Bellara, Australia

Long Island is exactly that, being not much more than a narrow, ten-kilometre ribbon almost within reach of the mainland forests. There are a few looping hikes through the rainforest to Sandy Bay (where there's a National Parks campsite) or up Humpy Point, as well as three resorts. Long Island Resort at Happy Bay (Tel:07/4946 9400, Web: www.oceanhotels.com.au ; Price: hostel $25, Price: ranch $76-100, Price: hotel $131-160) has the only budget accommodation in the Whitsundays, although it's primarily a beach resort popular with couples and families with all sorts of entertainment on hand; hotel rooms include meals and transfers. Cruise Whitsundays (Tel:07/4946 4662, Web: www.cruisewhitsundays.com.au ) runs a day-trip here for $85. Peppers Palm Bay (Tel:07/4946 9233, Web: www.peppers.com.au ; Price: selfcat $251), half a kilometre south at the island's waist, is a more exclusive upmarket retreat, but for a real tropical escape, head to AParadise Bay (Tel:07/4946 9777, Web: www.paradisebay.com.au ; Price: $251), whose self-contained waterfront cabins, superb food and attentive service are only accessible by helicopter.