Australia's Great Barrier Reef offers beautiful scenery and a huge variety of resorts, ideal for active, family holidays or secluded, hedonistic getaways.

See our guide to Lizard Island.

The island resorts to visit, listed in alphabetical order, are:

BEDARRA ISLAND
(00 61 740 688 233; fax: 688 215). This glitzy island retreat reopened in July 1998 after a major refurbishment, although its regular visitors couldn’t see much wrong with the way it was. £££

BRAMPTON ISLAND
(00 61 749 514 499; fax: 514 097). Favourite Island of ‘Middle Australia’ and much in demand for silver weddings and honeymoons. The resort is well landscaped and koalas and kangaroos are often seen on island walks. ££

DAYDREAM ISLAND
(00 61 749 488 488; fax: 488 499). Unless you want to spend your vacation with lots of young children – keep away! Daydream’s slick new resort has dedicated itself to the young family market, to the virtual exclusion of all else. ££

DUNK ISLAND
(00 61 740 688 199; fax: 688 528). This richly-rainforested island, with fine sand beaches, has long been an Aussie favourite. The beachfront and bay-view rooms were refurbished after P&O took over in March 1998. ££

FITZROY ISLAND
(00 61 740 519 588; fax: 521 335). One of the few Barrier Reef islands geared to budget travellers. Lazy days are spent on the island’s one good beach and social life continues after dark, but don’t expect any frills. £

GREAT KEPPEL ISLAND RESORT
(00 61 749 395 044; fax: 391 775). In addition to the main resort, the island has a choice of small establishments offering simple but good accommodation, making it a favourite with young holidaymakers. Great beaches are the other draw. £

GREEN ISLAND
(00 61 740 313 300; fax: 521 511). A great day out for trippers from Cairns, but longer-term visitors might find the gleaming new resort lacking in life and character. Reef and rainforest tours are expertly presented. ££

HAMILTON ISLAND
(00 61 749 468 931; fax: 468 516; www.hamiltonisland.com.au). Extensive development has turned Hamilton into a self-contained town that acts as the hub of the Whitsundays. High-rises dominate the skyline, but there are beaches too. £££

HAYMAN ISLAND
(00 61 749 401 234; fax: 401 567). No expense was spared when turning this otherwise ordinary island into Australia’s most glamorous resort, complete with an extensive art collection, spa, beachfront restaurant and imaginative landscaping. Launch transfers from Hamilton island airport should be booked with your air ticket, otherwise it costs a hefty £130 round-trip. £££

HERON ISLAND
(00 61 749 729 055; fax: 720 244). A turtle-breeding beach, copious bird life and a semi-submersible make this a fascinating island even for non-divers. A well-run resort. £

HINCHINBROOK ISLAND
(00 61 740 688 585; fax: 668 742). The world’s largest island national park, with magnificent beaches and jungle-clad mountains. Top choice for serious trekkers, though the easy-going resort also has appeal for the less energetic. ££

HOOK ISLAND
(00 61 749 469 380; fax: 469 470). A historically-interesting island mostly visited by yachties and day-trippers, but back packers and campers also turn up to make use of its rudimentary facilities. £

LADY ELLIOT ISLAND
(00 61 741 255 344; fax: 255 788). One of the great places for scuba diving, famed for its manta rays. Not so beautiful above water, the island was ravaged by guano workings in the 1860s, but vegetation is slowly returning. ££

LINDEMAN ISLAND
(00 61 749 469 333; fax: 469 776). Long-established resort brought by Club Med in 1992, but the mood remains stubbornly Aussie rather than Gallic. Activities range from decent nine-hole golf to circus training. ££

LIZARD ISLAND
(00 61 740 603 999; fax: 603 991). Australia’s classic millionaires’ playground. The mood is simple and laid back, yet everything from gourmet food to expensive facilities for divers and game-fishermen is of the highest quality. See our guide to Lizard Island for more. £££

LONG ISLAND
There are three resorts on Long Island: Club Crocodile (00 61 749 469 400; fax: 466 007), is the cheap and cheerful main resort and popular with young singles. Palm Bay Hideaway (00 61 749 469 233; fax: 469 309) is a charming beach hang-out, but appeals to the most placid of temperaments. Whitsunday Wilderness Lodge (00 61 07 4946 9777; www.southisland.com) is a small eco lodge that caters to a maximum of 20 guests. £

MAGNETIC ISLAND
(00 61 747 785 200; fax: 785 806). Its proximity to booming Townsville gives Magnetic Island a somewhat suburban air – enviable as an escape for commuters, but rather mundane as a holiday destination. £

ORPHEUS ISLAND
(00 61 747 777 377; fax: 777 533). Unsung gem of the Barrier Reef, with a civilised atmosphere, a well-to-do clientele and fine cuisine. No young children or day-trippers. Accessible only by helicopter or seaplane. Full board. £££

SOUTH MOLLE ISLAND
(00 61 749 469 433; fax: 469 580). Long-famous by now, old-fashioned family resort. New owners bought the property from receivership in 1997 and there has been some basic refurbishment work undertaken. Full board. ££

AIRPORT
There are no direct flights to the Great Barrier Reef. Flights from London either go to Cairns or Brisbane, and from there you can travel by water taxi or seaplane to your island destination.

AIRLINES FROM THE UK
(0870 850 9850; www.britishairways.com) flies from London, via Brisbane, to Cairns; Qantas (Qantas (020 8846 0466; www.quantas.co.uk) flies directly to Cairns; and Garuda Airlines (020 747767; www.garuda-indonesia.com) offer seas return ticket to Cairns, via Bali.

WHO TO GO WITH
Austravel (020 7287 0212) offers tailor-made package holidays to most islands, including Heron, Lizard, Dunk and the Whitsunday Islands. Tailor Made Travel (01386 12050) has an 'Australia Naturally' brochure, which features personalised packages to the Great Barrier Reef and all around Australia. Bridge The World (020 7734 7447) offers accommodation on Heron Island. P&O Australian Resorts (020 7805 3875) boasts five Great Barrier Reef resorts, including those on Lizard, Brampton and Dunk islands; book through various tour operators, including Trailfinders (020 7938 3939) or Bridge The World.

In general, visiting the Great Barrier Reef is far from cheap, but most resorts do have cut-rate deals. Resort reservations made through local airlines or Qantas can produce savings, particularly in the cost of round-trip transfers, which are often not included in the resort rate and vary wildly. For last-minute travellers, standby packages are often available; travel agencies in Arlie Beach specialise in these: try Whitsunday Travel Centre (00 61 749 466 224; fax 466 087). When making reservations directly with a resort, ask about special deals and discounted rates.

The islands of the Great Barrier Reef are always temperate; they get warmer and wetter (particularly from January to March) as you move north.

Queensland Government Travel Centre (00 61 3 6230 8233), corner of Adelaide and Edward Street, Brisbane. Far North Queensland Promotion Bureau (00 61 7 4051 3588), corner of Grafton and Hartley Street, Cairns. Or contact your local Australian Tourist Commission (ATC), an external operator which will supply you with information before you leave.

Always consult the Foreign Office before travelling.