Once you start sorting through all the Great Barrier Reef hotels options you will soon come to the realization that the very best possible way of experiencing all the reef has to offer is by staying on one of the many small islands that dot this world heritage site.
The relaxation and rejuvenation that you can experience on one of the islands is unmatched by any other accommodation available on the reef. If you want to get away from it all and really immerse yourself in nature then this is a very effective way of doing it.
You also have the added bonus of being right where the 'action' is in terms of diving and snorkeling because the reef is literally right on your doorstep, unlike other accommodation where you will probably have to use a boat to get to a good diving location. On an island you can just slip on your flippers and snorkel and drift out to the reef from the beach to enjoy the amazing marine life.
The fact that the islands have a limit to how many people are allowed there at any one time is also a great advantage. You can really relax in privacy and pristine isolation without having to deal with crowds, jet skis, powerboats and the like.
Most people who have experienced it say that two days spent on a Great Barrier Reef island is equivalent to five days of relaxation anywhere else.
But not all of the islands are created equal. By comparing trip reports and reviews, forum postings, magazine travel articles and word of mouth it's possible to create a list of the best three island Great Barrier Reef hotels available...
Top Three Great Barrier Reef Hotels
- Haggerstone Island - 600km north of Cairns near the tip of Cape York
If you've ever wanted to spend a Robinson Crusoe type getaway on a remote island then Haggerstone is as close as you will possibly get to fulfilling that fantasy. It is one of the most inaccessible Great Barrier Reef hotels.
Apart from six other guests, Anna and Roy Turner (your hosts), their family and some staff members, you will have this idyllic island all to yourself. You can even rent out the whole island if you want complete privacy and isolation.
The Barrier Reef is easily accessible from the island for diving and snorkeling and you can choose between two clear water lagoons filled with coral gardens just off Hagerstones beach. There is even a shipwreck apparently dating from the 1840s that you can see even if you are snorkeling because the water is so clear.
- Hinchinbrook Island Wilderness Lodge - 2 hours south of Cairns near Cardwell
Not quite as isolated as other island Great Barrier Reef hotels but still an amazing place to visit, Hinchinbrook is Australia's largest island national park. There is only one resort on the island and here you will find accommodation in timber treehouses that you reach by means of raised wooden boardwalks.
For the wilderness adventure enthusiast there is a lot to do here: outer reef cruises and snorkeling tours, guided bushwalks, fishing excursions, birdwatching, canoe and surf ski trips or just lazing around on the beach. What you won't find are nightclubs, jet skis, powerboats or large crowds.
Marine life that you might be fortunate enough to see are sea turtles, giant clams, a multitude of fish on the reef and the endangered dugong that makes its home here.
- Wilson Island - 3 hours per boat from Gladstone
Wildlife forms a large part of what makes Wilson island great. In season you will be able to see green and loggerhead turtles nesting here. Of all the Great Barrier Reef hotels, bird life here is at its most spectacular with over 50 species occurring permanently or as a stop over during migrations.
And of course, lest we forget, the main draw card of the island is the fact that is located right in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef so you will be able to enjoy the amazing coral formations which host over 900 species of marine life and makes snorkeling an unforgettable experience.
Accommodation is in six comfortable tents with raised timber floors and a private deck for reef views. Only twelve guests are allowed on the island at a time so privacy is at a premium.
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