Koala Cuddling, Secluded Beaches, and Sailing in the Whitsundays in Australia

One of the best places to experience the Aussie laid-back lifestyle while surrounding yourself with jaw-dropping natural wonders is the Whitsunday Islands. The adventures range from truly relaxing to adventurous. Thanks to our friends at Tourism Australia, “Extra” and our Aussie native co-host, Renee headed to the land down under for a trip of a lifetime.

Hamilton Island is home to its own wildlife park. Renee took time to visit, and had the chance to cuddle a koala named Oprah, meet dingoes, and kangaroos, and see other unique native birds and reptiles. Each morning WILD LIFE Hamilton Island hosts “Breakfast with the koalas,” serving a continental breakfast for visitors to enjoy while the koalas dine on eucalyptus leaves.

From the cutest animals to the best beaches! There are hundreds of stunning beaches across the 74 islands in the Whitsundays region. The most famous is Whitehaven Beach — a four-mile long stretch of pristine white sand on Whitsunday Island. It has been voted Australia's best beach and one of the top five best in the world! Nothing beats flying over Whitehaven Beach in a seaplane then touching down on the water or arriving via helicopter to land on the beach for a seafood picnic.

With a chain of islands this vast, there is no better way to explore the islands and the coral reefs than by sail. For breathtaking views, you can sail to Whitsunday Island and take the easy to moderate 20-minute hike to the top of Hill Inlet Lookout or take a day trip onboard a yacht to some of the Whitsundays' top snorkel spots and beaches only accessible by boat. You can also settle in onboard the luxury yacht — Whitsunday Bliss — for a multi-day tour where you'll see more of the islands, enjoy gourmet meals prepared onboard by a qualified chef, and have the place to yourself once the day-trippers have gone home.

How to get there? Qantas makes it easy to see Australia with the most non-stop flights to Australia each week and Australia's largest domestic network. Your Australian vacation starts the moment you step onboard with Australian food, wine and hospitality from take-off to touchdown. It's just a movie, a meal and a sleep and you're there. Experience a whole new level of comfort onboard the new Qantas Dreamliner, with daily flights to Brisbane from Los Angeles and New York from September 1. From Brisbane, it's an easy connection to Hamilton Island and the Great Barrier Reef with Qantas' domestic network.

To see more from Renée's visit to the Whitsunday Islands, check out her photo gallery! To learn more, be sure to visit Tourism Australia at www.australia.com to check out all the places to go, things to do and plan your visit!