A night to remember: 9 incredible ways to sleep on the Great Barrier Reef

Take Queensland glamping experiences to the next level at newly opened Lady Musgrave HQ. While the only way to stay on Lady Musgrave Island is to rough-it and camp, this three-level pontoon brings a whole new experience for those who want to spend a night on the Great Barrier Reef.

Spend your day among the vibrant coral and sealife of the lagoon, then stick around for sunset and more, with delicious meals served up and night kayak tours to appreciate the peace of nighttime on the reef. Sleep under the stars with a luxury glamping set-up on the deck, or head below water level and choose your bunk in the underwater observatory. 

2. Sleep under the stars on a pontoon at sea

Spend the night tucked into a swag in the middle of paradise on your next trip to Cairns or the Whitsundays, and fall asleep to the calming sounds of the Great Barrier Reef.

From Cairns, join the Sunlover by Starlight experience 26 nautical miles off the coast at Moore Reef, for the opportunity for some one-on-one time with this natural wonder. Among the company of just 17 other people, you’ll have the Sunlover pontoon to yourself between 3:30pm and 11am for a private reef show after dark, under sparkling skies.

In the Whitsundays, Reefworld by Cruise Whitsundays adds a little more exclusivity out at its Hardy Reef base, 40 nautical miles from shore. After a full buffet dinner with unbeatable views, take a dive of a different sort into your deluxe double Reefsleep swag (complete with luggage storage and charging station) to get some sleep in preparation for your private morning snorkel safari and glass-bottom boat ride before the day-trippers arrive.

3. Check into an underwater hotel

For an even more otherwordly experience, stay four metres below the surface in one of two Reefsuites - located on the same Whitsundays pontoon as ReefSleep. Splashing onto the scene as Australia’s first underwater accommodation, you'll be treated to a magical night of sleep on the Great Barrier Reef with floor-to-ceiling glass walls, guest-controlled in-water lights to maximise night viewing, a chef-prepared dinner and snorkelling and semi-submersible tours. 

4. Kick back at a luxury island resort

Tropical island escapes are best served with a side of the little things that make you smile: uninterrupted sunsets, fresh and local produce prepared in a way that respects the produce, and access to the best of nature at your doorstep.

Hamilton Island, one of the Whitsundays’ most popular island resorts, offers this in abundance. From the ultra-luxe qualia to the family-friendly Reef View Hotel, each of the island's accommodation options come with the same sapphire blue view worthy of its own spot on the Pantone colour wheel. If you’re kicking it island side, check out these things to do at this resort playground.

Wherever you find yourself on the Great Barrier Reef, there's a luxury island experience waiting.

5. Camp with a hint of extravagance

Want to sleep on the Great Barrier Reef, but keep your feet on the sand? Get in touch with nature in barefoot luxury at one of Queensland's island glamping destinations. 

An adults-only hideaway off the coast of Gladstone, Wilson Island has become one of the most sought after eco-escapes on the Southern Great Barrier Reef. Snorkel, SUP and beachcomb by day, then sink into your private glampsite that's totally off-the-grid, being 100% solar and battery powered.

Lady Elliot Island on the southernmost tip of the Great Barrier Reef has glamping tents and cabins just metres from the edge of the island’s protected lagoon – and is an eco-resort the whole family can enjoy. With calm waters to explore the reef, meet the turtles, mantas and sealife that live here, and reef ranger programs for the kids, this is a destination that blends recreation and education for an unforgettable holiday.

6. Set sail on your own adventure

Want to be the master and the commander of your own adventure? Go bareboating in The Whitsundays and you can choose where you sleep on the Great Barrier Reef each night. 

Hire a yacht and charter your way around paradise: your boat is your hotel, equipped with all the facilities you need, and your treasure is any one of the pristine beaches and sparkling coral-filled coves you’ll find along the way. 

Don’t consider yourself a seadog? Don’t worry, you can book yourself in for a sailing lesson before you pack the duffle and set sail – or better yet, hire yourself a skipper for the trip. Get the facts with this guide.

7. See the deep blue, by going green at an eco-resort

If you’re conscious of your footprint, and not just the kind you leave in the sand, make Elysian Retreat on your destination for the night (or a few).

The first 100% solar-powered resort on the Great Barrier Reef, Elysian is built around creating and savouring life’s special moments in their private cove on Long Island.

The accommodation is made up of 10 beachfront villas, each with high cathedral ceilings, uninterrupted ocean views and a hammock out front to rest in after hours snorkelling or kayaking around the island, or day trips to explore the rest of The Whitsundays.

8. Hire an island all to yourself

In Queensland, you don't have to be a rock star to rent your own island. It might be a more extravagant way to sleep on the Great Barrier Reef - but grab some friends and family and it'll be a getaway for the ages.

Find your patch of paradise on Pumpkin Island, nestled into the Keppel Islands off the coast of Yeppoon. Here, up to 34 people can bunk down in waterfront cottages, with 15 acres of island and surrounding coral reef to explore.

9. Pitch a tent for less than $10 a night

Get back to basics and bring only the essentials for a Great Barrier Reef escape unlike any other. While you could spend thousands at five-star resorts, you can also get a taste of the simple life on many islands where pitching a tent will set you back less than $10 per person, per night. Out here, we rate stars by the thousands.

From the tiny coral cay of  Lady Musgrave Island to the famous silica sands of Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island, experience nature at its absolute finest with a front row seat to the reef.