Best time to Visit

The climate of Whitsunday Islands is tropical and hence has tourists coming in throughout the year. The drier and cooler months from November to April are when tourism peaks here.

Getting there

The Whitsunday Islands are at a distance of about 900 kilometers from Brisbane, Australia and you can cover the distance between the two in about one-and-a-half hours by flight.

There are two airports here – the Whitsunday Coast Airport in Proserpine Island and the Great Barrier Reef Airport in Hamilton Island.  These are served by direct flights from Australian cities of Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.  From Sydney, it takes about 2 hours to reach Whitsundays.

You can also take the roadways – the Bruce Highway that connects the Queensland towns, as well as railways.

Getting around the Islands is fairly easy with boats, ferries, planes and cars available for the same.

Attractions of Whitsunday Islands

The 74 Islands of Whitsunday region have some of finest beaches of the Pacific. Among the top rated beaches of the world is the Beach of Whitehaven on the eastern coast of the Island of Whitsunday. Other vibrant beach of this Island is the Airlie Beach, the beaches in Bowen, Proserpine and that of Laguna.

Some of the attractions of the Whitehaven Beach are is small coves and inlets like the Hill inlets. The Tongue Point here is a trail that takes you to a lookout point, offering a view of the 7-kilometers Whitehaven Beach. The white silica sand is protected under a national park. You can always see people coming here on day trips.

Diving and snorkeling is of course, the main attraction of this Island, courtesy the Great Barrier Reef – one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Beneath the waters here are about 1500 fish species and 400 coral species.  The marine life here includes dolphins, turtles, manta rays and others.

In the nesting season of July to September, you can see humpback-whales who migrate here.

Some of the dive and snorkeling sites here are the Manta Ray Bay to the north of Hook Island, Stepping Stones and Cathedral Reefs among many others. There are alleys under the water and many other interesting formations.

For those who like it unplanned, the Whitsundays have a number of camping sites, one of them being the famous Whitehaven Beach.

Sailing along the Islands of Whitsunday leaves you with a mesmerizing experience. The archipelago has more than 120 anchorages to dock the yachts, ships, boats and ferries. Cruising to the Whitsunday Island, the South Molle, the Getaway Island of Hayman, and the resort Island of Hamilton and the Backpackers’ Island – the Hook Island is something all tourists include in their itinerary of Whitsundays.

Hiking is another activity tourists enjoy here. In fact, walking through the Islands is the best way to explore them. There is a hike to a lookout point the Hill inlet that offers spectacular view of the Island of Whitsunday and the beach of Whitehaven. You can also hike through the forests and national parks here.

If you have quite a lot of money, you must take helicopter or a seaplane tour of the Island that gives you a view you will remember forever.

All the Islands of Whitsunday region have something peculiar to offer to the tourists. The white silica sand of the Whitehaven Beach and other pretty beaches, the national parks, the vibrant and rich life beneath the waters around the Island, the Great Barrier Reef and the snorkeling and diving sites, the scenic hikes and the cruising and sailing experience around the 74 Islands of Whitsunday, all of these and the Island’s ambience – offers a trip that’s worth making.

Best time to visit

The Island is located just north of the Tropic of Capricorn and hence experiences a tropical climate. The average annual temperature here is around 27 degree Celsius and the months of January and February are the best time to visit this Island. However, the tropical climate makes it a destination that can be toured any time of the year.

How to reach

To reach Wilson Island, you first need to get to the Gladstone Airport in Australia, which is connected to all airports of Australia. From here, you need to take a 30-kilometer helicopter journey to Heron Island and from there, a 45-minute launch ride to Wilson Island.

For ferry trips too, you would need to make the journey from Gladstone to Wilson Island via Heron Island. Within this tiny Island, your foot is your vehicle.

Attractions

Wilson Island is a small getaway Island destination of Australia. You could either take a short trip to Wilson Island from Heron Island and finish the tour in 10-15 minutes or you can plan some time out here to rejuvenate yourself in a clam atmosphere that’s rare to find. The Island is small and the resort here doesn’t accommodate more that 12 people- so you are safe from crowd.

