Pack your bags and the kids for a holiday that’s full of adventure, fun and relaxation. You may even find a bit of romance as the sun goes down. You better believe it…
It’s just a hop, skip and ferry ride away, set on the Great Barrier Reef and is a tropical paradise for families. Daydream Island Resort and Spa is the ultimate one-stop holiday destination for families. Here’s why…
1. It’s located in the heart of paradise…
Daydream Island Resort and Spa is an island paradise located in The Whitsundays, a part of the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, and is one of the most beautiful regions on earth. It has all the tropical island requisites – sun, beautiful beaches, snorkelling, tropical fish, great food and it’s just a short ferry ride from the Great Barrier Reef Airport – Hamilton Island, or just 30 minutes by boat from Airlie Beach. Jetstar have regular special deals to Hamilton Island, where the closest airport is located, so check out the site for offers.
Forget taxis and traffic, you’ll be docking at this island holiday in style.
Catch a seaplane for a bird’s eye view of the Great Barrier Reef and Daydream Island Resort and Spa.
A home away from home. Who needs a TV with views like this?! Daydream Island offers a range of accommodation to suit all families big and small.
Cruise Whitsundays will transport you direct from Hamilton Island Airport to Daydream Island in style. They also offer a great range of reef trips daily.
2. The Living Reef is educational and fun in one!
Daydream Island Resort and Spa hosts an incredible Living Reef, which is the home of Nemo and his cousin species, and by far one of the most popular attraction for kids and parents alike. The Living Reef is one of the world’s largest man-made living coral reef lagoons, home to more than 140 species of marine fish, 82 species of coral and 15 species of invertebrates such as starfish, sea cucumbers and crabs. It’s an aquatic wonderland, where visitors can learn about and get up close to the fascinating inhabitants of the Great Barrier Reef.
Discover how the Parrot fish chomp their way through coral to produce the lovely white sand the Whitsundays is famous for, the real story behind Dory, and all about the Living Reef’s newest resident corals – soft corals, brain corals, sponges and staghorn corals. But perhaps the most aww-inspiring of all is the nursery – which is home to over 40 baby bamboo sharks born recently- the best breeding season yet on the island, as well as the very first epaulette shark born in the lagoon.
The Living Reef Educators hold free daily talks to teach visitors about the local residents.
Not the enemy… anemone is the home to Nemo!
Book in for a Guided Fish Feeding activity, and be the star of the class!
2. You can feed the sharks!
Bruce the shark may be ferocious in Finding Nemo, but he is a big wimp in the Living Reef lagoon, as visitors will discover during the free daily shark and fish feeding talks (be nice to the marine educators and you may get to feed them yourself!). Young and old will have a much greater appreciation for these amazing creatures, who, let’s face it, have a pretty bad rep’. In fact, as you’ll discover, the sharks at Daydream Island are pretty fussy when it comes to meal time. But this doesn’t dampen the excitement of watching and learning about their eating habits as they turn up their nose to some tasty fish morsels and not others.
Get up close and personal with jaws.
The nurseries newest bubs include 40 Bamboo sharks and an Epaulette shark!
4. You’ll get splashed in at The Stingray Splash
Walk knee-deep in the Living Reef and hand-feed and pat stingrays. Really, this is an experience you and the children will never forget. Children will have a much great understanding and appreciation of these beautiful butterflies of the sea.
The most elegant swimmers in the ocean, the Stingrays will eat straight from your hands during the Stingray Splash.
5. The rock wallabies will rock your world!
The little ones will be hopping out of their skin over the rock wallabies that roam freely across the island, barely blinking an eye at the tourists. Catch them on Lover’s Cove beach soaking up the rays, amongst the bush walk trail and catching zzzz’s amongst the shade on the north side of the island. If you wait patiently, you may even see a few joeys hop out of mum’s pouch for a nibble on the grassy knolls.
It’s not every day you see rock wallabies hopping across a beach…
Sunset drinks with Skippy!
6. You’ll have an adventure through the Rainforest Adventure Trail
Summon your inner Indiana Jones for a trek through the rainforest trail, a 20 minute walk stretching the length of the island with an array of wildlife and spectacular scenic cliff side views of the heavenly reef and sunset. Keep your eyes open for the melomy – a native Australian tree dwelling rodent, lace monitor lizards and coastal sea birds such as sea eagles. If you’re a botanist at heart, there’s stunning trees and plants like hoop pines, Moreton Bay ash, lilly pilly, flame trees, white cedar and a variety of native ferns, colourful orchids and hibiscus to go green with envy.
Views from the rainforest trail. A sight to behold!
