Avoid Australia’s Overcrowded Islands: Discover This Hidden Gem in the Great Barrier Reef Archipelago

Though Australia’s pristine, enormous coastline can seem daunting to travelers determined to find Australia’s top island and coastal getaways, there is one island group visitors flock to. Considered to be some of the most beautiful islands in the world, the glorious sands of the Whitsundays are scattered through the heart of the gargantuan Great Barrier Reef. However, the archipelago’s abject beauty and access to the natural world wonder has contributed to its becoming the most over-touristed region in all of Australia. It hosts about half of all the Great Barrier Reef’s annual tourism. Though many of the 74 remote and tough-to-access islands remain untouched, popular spots like Whitehaven Beach and Tongue Point are facing potential tourism caps to prevent environmental damage that can incur as a consequence of overtourism.

So, if you’re looking for an idyllic Great Barrier Reef island without crowds, set your sights slightly further south. Head to the Keppel Islands. Sitting off Queensland’s quiet coast, the smaller 18-island archipelago is almost entirely oriented around the tourist-friendly Great Keppel in the center. Attracting less than a 10th of the amount of visitors that crowd the Whitsundays, you have a good chance of having pristine patches of the national park’s walkways and reefs to yourself.

Its undeserved lack of tourist attention doesn’t make it any trickier to access. You can take a 30-minute ferry from Rosslyn Bay Harbour on the Capricorn Coast. The marina is 45 minutes from Rockhampton, whose airport connects to other major Australian hubs.

Situated in the Southern Great Barrier Reef, the Keppel Islands are wrapped in colorful reef corals teeming with marine life. It’s no surprise that some of the archipelago’s best activities take place under the water. Within the world’s largest coral reef system, you’ll have a chance to spot the gliding rays, meandering turtles, and the massive Maori wrasse that encircle the islands.

Rent some snorkel equipment and lather on the coral-safe sunscreen (a packing essential for travelers who know how to snorkel around coral reefs safely) before setting out for Monkey Beach. Setting off from this serene stretch of white sand, you’re just a short swim away from the Great Barrier Reef. With 38 species of coral underlying the cyan seas, it’s a frequent haunt of hawksbill turtles and schools of technicolor tropical fish.

Multi-destination snorkeling tours are popular on Great Keppel. It’s worth it to explore the area with a dedicated guide for added ease. You’ll also have the chance to take an eco-tour or ranger-guided excursion, where you’ll learn about the science behind the reef and the conservation efforts to protect the iconic destination that’s slowly being destroyed by climate change.

PADI-certified divers can take part in a more hands-on reef restoration tour. These teach travelers about the eco project as they assist researchers in conducting surveys of the coral, all while keeping an eye out for the friendly dugongs, turtles, nudibranchs, and sweetlips that share the reef.