Hamilton Island

Around 30 minutes by ferry from Shute Harbour, Hamilton buzzes with activity. Guests of the resort, and its six types of accommodation, including hotel-style and self-catering establishments, make up most of the itinerant population, but there are private residences here—as well as throngs of day-trippers from the mainland, other islands, and cruising yachts, who wander the island's bustling marina and village each day.

In recent years the island has worked hard to improve the quality of its eateries, and its broad range of dining options includes everything from take-out pizza to upscale restaurants, but most on-island eateries still tend toward the "accessible" end of the culinary scale.

For a family-friendly, one-stop Whitsundays experience, Hamilton Island is a good bet. It's set up as a small city, with its own school, post office, bank branch and ATMs, medical center, pharmacy, supermarket, and video store, plus shops, restaurants, bars, and nightclub, all of which island guests and day-trippers are free to visit. There's also a day spa/relaxation centre (open daily 10-6), offering massage, aromatherapy treatments, and float-tank sessions. But little on Hamilton is free; prices—for food, activities, Internet use, even grocery items—can be steep. The ubiquitous golf carts that visitors hire to zip around the island are A$40 an hour, A$55 for 3 hours, or A$85 for 24 hours from Harbourside Buggy Rentals (7:30 am to 6 pm) or Resort Buggy Hire (8 am to 9 pm). Save a few bucks by using the free Island Shuttle service that runs around the island at regular intervals between 7 am and 11 pm.