The Island is a part of the Great Barrier Reef and is also surrounded by it. As a result, it is home to some great snorkeling and diving sites. There is some spectacular and unique marine life beneath the waters surrounding this Island.

This Island is said to be a turtle and bird sanctuary. It is a miniscule part of the Capricornia Cays National Park. You can spot Green Turtles nesting here in the months from November to March. From June to September, the Wilson Island becomes a nesting ground for humpback whales. Birds nest here in the month of February, when the Island is closed.

The Wilson Island is meant for deriving simple pleasures from simple activities like sunbathing by the beaches along the Capricorn Coast, reading on a hammock and star gazing. Walk through the Island with a local guide. This is the best way to know more about the Island and its formations.

You can stay here and then go trekking to Heron Island that’s just 45-minutes away by boat. By the end of the day, you can have a drink or two at Rockhampton here.

The Wilson Island is just perfect if what you are seeking is an Island all by yourself. Well… not really so, but since the Island has very limited accommodation, you might get the feeling of owning the space here and there’s certainly no harm in feeling that way! This is a perfect vacation destination you do not want a very active schedule and just want to enjoy some endless moments of your life.

Taiwan is surrounded by the East China Sea on its north, the Philippine Sea on its east, the Luzon Strait on its south and the South China Sea on its southwest. The eastern parts of Taiwan are flanked by mountains and in its western parts are the plains.

When to visit Taiwan

Taiwan experiences a tropical and subtropical weather, with an average temperature of about 27 degree Celsius throughout the year.  There is no extreme weather here.

Summers last from April to November. December to March is cooler, with an average temperature of about 15 degree Celsius. Rainfall is abundant throughout the year in different parts of Taiwan.

Most of activities take place from July to September, which makes it a peak season for tourists

How to go

Taiwan has two international airports – the Chiang Kai- Shek International Airport and the Kaohsiung International Airport – that are served by airlines from major countries like America, Japan, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and Hong Kong. Besides these tow, there are about 16 domestic airports here.

There is a good railway system here with three lines – the West Line, the East Line and the South Circle Line, with their branches. Tourists’ special trains too run here. Buses offer convenient services between cities and the Taiwan Tourism Bureau offers a Tour Bus that takes you to the main attractions of the Island.  You can also hire a taxi. Rapid Transit system exists here.

You can also opt for a ferry ride along the Kaohsiung Harbour.

What to do

There is no element of nature that’s missing in Taiwan. From lakes to forests, from mountains to islands, this Southeast Asian Island has it all.

The mountains of Island of Taiwan take the scenic beauty of this Island to new heights. On the northeast part of Jiayi County in Taiwan Province are the Ali Mountain that include 18 hills –The 2,663 meters Tower hill being the highest here. It is known for the rare sited of sunrise, the 72 kilometers long Ali Mountain Forest Railway, the Alishan Sacred Tree of Juniper dating back to 3000 years, the Grand Sea of Clouds and the Cherry Blossom here.

The mount Yangmin, to the north of the Island is the largest natural area of Taiwan with seasonal flora, volcanic sights, valleys, waterfalls and hot springs. February to March attract the tourists here to the activity of the Flower season.  The Front Mountain Park and the Black Mountain Park are two parts of this mountain. The latter has volcanoes like Mt. Seven Star with hot springs with temperatures of about 60 degree Celsius, Mt. Gauze, Mt. Bamboo Lake, Mt. Zhongzheng and the Mt. Datun. Other attractions of this park are the Xiaoyin Pool, waterfalls and a variety of butterflies.

The roof of Taiwan, the Mt Yushan is in the Jade Mountain National Park in the Island’s center. The Jade peak, about 4000 meters high, is the highest one of Northeast Asia.

