The focus is living luxury: a belief that quality of life is measured in rich interactions with nature and other people, not material wealth

Elysian Retreat is the type of island getaway where guests arrive by helicopter or boat, dropping them straight into the middle of an intimate, highly coveted staycation that’s usually reserved for honeymooners and well-heeled celebrities.

The focus is living luxury: a belief that quality of life is measured in rich interactions with nature and other people, not material wealth

Starting days with downward dogs on a poolside yoga deck, it was difficult to imagine any storm before the calm. My mornings were often spent kayaking alone, watching turtles glide in the wake of paddle swirls;

The Whitsunday Islands, Queensland

Best for: Those who have a strong affection for sun, sea and sand

Honeymooners love anything heart-shaped. After promising your heart to another, and saying your ‘I-dos’, take a scenic flight over Heart Reef in The Whitsundays to admire the Instagram-friendly island tinged with turquoise seas.

Happy couples staying on Hamilton Island can also travel by helicopter to the Heart Island pontoon helipad where they can swim and snorkel and enjoy a boat ride around the reef.

Those whisking a loved one to the Whitsundays can choose between a range of accommodation: from the swanky Hamilton Island hideaway qualia to the oh-so-chic InterContinental Hayman Island Resort, which has a romantic ‘Sunset Escapade’ that includes a speedboat ride to Blue Pearl Bay for a private picnic.

Sustainable-minded sweethearts will also find Elysian Retreat on the southern point of Long Island appealing. The retreat is the first 100 per cent solar-powered resort on the Great Barrier Reef and is barefoot luxury at its very best, with only 10 bungalows available.

The pristine beauty of Elysian Eco Retreat is the epitome of barefoot luxury. It's where you can wrap yourself in your own bubble, share with a partner or mingle with other guests if the mood takes you. It's an indulgent fantasy retreat where the only sound you will hear at night is the ebbing tide's whisper.

ONE Whitsunday island resort has proved going green is "the way of the future" after it was revealed it offset 150 per cent of carbon emissions over 2019.

Elysian Retreat on Long Island was the first solar powered island resort on the Great Barrier Reef and switched over to 100 per cent solar power in April last year.

Featured in The Daily Beast, New York, 02 November 2019 “Paradise Found”

Conscious travel has never been so chic - by Anna McCooe

Featured in the Marie Claire 2 October 2019