There's been much buzz about the Great Barrier Reef in the past month.
At the centre of the attention is a newly-opened position of Island Caretaker up from grabs - a six-month, A$150,000 job to promote the largest coral reef in the world.
Tourism Queensland, the driving force behind this campaign, has already received 13,500 applications and more than 2.95 million visits on the www.islandreefjob.com website since Jan 12.
All hype aside, the Great Barrier Reef - with a 25 to 30 degrees Celsius all-year-round climate, azure waters, idyllic beaches and spectacular marine life - lends itself to a potentially great island holiday.
Bearing in mind that the reef actually covers a whopping 348,700 square kilometres in area and contains 600 islands, 25 of them with resorts, making a choice on which island to make your temporary home can be mind boggling.
Staying in Townsville or Cairns on the main Queensland state are popular options as well, but there's nothing like waking up to the smell of sea breeze and knowing that nothing but blue waters and coral reefs surround you.
AsiaOne Travel gets an expert to help pick an island for the different pedigrees of travellers - couples, families, the budget-conscious, the luxury-minded and the eco experience seeker.
Here are the suggestions from Ms Leong Pik Yin, Marketing Communications Manager, Tourism Queensland (Southeast Asia):
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FOR COUPLES: Lizard Island
With just 40 villas on a 1,013 hectares land mass, strolling on a pristine beach with your other half and nobody else around can be a reality, rather than mere wishful thinking.
Lizard Island's northern location in the Great Barrier Reef - just behind Haggerstone Island - puts it at an idyllic distance from the other resort islands.
Voyages, the sole resort on the island, offers a variety of suites, bungalows and rooms, but the one which got us excited were the Sunset Point Villas.
Perched high on Sunset Ridge and nestled amongst native eucalyptus bushes, the Villas offer spectacular views over Anchor Bay and Sunset Beach.
Privacy and easy access to a few secluded beaches just tops off the icing on the cake.
Lizard Island is fringed by colourful corals and abundant reef fish, offering snorkelers great sightings just off the beach.
Rates for a 2-night, 2-person stay with all meals provided are between A$3,300 to A$7,280, depending on the choice of suite.
Lizard Island, Queensland
Getting there: The 60-min connecting flight from Cairns to Lizard Island is operated by Hinterland Aviation twice a day. Private charter flights are also an option.
Alternative destination for couples: Hayman Island
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FOR BUDGET TRAVELLERS: Magnetic Island
Hire cars on Magnetic Island, Queensland
Hotels, motels, luxury resorts, self-service contained units, camping grounds, bed and breakfasts, and backpacker inns.
Magnetic Island - just 8 kilometres from Queensland's northern capital of Townsville - offers visitors the most accommodation options among the Great Barrier Reef islands.
Budget travellers won't burn a hole in their pockets with options like the Arcadia Hotel & Family Resort on Alma and Geoffrey Bays, which charges A$89 per night for a double room, A$26 per person per night in a six-share dorm, and A$22 per person a night for a 10-share dorm.
For leisure, Magnetic Island features a 25-kilometre network of national park walking trails and is a haven for abundant native wildlife, including more than 2,500 free-roaming koalas.
With an abundance of shops in the four main residential bays, like boutiques, supermarkets, newsagents, hair salons, bakeries and coffee shops - visitors on a tight budget can be creative with food and entertainment options.
Getting there: Flights to Townsville from Cairns, Brisbane and Sydney are available on a daily basis. Sunferries operate up to 15 fast cat services daily, departing from breakwater terminal in Townsville and reaching Magnetic Island in 25 minutes.
Alternative destination for the budget conscious: Lady Elliot Island
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FOR THE ECO EXPERIENCE: Hinchinbrook Island
Hiker on Hinchinbrook Island, Queensland
It is Australia's largest island national park, where vast tracts of tropical rainforests, rugged mountains and spectacular beaches exist in pristine condition.
"When a place is perfect, sometimes it's best not to touch it," says Tourism Queensland.
The light bush areas of the 39,300 hectares national park can be explored by foot, where sightings of the diverse avian life, from Herons to Sunbirds, are not uncommon.
