Seaplanes, snorkelling, waterfront accommodation and the whitest beaches in the world: A 36-hour trip of the Whitsunday Islands reveals the region's stunning beauty

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The most pure silica sand in the world, azure waters, giant turtles, coral reefs, sea plane flights, sea kayaking, luxury accommodation and stunning scenery everywhere you look.

There's a lot to be done in the Whitsunday Islands - but you'd be surprised how much you can pack into 36 hours and still leave feeling utterly relaxed. 

A day and a half seems like no time at all, but after being treated to a whirlwind visit, I felt like I'd been there for much longer and wanted to go back.

Travelling courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland, I was part a group of five being treated to everything the region has to offer and having never been on a tropical holiday, I was an instant convert.

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Hill Inlet at the north end of the stunning, seven kilometre-long Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island

Heart Reef on the Great Barrier Reef is the most photographed spot in the World Heritage Site

Travelling by seaplane is an incredible way to see the islands and Great Barrier Reef, providing a chance to get your bearings and soak in the scale and grandeur of the scenery

Many boats dot the sea and sheltered bays among the 74 islands which comprise the Whitsundays

Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island, a seven km stretch of stunning white 98 per cent silica sand

It's hard to not be amazed by the Whitsunday Islands every second you're there 

Arriving on Hamilton Island about noon on Friday we met our host, Shelley Thomas, who was to guide us around the Whitsundays, before picking up two of the golf buggies synonymous with the island and heading to lunch at the Beach Club Restaurant.

As someone who'd never had a remotely tropical holiday before, walking in to an infinity pool with palm trees and the ocean in the background, I was transported. 

Keeping with the theme, most chose kingfish to fuel them for the afternoon's activities - a sea plane flight over the islands and some of the most well-known parts of the Great Barrier Reef as well as snorkelling among the coral. 

We headed to the airport to board one of Hamilton Island Air's seaplanes - ours was only three weeks old and had been on only about a dozen flights.

Our knowledgeable pilot and co-pilot kept us informed as we climbed above the emerald green islands and bright blue seas before heading for the Great Barrier Reef.

From the windows of the plane we could see stunning reef formations, including the most photographed of all - Heart Reef - no prizes for guessing how it got its name.  

Sharks, rays and turtles could be seen among the shallow waters surrounding the reefs as we descended for a closer look and a quick skim across the calm waters.

Hamilton Island Air CEO and General Manager Brad Graves has even seen Migaloo, the famous white humpback whale.

'Seeing Migaloo was the most amazing flight for me in terms of seeing wildlife. In winter, during whale season [June-September], you see hundreds of humpbacks… literally everywhere you go. And whale sharks come here as well.

'All the normal critters are here – dugongs, bottlenose dolphins, green and hawksbill turtles, rays, tiger sharks – and you can seem them every day, all day long from the air.' 

A view from a seaplane provides an amazing perspective on the Great Barrier Reef and its scale. From the plane you can also see sea creatures like turtles, whales, dugongs and sharks

Stunning white sand, azure water, blue sky and lush green bush are characteristic of most views in the Whitsundays

Whitehaven Beach is hugely popular with tourists for its incredible sands and beautiful waters 

Snorkelling at one of the many reefs in or near the Whitsundays is an incredible experience

Images from Chalkies Beach, where beach-accessed snorkelling on stunning coral reefs was provided by John Henderson from Whitsunday Paradise Explorer

After a couple of passes for photographs we headed back for another Whitsundays icon - Whitehaven Beach and its 98 per cent silica sand.

Landing in style and taxiing to the shore was quite the experience and tourists stopped to snap selfies in front of our ride. 

We only stopped briefly, however, as the next part of our adventure was about to being.

John Henderson from Whitsunday Paradise Explorer picked us up in his boat and minutes later we had our stinger suits, snorkels and fins on, plunging into the water at the site of the only fringing coral reef growing out of sand in Australia, off Chalkies Beach.

Suddenly we were up close and personal with neon fish of all colours and sizes and stunning coral in a whole new underwater world.

As we left - but all wishing we could stay - a large turtle swam by, the first of several we would see and unfazed by our presence. 

