the scene to switch off
Photo by @daydreamislandresort
Daydream Island Resort doesn’t just look good from the outside. It’s home to 280 beautifully designed resort rooms, featuring sleek floorboards, soft furnishings and touches that complement the tropical surrounds. And when you’re not sleeping, you’ll be soaking up the views – with the option of vistas across the lush gardens or out into the vast, impossible ocean blue of the Whitsundays Islands.
Those travelling with the tribe can book an interconnecting Family Room, while there’s plenty for the romantics and honeymooners too. All rooms come stocked with Australian-made eco-friendly amenities, complimentary Wi-Fi, pay movies and a range of TV channels.
If you want to sink even further into relaxation, just book a treatment at the day spa.
2. The Living Reef is the most exciting classroom
The centerpiece of Daydream Island Resort, the Living Reef – an outdoor coral lagoon that puts the Great Barrier Reef’s marine life right at your fingertips – wraps 200-metres around the resort, featuring an underwater observatory, interactive touch-pools and more. To put things into perspective, it's up to 14 metres wide, four metres deep, and contains 1.5 million litres of filtered seawater with over 100 species of marine fish, coral and invertebrates such as starfish, sea cucumbers and crabs.
More than just something spectacular to look at, the Living Reef is managed by the island’s resident marine biologists – and the focus here is on education.
You won’t find any blackboards in the Exploration Centre: instead, it’s a space overlooking the Living Reef’s main lagoon with touch tanks, a theatre, and eye-opening exhibits. Guests can pre-book activities like the educational Stingray Splash, a guided fish feeding, marine-biologist led Reef Rangers sessions for kids aged 6 years and older, or even a guided snorkel. And if you prefer your marine encounters sans wetsuit, you can view from dry land at Daydream’s underwater observatory.
3. Life revolves around the water – and the swim up bar
Whether you’re soaking up sun or snorkelling off one of the beaches, or find your perfect spot by the sprawling pool, your days at Daydream will undoubtedly be filled with time by the water.
Ensuring a good time for all, there’s a kids pool area as well as an adults-only section, complete with a swim-up bar serving cocktails and stocked with over 20 different types of rum. Just remember to apply that sunscreen.
4. Dining here will do more than fuel you
When hunger strikes, Daydream Island guests are spoilt for choice thanks to three incredible restaurants, three bars and a burger joint to fuel daily adventures.
Inkstone Kitchen and Bar is the flagship modern Australian restaurant, offering breakfast, lunch and dinner by the pool. Upstairs, Asian-fusion restaurant, Infinity, champions local seafood (like wok tossed mud crab), an extensive yum cha menu and even has its own private teppanyaki suite.
For more relaxed vibes, Graze features live cooking stations amongst its sumptuous international buffet for breakfast and dinner. Or you can saunter over to the Barefoot Bar for burgers and shakes.
Thirsty? Swim up to your barstool at the rum bar by day, then catch sunset by the beach at Lovers Cove. Come nightfall, more libations are shaken, stirred and poured in Tonic gin bar – best enjoyed with views of the Living Reef where you’ll spot schools of vibrant marine life while you sip.
5. There’s endless adventure to dive into
Small but mighty, Daydream Island is just 1km in length and only 400m wide, so you can take walks around the island or grab a kayak and circumnavigate for an alternative view.
There’s snorkelling right off the beach on the fringing reef on the east side of the island and stand-up paddleboards for hire. Add in tennis, golf, jet skiing, rainforest walks, outdoor cinema, and gym facilities - even the busiest holidaymakers will be entertained.
Of course, if you want to explore some of the other 73 islands of the Whitsundays, you can take a day trip to Whitehaven Beach, journey to the outer reef, or even tack on an overnight Reef Sleep experience to your itinerary.
Parents looking for a little timeout? Sign the little ones up for a Kids Club session.
6. You can host your event here
Photo by @brookemilesweddingphotography
Whether you’re looking to tie the knot, celebrate a big anniversary, host a family reunion or even a conference or corporate retreat, Daydream Island will set the scene for an event to remember. The dedicated events team can make magic happen across beautiful indoor and outdoor spaces, from cocktail parties to gala dinners.
7. It’s easy to get to
The most direct route to Daydream Island is to fly into the Great Barrier Reef Airport on Hamilton Island from Cairns, Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne, then catch a 30-minute ferry transfer the resort.
Alternatively, fly to the Whitsunday Coast Airport on the mainland in Proserpine. From there, it’s a 40km drive to Port of Airlie, where you can then jump on a 30-minute ferry transfer to Daydream.
