Day 1

Arriving in Cairns, the city where the rainforest meets the reef, you'll find your yacht moored just minutes away. Soon, you're on your way to The Great Barrier Reef, which includes 2,500 named reefs and 600 islands. Begin your underwater exploration at sheltered Thelford Reef.

Day 2

lazy meander through the reef with snorkeling stops along the way bring you to Dunk island, where you can go ashore and hike in a magnificent rainforest.

Day 3

Taking the inside passage behind Hinchinbrook Island, you'll spot small coastal kangaroos. After a picnic lunch in a quiet cove, head for Pelorus Island for diving before dinner.

Day 4

Cruise past fringing reefs reroute to the Whitsunday's, a 70-island chain. Fish for marlin from the sport boat or get in some serious diving. Exclusive Hayman Island combines luxury with the beauty of a tropical paradise. This mountainous continental island offers bushwalks and idyllic deserted beaches. Dine ashore at renowned La Fontaine.

Day 5

Explore nearby Hook Island. The diversity of coral off the north shore provides some of the best diving in the islands. One of the few walking tracks leads to Butterfly Bay, named because of its shape and the butterflies that swarm its shores. Cut into the island's southern end, two magnificent fjord-like inlets, Nara and Macona, provide spectacular anchorages.

Day 6

Your charter concludes at Hamilton Island, a world-class resort with a modern jetport and a village of boutique shops and restaurants. Encircled by a reef, its best snorkeling and diving is at Catseye Beach. The nearby 50-acre park features kangaroos and koalas.