John and his wife Jacqui moved to the Whitsundays from New Zealand 16 years ago. 

Like many others, they came on holiday, fell in love and stayed.

'There's so much beauty here... I love taking people out to places they didn't know existed. There's so much to see. Every time I go out, I see something new,' John said. 

'For me, it's about quality of life. And making people happy. What more could you ask for in life.'

During a brief stop at the calm, peaceful and deserted Chance Bay, we learned Captain James Cook and his crew were first to sail to region on what they thought was Sunday, the feast of Whitsun, in 1770 - but in fact it was actually a Monday.

Had the International DateLine been established, the islands would be called the Whitmondays. 

From there, John took us to our accommodation for the night, providing insights along the way and passing what was thought to be a dugong - although by the time we doubled around, it had disappeared.

As we travelled, John filled us in with facts about the islands we were passing 

Stopping briefly to pick up our bags at Shute Harbour, John pointed out yellow marker buoys indicating sunken vessels - a result of a cyclone several years, when dozens of boats were damaged or sunk in the normally sheltered, calm harbour.

There's no better way to get around the islands and visit the stunning beaches than by boat

An aerial view of Palm Bay Resort on Long Island. The stunning location allows incredible views of sunsets or sunrises from either side of the island

Lounging by the sea under a palm tree is a great way to spend some time relaxing at Palm Bay Resort

The luxurious accommodation includes waterfront bungalows looking out over the sand and the sea

The resort also has a delightful swimming pool

The tale of the storm was a stark contrast to the placid sunny weather we were experiencing.

Arriving at Palm Bay Resort was straight out of a tropical dream. 

Located on Long Island - one of the 74 islands that make up the Whitsundays - Palm Bay is run by general manager Caroline Murray, a Scottish transplant and provides a range of accommodation including beachfront bungalows tucked among the palm trees.

Instantly relaxing, tucked among an array of tropical foliage, we took seats in the casual dining area and ordered cocktails from the bar.

The resort is nearly completely staffed by volunteers who either stayed or helped out there once - and liked it so much they came back for more.

'Guests love it because it's more sociable. We've just had a comment from an American chap who went home this morning. He said he'd never seen anything like it anywhere in the world,' Caroline said. 

'He actually came here 10 years ago and he said the resort's much better now. People talk to each other in the kitchen and they watch what others are cooking, share ideas and favourite recipes… and many become life-long friends. It's just amazing!' 

With the sound of the sea washing over the beach it was a peaceful sleep - but with limited time at the beautiful venue, most woke up early for the sunrise or a walk on one of the Island's pathways to another beach.

Before breakfast I took a dip in the delightful salt water pool and after wolfing down a bacon and egg bun and coffee, we were met by Hayley and Neil Kennedy from Salty Dog Sea Kayaking.

Hayley and son Zane provided commentary and facts about the sea life and history of the area as we headed out over coral growths near the island and spotted more turtles - and even a bush wallaby on the shore - we learned six out of the seven species of the world's marine turtles can be found in the Whitsundays.

Salty Dog offers everything from half-day, full day and six day long trips or kayak hire for experience paddlers wanting to head out on their own. 

They offer a chance to get some exercise as well as experience the islands from a slower pace and an opportunity to get up close to nature. 

Back at Palm Bay we took to the pool for some more lounging - and a rather early in the day poolside drink - before a water taxi picked us up to return to Hamilton Island for lunch on the deck at the Manta Ray Cafe and our flights back to Sydney.

Thirty-six hours seemed more like three days packed full of activities and memories.

I'd never been on a tropical getaway before - but I was instantly hooked. 

The Whitsunday Islands and the adventures, people and wildlife they are home to are unlike anywhere I've been.

Lux living meets nature at the waterline and those living there know how to do things the right way. 

 The author travelled courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland.

Getting out on the water with Salty Dog Sea Kayak allows you to get up close to nature and learn more about the area

Being on the water is good exercise - but also peaceful - and it allows a chance to get up close to nature

Hamilton Island's marina. The island is a hub for the Whitsundays with accommodation, stores and an airport

Thirty-six hours in the Whitsundays was short - but felt like much longer - and despite everything packed into the adventure, it was easy to head home relaxed