Hot springs in Taiwan, more than 100 of them, are other major attractions here. In the northern area, Xinbeitou is well known hot spring destination. The Shamao Mountain, the Wulai Hot Springs, the Jiaoxi Hot Spring area, the Jinshan hot springs, the Tai- an Hot Springs, the Guguan Hot spring area, the Dongpu Hot Spring, the Lushan Ht Springs, the Guannziling Hot Springs, the Baolai and Bulao Hot Springs, the Sichoongxi Hot Springs, the Ruissui Hot Springs and the Antong Hot Spring area are just few of the hot springs destinations in Taiwan. They are said to have therapeutic powers. These spring destinations have a distinct vegetation, cuisine and attraction for the tourists.

Taiwan is also known for its National Parks. Of these are the Yangmingshan National Park in Taipei suburb with its volcanoes including the Yushan peak, the Xueba National Park know for the Fromosan Oncorhynchus Masou; a fish species, the Taroko National Park in central Taiwan, the Yushan National Park in south, the Kending National Park, the Dongsha Atoll Marine National Park at the northern tip of the South China Sea and the Kinmen National Park known for war legacies from decades ago.

Taiwan is a geographically rich country with spectacular scenic areas. The slopy Keelung city flanked by the Donghai Sea from north and mountains on the other sides, the Keelung Islet and the Heping Islet and its night market, charm the visitors. In the Taipei County, you will find plenty of museums, the confluence of the Danshui, Xindian and Keelung rivers, Taiepei city sites like the Dihua Street or the Longhan temple and other cultural places. In the Hsinchi County you will come across the Hakka community and the Science based Industrial Park, with the Hsinchu plains merging with Eighteen Peaks Mountain and the Niupu Mountains in the east. The rivers and streams make the Yilan County the breadbasket of Taiwan. For the Lion’s Head Mountain temple and other temples, you will need to visit the Miaoli County.  The Taichung County in central Taiwan has the developed city of Taichung and is flanked by coast plains in the west, Taichung Basin in the south and Mountains in the east. Changhua is another mountainous county of this island. Yunlin is a scenic county on Taiwan’s western coast.

In the Chiyayi County is the Lantan Lake and the Yimin Temple in the city here has artifacts from 1786. In the southwest coast of Taiwan is the ancient Tainan County with a number of ancient temples. The Central Mountain ranges Yushan and Alishan flank the Kaohsiung County on its northeast, on its west is the Taiwan Strait and the Jianan Plain is on its north.

Called the Southeast Asia of Taiwan, Pingtung is the southernmost region in Taiwan, surrounded by Pacific Ocean on the east, Taiwan Strait on west and the Basi Channel on its south. In the Hualien County, you can visit the waterfront seaside park, Nanbin Park, the reef and the rock collection at Qixingtan and the Buddhist Jingsi Temple.

Among the main islands are Penghu archipelago in the southwest of Taiwan straits known for its fishing culture and migratory birds, the Ludao or the Green Island 33 kilometers off the Taitung Coast, the Lanyu or the Orchid Island off the southeastern coast of Taiwan popular with fishermen and divers, the Kinmen Island with as many as 21 historic sites, The Matzu Island to Kinmen’s north with pebbled beaches, Fujian villages and fortifications, the Guishan Island in Yilan County with hot springs among other natural attractions and the Little Liuqui Island in the Pingtung County composed of corals, with temples.

A major attraction in Taiwan is in the Taipei City – the 7.7 square kilometers Sun Moon Lake, surrounded by the Mount Shuishe and Mount Dajian. The Guanghua Island divides the lake into north and south sections which resemble like a rhombus-shaped sun and a crescent-shaped moon respectively and hence the name. Said to be discovered by peasants who were chasing a large white deer, this is the largest natural lake of Taiwan. Popular as a summer resort, around its north shore is the Wenwu Temple where you can pay homage to Confucius, General Yue Fei of the Southern Song Dynasty and the Guan Yu, general of Shu States in the Three Kingdoms.  The Guanghua Island is the burial place for monk Xuan Zang (602-604) and a pavilion named for Old Man under the Moon or the God of Marriage.

Tropical, subtropical, temperate and sub frigid forests foster a diverse wild life in Taiwan. In the north are the Taipingshan, Dongyanshan, Neidong, Manyueyuan and the Guanwu forest areas. In Central Taiwan are the forest areas of Dashuishan, Baxianshan, Henhuanshan, Wuling and Aowanda. In south are the Alishan, Tengzhi, Shuangliu and Kenting Forest Areas and in the east are the Zhihben, Chinan and the Fuyuan forest areas.

