Australia is one of the best places to go on vacation. Its geographic location makes it an ideal place for observing beautiful samples of nature, with over eight thousand islands filled with wonderful beaches, mountains and tropical rainforests. The variety offered by the continent alone should be enough to draw curious travelers eager to explore each island.

Whether you are looking for a family vacation, a romantic getaway or a personal escape, Australia is full of fun and exciting attractions to serve your needs. If you are looking to visit Australia for the first time, here are some of their most popular island destinations to use as a reference.

1. Bremer Island

Located in the northwestern waters of Australia, Bremer Island is a good starting point for travelers due to its charm of the basic life. Tourists can enjoy their nights in comfortable tents while taking shared showers with the other guests. You can also try the composting toilets for a closer feel with nature. A lot of people go to Bremer Island for the caveman experience – you get to explore an otherwise uncharted location while spending minimally.

Aside from the elementary lifestyle found in the area, Bremer Island is also known for being a good fishing spot. Fishing enthusiasts and photographers flock the island to get a glimpse of its wide collection of fish and other rare sea creatures

2. Fitzroy Island

Fitzroy Island is highly recommended if you are looking for both a vacation and an adventure. The island is popular for its physically-taxing sceneries and activities, so it is preferable if you find and book a nice place to stay in advance. Finding accommodation should be easy, as the island is home to many affordable inns and quality resorts.

The usual activities in Fitzroy Island include leisurely walking along the tracks that lead to the beaches, swimming once you reach them, and trekking along trails of varying difficulty to secure a great view of the island’s beaches on a mountain cliff.  A good starting path should be the popular Nudey Beach Track, easily found by following the trail along the coastline, which leads to a nudist white beach as implied by its name. This track is good for only twenty minutes or so, so if you are looking for a harder challenge you can opt for the Summit Track instead. The Summit Track lasts roughly three hours as travelers have to go through the forests and above a few boulders and cliffs to complete the adventure.

3. Rottnest Island

Rottnest Island can easily be accessed by riding a ferry boat from Hillarys Boat Harbor in the northern region of  Perth. The island is most popular for housing a slew of unique and endangered species, making it a commonplace of gathering for fans of wildlife. There are several tours offered across Rottnest Island, most of them led by a local guide, which should come in handy in case you are looking for an up-close and personal experience with the animals on the island.

The best crowd-drawer Rottnest is the quokka, a species famous on the internet as one of the most photogenic animals in the globe. The quokka is an endangered line of marsupials who exclusively live in the marsh flats of Rottnest, and they are famous for how friendly they look especially in front of a camera. They aren’t as nice as they look, however, as their species has also been reported to act out if ever they feel harassed or provoked in the slightest bit. If you wish to get near one or touch one, it would be much better to have a local tour guide with you.

If you want to see more of the best sightseeing spots on the island, check this incredible guide on exploring all that Rottnest Island has to offer.

4. Whitsunday Islands

Travel along the East Coast of Australia and you should see a cluster of seventy-four islands – you will then be looking at the Whitsundays, a popular tourist archipelago. The biggest and most famous of these islands is Whitsunday Island, which also serves as the location of the world-renowned Whitehaven Beach. Named by several websites as one of the prettiest beaches in the world a couple of years ago, Whitehaven’s transparent waters and seemingly endless stretches of white sand will surely tempt you to go for a swim and lie bareback on the sands after to enjoy it’s soft and natural texture.

Another favorite tourist destination in the Whitsundays is Hamilton Island, although you need to be ready financially if you plan to stay there. Hamilton Island is one of the best luxury accommodations in the world, with private top-notch resorts and expensive facilities for the extravagant experience. Despite the steep prices of their services, their quality is unquestionable as tourists continue to arrive in droves while leaving out positive reviews consistently. Examples of the island’s luxury choices include qualia, pavilion hotels, five-star restaurants, and spas, among others.