Title: Whitsundays - Islands In The Sun. Word Count: 208 Summary: The Whitsunday islands lie in the coral sea midway along the Queensland coast. Keywords: whitsundays, airlie beach, diving, coral, snorkelling, boating, yachting, shute harbour, great barrier reef Article Body: The Whitsunday islands lie in the coral sea midway along the Queensland coast. A group of over seventy islands make up the archipelago of treed islands and soft sandy beaches. The protected waters around the islands provide a haven for boaties. Be the captain of your own ship as you explore the endless passages with plenty of harbours and secluded sheltered bays to hide away in. Drop your anchor and spend a night in the crystal clear waters of your own personal paradise. Airlie Beach is the closest mainland town to the Whitsundays and provides a great starting point for your vacation. Plenty of first class accommodation can be found there as well as shopping and restaurants. You can book all your tours from here which leave from Shute Harbour twenty minutes down the road. Within easy reach of Airlie Beach is the Great Barrier Reef, a must do activity on your vacation. Explore the vast coral reefs with there stunning colors by diving, snorkelling or even sitting in a semi submersible for a once in a lifetime experience. For a vacation you will talk about for years Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays will keep you entertained and enthralled for as long as you stay in the region.