7. There’s heaps of activities for kids – Playground, Crazy Golf, Tennis & more!
By far the most fun you could have hitting a ball around, this crazy golf course is a visual treat filled with Australia’s most iconic sites – 19 of them! Travel through Ned Kelly’s bushlands and gold rush fields to Bondi Beach, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Parliament House and Uluru and show the family who’s the boss.
If you can’t net a fish, you can always have a hit at the nets. Book in for a game of love-all – parents against kids – and teach the kids how to have a ball and break a sweat at the same time. Let’s hope there are no junior McEnroe’s as opponents. And when all this action tires you out but the kids are still burning dust, kick back at the playground and let your wee ones burn off some energy in the building playground, where, let’s face it, kids just want to have fun.
8. You can laze around the pool all day
It wouldn’t be a holiday without experiencing a heavenly resort pool. Daydream Island’s famous pool has all the holiday-must-have essentials – a picturesque pool with children safe depths and swimming zones. If you’ve booked them in to the kid’s club, make sure you freestyle it to the resort’s swim-up pool bar for a coldie. Hey, you’re on holidays!
Don’t forget your swimmers! There’s some serious aqua to make a splash in!
9. The kids will love Skippers Club
Sometimes parents need a break from the kids, and the kids need a break from mum and dad! Skippers Club is guilt free – the children will WANT to go to! It’s a pay-per-visit session for mornings or arvos and depending on the child’s age and season, there’s a range of activities on offer including both outdoor activities and adventures and indoor crafts, storytelling, play, painting and of course, computer games. Children from 6 weeks-old to 12 are welcome!
10. There’s a world-class spa!
Book the onsite babysitter and rehydrate that sun-kissed skin with a totes luxe facial, massage or pedicure with complimentary champers. The Daydream Island Rejuvenation Spa uses luxe products Pevonia Botanical and Eles Mineral Makeup, has an awesome menu from basic massage to 3 hour total indulgence packages to hydro-storm steam affusion shower, Vichy treatments, body wraps, skin detox treatments, aromatherapy, hydrotherapy, naturopathy and more.
All that white sand walking is tiring on those pretty little feet!
Glow brighter than the Great Barrier Reef sun with a facial designed especially for your skin type.
11. The Open Air Cinema is wow-a-riffic!
It’s perhaps one of the cooler ways to unwind after a day of exploration, Daydream Island’s free open air cinema is a fab family experience. Yep, after a day of crusading, head to the outdoor cinema, which overlooks the Great Barrier Reef, for a kid’s flick they’ll love.
12. There’s ample boat play, water activities and beach sports
Pack a picnic and hire a boat to explore the surrounding desolate islands, their incredible corals and have a wave of fun. Or, try jet skiing, kayaking, parasailing, reef fishing, beach volleyball, stand-up paddle boards and scuba diving. There’s a whole reef waiting to be explored….
There’s a mountain of treasures to discover on the surrounding islands. Hire a boat for a great family day out.
Grab a kayak and have a family adventure.
Ample space for a healthy, active holiday. Or you could just do sand angels on the beach…
Do a day trip out to the reef.
On your marks, get set…. Mummy wins!
13. The snorkeling is world class!
Daydream Island has three beaches, one (Lover’s Cove) is fringed by outcrops of live coral and colourful fish life, which makes for a perfect underwater playground to snorkel. There’s a host of cool rocks and cliff-side caves just waiting to be explored. The kids won’t even miss their computer games…
Float in the most beautiful waters in the world and wait for the magical tropical reef fish to pay you a visit.
Explore the rocks where some tropical fish like to hide.
A protected coral beach – take your shoes!
14. There’s plenty of foodie options for fussy eaters…
Fussy little eaters will be spoilt for choice! Daydream Island Resort and Spa has a variety of dining options to suit every need, whether it’s a quick snack, light lunch or a fine dining beachside. The signature restaurant, Mermaids, dishes up the finest a la carte selections from chefs passionate about the freshest seafood and choicest cuts of meat, fancy cocktails and fine wines. Other foodie picks are the prate themed Fishbowl, known for its pub style grub and hearty meals, ye ol’ scallywags, Waterfalls Restaurant, where you’ll be spoilt by a selection of buffet themes throughout your stay, The Boat House, Lagoon Bar and Gilligan’s Bar and Health Hut.
The Boathouse Restaurant – no boat required, just a healthy appetite!
A piratey theme for ye’ young scallywags at Fishbowl Tavern.
A buffet to end all hunger pains at Waterfalls Restaurant.
At Mermaids restaurant you’ll have stellar views of the three famous mermaids.
To book your family adventure at Daydream Island Resort and Spa, call 1800 075 040 or visit www.daydreamisland.com.
Have you visited Daydream Island? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!
