Airlie Beach, Queensland Australia
This coastal resort town is at the doorstep of the Great Barrier Reef, a well-known destination for both Aussies and international visitors alike.
So why have I chosen Airlie Beach for the second edition of Local Secrets?
Because even in the most-visited places, there are always unexpected finds. And that’s why I’m here – to put a spotlight on the ones that stand out, so you can choose if you want to experience them for yourself.
Introducing – ReefWorld
Moored 39 nautical miles off the coast of Airlie Beach, is ReefWorld the floating pontoon, and the home of Australia’s FIRST underwater accommodation.
Here’s how our fabulous adventure started:
- We jump onboard one of Cruise Whitsundays boats from the Port of Airlie
- Received VIP wrist bands, providing us access to unlimited drinks from the bar, morning tea and reserved seating in one of the comfortable window side booths.
The trip out to Hardy Reef, where ReefWorld is located, takes about 2 – 3 hours. Although with the spectacular sites across the Whitsunday Islands – you’re not checking your watch.
ReefWorld Accommodation
This unique experience is set over two days and one night and has two impressive accommodation options for you to choose from:
- A Reefsuite You can book one of the two rooms available for a magnificent experience of sleeping under the sea.
- One of their 12 Reefsleep Picture a glamping style double swag-like day bed located up on the top deck.
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We learnt about Reefworld soon before our first wedding anniversary, and because COVID killed our honeymoon plans, we decided this experience would be the perfect way to celebrate our first year of marriage with a mini honeymoon.
So, we went all in and booked one of the underwater Reefsuites.
Now let me guide you through our Reefsuite experience.
It was a gorgeous sunny warm Queensland day. One of the friendly staff leads us across the lower deck towards the back of the pontoon, to the first door. We made our way down the steepish staircase, 4 meters below sea level, open the second door and step into the magical underwater king double suite room.
As soon as we open the door, our breath is taken away by the floor-to-ceiling glass wall framing the wondrous underwater view of the bustling marine life.
We were in awe watching the colourful tropical fish darting around, then out of nowhere – a massive, magnificent turtle glides past our window – we couldn’t believe it.
The ReefWorld Experience
Up on the deck you have access to pretty much the entire pontoon.
- Unlimited beer, wine and soft drinks
- All meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Plus, morning and afternoon tea
- Guided snorkelling tour, semi-submarine tour and access to the underwater observatory
During the day there is quite a lot of people on the pontoon and in the water snorkelling over the edge of the reef. Since you’re staying overnight on the pontoon you have full access to the entire pontoon – thus the extra people don’t detract from your experience in any way.
You can choose to chill in guest only areas, on the top deck or if you’ve booked one of the Reefsuits, like we did, you have the most exclusive and quite area to retreat to anytime. And of course, you can just jump straight into the crystal turquoise water and snorkel the reef for the rest of the afternoon too.
Reef World Wrap-up
Around 2pm the day trippers will depart, leaving you and a maximum of 16 other guests to be looked after by the fabulous staff.
- Lunch is a delicious buffet served up on the top deck, with a 360-degree view over Hardy Reef and the incredible immensity of the Great Barrier Reef.
- Canapes and a 3-course dinner is served on white tableclothes, outside on the lower deck.
- When the sun goes down, the lights under the water around the pontoon are illuminated, giving you a rare opportunity to observe what the creatures of the sea get up to at night.
The underwater Reefsuits have a light outside the glass-wall, giving you private access to the ocean animals secrets – all from the comfort of your super comfortable bed.
One of our highlights was seeing a huge old grouper swim incredibly slowly past our glass-wall. It was so big it spanned the entire side of one of the panels. Seriously, a once-in-a-life time experience we’ll never forget.
The Review 9.5/10
ReefWorld1 is an all-inclusive unforgettable experience I highly recommend.
It only missed a perfect score due to the broken night light outside out Reefsuite, which meant we couldn’t fully enjoy the underwater view in the dark.
That said, the team did their best to make up for broken light offering us a partial refund. The service and care the staff provide does deserve a 10 / 10.
- You’ll receive high-quality service throughout your stay
- The location is one of the most stunning in the world
- It offers comfortable, clean luxury accommodation
The Reef World experience is truly extraordinary and for all the ocean lovers out there, it is one you’ll want to add to your bucket list.
- No commission was paid for this review