Fishing, snorkelling, swimming, day cruises or just laying around are other activities on Hinchinbrook.
The Hinchinbrook Island Wilderness Lodge, the island's only settlement, is delightfully "concealed" amongst the rainforest overlooking Orchid Beach.
The lodge's treetop bungalows are constructed using natural timber, and accessed via a meandering timber boardwalk. There are no televisions and telephones in the bungalows, adding to the whole "back-to-nature" feel.
This eco-lodge is given the "eco CERTIFIED Tourism" thumbs up - having been assessed and audited under Ecotourism Australia's leading certification program, for meeting high standards of environmental sustainability, business ethics and cultural sensitivity
Rates for treetop houses range from A$300 to A$450 per night during the low season (now till March 2009). Alternatively visitors can stay in the lodge's beach cabins at a A$245 nightly low-season rate, which can accommodate up to 6 people.
Getting there: Transfer from Australian capitals of Townsville and Cairns to Cardwell, where ferries depart regularly to Hinchinbrook Island (approximately 50 minutes). For Hinchinbrook Island Wilderness Lodge guests, all transfers from either Cairns or Townsville can be arranged.
Alternative destination for the eco-experience seeker: Green Island
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FOR LUXURY: qualia on Hamilton Island
Bath with a view, qualia resort, Hamilton Island.
This luxury resort made Conde Nast Traveller's 2008 top list for good reason.
Situated on the northern tip of Hamilton Island, qualia features 60 individual pavilions, each approximately 120 square metres - that's four times the size of a standard hotel room.
The room's mini bars are equipped with selections of smoked salmon, foie gras, champage and peroni-branded beer - definitely not your conventional soft drink and potato chips fare.
The pavilions all offer privacy and stunning views of the Coral Sea, and some even feature individual plunge pools. Resort facilities like a state-of-the-art gym and yoga centre are built right up to the water's edge, adding to a unique sensory experience.
Rates are at A$1,700 per night for Windward Pavilions and A$1,450 per night for Leeward Pavilions.
To guarantee the guests' peace of mind, included in all accommodation are on-island transfers, meals in the two restaurants, non-alcoholic beverages, plus a two-seater
golf buggy for island exploration.
Conde Nast recommends visiting Hamilton Island during April to December, which are the driest months. For an added whale-watching experience, visit during June to August.
Getting there: Daily direct flights to Hamilton Island are available from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Cairns.
Alternative destination for luxury: Hayman Island
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FOR FAMILIES: Daydream Island
If the blue waters and stunning beaches fail to impress the children, parents will be relieved to know there's a whole host of activities designed specifically for kids - even little toddlers!
The "Skipper Kids Club" on the Daydream Island Resort and Spa offers fun and educational programs for six-week-old toddlers to 12-year-olds.
For those below the age of 5, a kids' room features painting and construction materials, dress-ups and dolls, while for the older ones, organised programs include treasure hunts, fish feedings, nature walks, mini golf and group games.
Costs for the programs range between A$25 to A$270, depending on the time of the activity, number of children and inclusion of meals.
For parents who want to spend some hours away from their kids, babysitters certified by the Queensland government are also available for hourly hire.
Mom and dad can head to the Rejuvenation Spa, which boasts 16 individual treatment rooms, many with private balconies overlooking the sea. A one-hour couple's package costs around A$160.
For family bonding, there's a 44-feet open air cinema and the world's largest lagoon-style aquarium where you can feed and touch the colourful marine creatures.
From now till March 31, 2009, the resort is offering a A$125 per person, per night twin-share price under its special "Getaway" package, which includes a daily buffet breakfast and A$20 spa voucher per room. A three-night minimum stay is required.
Getting there: Regular flights are available from most Australian capital cities to the Great Barrier Reef island on Hamilton Island. From there, catch the Fantasea Cruises or Cruise Whitsundays to transfer to Daydream Island.
Alternative destination for families: Club Med at Lindeman Island
Kangaroo on Daydream Island, Queensland.
Photos: Tourism Queensland
To apply for "The Best Job in the World", visit the www.islandreefjob.com website. Applications close on Feb 22.