The central mountains are endowed with recreation areas and farms. The Quilan and Mingchih forest areas are in the north, in the central regions are the Wuling, Fushoushan and the Quinjing farms, the Donghe farm is in the east and in the south are the Kaohsiung and the Chiayi farm, all with rich vegetation and fauna.

Besides these, the Taipei National Palace Museum too is worth a visit.

If you want to enjoy the local cuisine while also doing some street shopping, visit the night markets of Taiwan such as the Keelung night market, the Shilin night market, the Hauxi market in the north; the Zhonghua night market, the Donghai Villa night market in Central Taiwan, the Wenhua night market, the Xinxing night market, the Minzu night market, the Liuhe night market in South Taiwan, the Luodong night market and the Nanbin night market in East Taiwan.

With mountains, plains, forests, islands and coastlines combined with a developing city, Taiwan offers an interesting trip for tourists here.

While it groups together about six islands, the Phi Phi Don spread over 28 square kilometers and the Phi Phi Le covering about 7 square kilometers, are the more well known ones.

When to go

This Southeast Asian Island has a tropical climate. January to April is the hot season and rains come from May to December.  Rains are heavy but of short duration.

December to March is the peak season for tourists.

How to go

The only way to reach Ko Phi Phi Island is by sea from Krabi, Phuket, Ao Nang and the Ko Lanta Islands. Most visitors come here from Phuket, as a get away tour.

Being a major tourist destination and with the Phuket International Airport in its north, the Island of Phuket is of course, easily accessible. Many international airlines offer their services here from Australia, Malaysia, Germany, Singapore, Macao, Seoul and other destinations of the world. There are direct charter flights from some European and Asian countries like Sweden, Taiwan and Japan to name a few during the peak tourist seasons. There are regular domestic flights to Phuket as well.

The Thao Thepkasattri Bridge connects Thailand to Phuket.

What to do

This Island is a snorkeling and diving paradise.  Thanks to its crystal clear water, there are 15 diving sites here with a diverse marine life. Among the popular dive sites here are the Bida Nai with seahorses and colourful nudibranchs, Bida Nok, both south of Phi Phi Leh, the Garang Heng Coral Reef to the east of Phi Phi Le known for its shoals of yellow barracuda and Leopard Sharks and the Hin Dot – a submerged pinnacle of Phi Phi Don Island outside the Tonsai Bay, home to corals and Barracudas.

The Loh Sama Bay on the east of Phi Phi Le is a popular snorkeling site and a night dive site. The Marine life here includes the Giant Rays, cuttlefish, pipefish, Octopuses and lionfish. The Maya Bay is a good snorkeling and diving site for beginners. To the west of Phi Phi Island is the Shark Point teaming with marine life like Gost Pipefish, frogfish, Leopard Sharks and other sea creatures. The King Cruise Wreck dive, to the west of Phi Phi Island, has attraction of its own home to scorpion fish and other marine life.

Again on the west of the Island is the Anemone Reef, a rocky pinnacle, which is habitat of anemones, seafans, yellow tiger tail seahorse, morays to name a few.

Snorkeling is also good at other sites like Camel Rock, the Bamboo Island and Hin Phae. Kayaking, game fishing, boating and rock climbing are other activities here that you can enjoy doing.

Hiking too has lot of scope here. To start with, the Island has no roads. There are no difficult hiking tails as such. A number of cliffs here are ripe for jumping, if you enjoy that.

Beaches adorn the Island.  Of the best beaches in Ko Phi Phi Don are the Ao Ton Sai, Hat Yao, Hat Ranti beach and Ao Lo Bakao.

In Ko Phi Phi Le are the Ao Maya Bay and Lo Sama beaches.

With no traffic because of no roads, the Island of Phi Phi has its serenity intact in spite of all the touristy developments.  Having been a getaway from the Island of Phuket, the Phi Phi Islands are gaining grounds as a destination by themselves.