We have syndicated this piece with kind permission from The Modern Woman’s Survival Guide.
Is there nothing better than escaping to the tropics with the girls? Swimming in turquoise blue waters, the smell of Reef Coconut Oil transcending you to bygone summers of your youth, cocktails by the pool, swanning about in your kaftan, and your top stress being the state of your fake tan.
So when in the midst of Melbourne’s inconsistent spring, Tourism Queensland asked if I fancied a holiday at Airlie Beach in the Whitsundays, I said yes quicker than a teenager being offered a Bacardi Breezer.
St Tropez fake tan – check.
White floaty kaftan – check.
Bikinis – check.
Audrey Hepburn hat – check.
And so it was on another shite day in Melbourne, I joyously departed 16 degrees for the sunshine and tropical temperatures of Airlie Beach. And whilst I knew I was going to wholeheartedly enjoy luxuriating in the sunshine, what I didn’t realise was that I was about to embark on some of the most memorable adventures of a lifetime.
:: Because Surely It’s Five O’clock Somewhere?
Don’t you love how you can throw out all the rules on holiday? The pure, unadulterated, hedonistic freedom that comes from doing whatever you merry well please. Even if that is having a cocktail by the pool at 11:30am. And well, it would have seemed wrong not to, wouldn’t it? Especially when the pool lounges were beckoning us in such a fashion. A lemonade just wasn’t going to cut it.
The only thing more relaxing than laying poolside at Peppers Resort with ocean views whilst the sun gloriously permeated every part of our bodies, was the massage we had at endota spa beforehand. Walking in, both Tash and I immediately felt that sense of relaxation wash over us that comes from just being in the ambience of a day spa. Those smells, that soft music (note absence of whales or ‘Pan Flutes of Love’) and the hushed tones of the therapists as they hand you the forms to fill in.
There was the usual “Please rate your stress on a level of 1 to 10”, and “Are you a smoker?” (ahem, cue blatant lie as it always seems like confessing to a spa therapist that you smoke, is like telling them you just killed Bambi’s first born), but the question that really separated this spa experience from others was “How much talk do you like during your massage?” (If only hairdressers would place this on their questionnaires so I can read my Marie Claire in peace).
We were escorted (or should I say, seemingly floated down the hallway) to their room that has two massage tables. A grand idea for not only the girls, but also for couples. And for those of you who are thinking, ‘I’m not that keen on getting my kit off in front of someone else’, well then my aunty would tell you, “If you’ve got something I haven’t, then I want to see it.”
The massages were divinely gentle, yet also deeply relaxing. Just what a gal needs to kick start her holiday.
:: Sailing the Whitsundays at Sunset
It’s not often you find yourself on a yacht, let alone at sunset on the waters of the Whitsundays. It was a stunning evening of divine company and flowing conversation, whilst enjoying bubbles and nibbles with breathtaking views of what can only be described as paradise. Oui oui, one could get used to this life indeed.
As the French and charming Christophe from Queensland Yacht Charters sailed us out of the Airlie Beach marina, I looked out over the endlessness of the ocean and drank in its serenity, and the further we sailed, the harder and harder it became to remember why anything was a stress back home. The ocean does that to you though, doesn’t it? Reconnects you back to yourself, and ever so gently puts everything back into perspective.
What seems like an experience reserved only for the rich and famous, is surprisingly accessible for everyone. Queensland Yacht Charters enable you to captain a yacht (with a 4 hour intensive training session) and explore the Whitsundays at your leisure. They will check in with you twice a day, and you can radio them anytime you like. But if you prefer to have a crew, they can also organise that for you too.
Head out for the night, or take a week or so and sail from one island to the next. Jump off and have a swim whenever you please, snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef, stop off at Whitehaven Beach (voted Australian’s number one beach, but more about that in part 2), drop your anchor at an island for the night, and relax on the yacht along the way – indulge in a book marathon, enjoy great company, and eat fine food (there’s even a bbq on board in addition to a kitchen to prepare your meals).
Their varying yachts accommodate from 4 to 8 passengers, meaning groups of friends or couples are able to partake in this magical experience by sharing the cost. And it’s really not as expensive as you might think.
Explore the sailing experiences from Queensland Yacht Charters here.
Stay tuned for part 2 and 3, where we visit the tucked away ‘Hideaway Beach’, fly over the Barrier Reef in a sea plane and land on the water to snorkel, and other fabulous adventures in Airlie Beach.
