The Amazing Whitsundays!

Gap 360's Sophie has arrived in Thailand after spending 9 months travelling Australia. She hasn't stopped raving about the Whitsundays, read on to hear all about it.

Hi, it's Sophie here! I've arrived in Thailand now (I'm on the epic Thai Adventure!) but before I start on all things Thai, I want to catch up with you and let you know about one of my favourite places in Aus, the Whitsundays!

So The Whitsundays are probably the numero uno thing to do whilst you're travelling along the East Coast, and for good reason too! You’ve worked your way around various jobs in Aus, and quite honestly, you deserve a treat. And treats don’t come bigger than sunning yourself on a boat, snorkelling with turtles and diving with sharks!

I was lucky enough to grab myself a place on the catamaran 'Wings 3', which came complete with a hot tub (perfect for warming up your body after a dive, or when you want to stare at the stars at night!). The boat offers both experienced and non experienced divers the chance to scuba, as well as snorkelling opportunities at some of the most beautiful locations in the Isles. Snorkelling can sometimes be even better than diving- when I was having a little dip one day, a shark swam right into my path!

On the second day, our awesome host Clayton (who was also responsible for keeping us well fed onboard) took us off to one of the world’s most beautiful beaches- Whithaven beach ,and yes it is exactly how it looks in the brochures! After taking some awesome group photos, we had a splash around in the sea before we realised we were sharing the water with three foot sting rays and tiger sharks. Here, I also bumped into my French friend Louisianne and her family and it was lovely to have a catch up in such a beautiful location.

Like all good things our Whitsundays adventure had to come to an end, with all of us bitterly regretting not doing the three night option, which takes you out to the furthest part of the Reef. We had an amazing time though, and we couldn't recommend the trip more!

Check out our Sailing Whitsundays & Great Barrier Reef trip to explore these beautiful islands for yourself!