It seems we’re pretty blessed in Australia, with one of our most-loved island destinations earning itself the title of ‘best island in Australia and the South Pacific’. Travel insiders Condé Nast asked voters to rank the 30 best islands in the world outside the U.S in the 2018 Reader’s Choice Awards. Who took out the top spot? Beating Fiji, Bora Bora and Moorea, Queensland’s Whitsundays proved to be a winning destination.

In announcing the winners, Condé Nast Traveler said the Whitsunday Islands were synonymous with honeymoons and romantic escapes. Tourism and Events Queensland Chief Executive Officer Leanne Coddington says the title proves just how popular the destination is with couples. “The Whitsunday Islands offer travellers the perfect holiday destination with crystal-clear waters and access to Queensland’s greatest natural wonder, the Great Barrier Reef,” says Coddington. “To receive this international recognition is a wonderful achievement of the region and demonstrates the enormous international appeal of the Whitsundays, which attracted more than 240,000 international visitors over the past year.”

More than 429,000 voters took part in Conde Nast’s 2018 Readers’ Choice Awards survey. To find out more about the destination or to start planning your own island getaway, visit the Tourism Whitsundays website here.