Elysian Retreat

Top choice in The Whitsundays


Ten light-filled, thatch-roofed villas at this intimate, solar-powered boutique resort, accommodating a maximum of 20 guests, overlook a private stretch of reef near the south end of Long Island. Spend your tranquil days kayaking, paddleboarding or snorkelling, dining on gourmet organic meals from a daily changing menu and getting pampered in the spa. Get here by boat or helicopter.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The Whitsundays attractions

1. Hamilton Island Wildlife

6.65 MILES

This sweet little wildlife centre is a good place to introduce your kids to various marsupials, including wallabies and koalas, as well as a dingo,…

2. Escape Beach

7.22 MILES

This sheltered, sandy cove, lapped at by azure waters, is Hamilton Island's loveliest beach - all the more because you're likely to have it all to…

3. South Molle Island

8.18 MILES

The largest of the Molle Islands group, South Molle is virtually joined to its reef-fringed siblings, Mid and North Molle Islands. The island is mostly…

4. Conway National Park

8.85 MILES

This serene national park encompasses the Conway Peninsula, once the hunting grounds of the Giru Dala and still home to large swaths of lowland tropical…

5. Daydream Island

9.54 MILES

The rainforest-cloaked, reef-fringed Daydream Island is only 1km long and 200m wide, and very popular with day visitors due to its accessibility. Much of…

6. Cedar Creek Falls

9.81 MILES

These beautiful falls, a popular swimming spot when there's sufficient water, can be reached by turning east from the Proserpine–Airlie Beach road at…

7. Whitsunday Island

12.44 MILES

The largest of the paradisaical group to which it gives its name, Whitsunday Island is ruggedly forested, and surrounded by clear teal waters and coral…

8. Lindeman Island

12.57 MILES

The best known of the 13 coral-fringed specks in the Lindeman Islands National Park, this island is traditionally owned by the Ngaro, an Aboriginal…