Thirty-nine nautical miles off the north Queensland coast, I find myself surrounded by every possible shade of blue.

The most vibrant aqua seamlessly morphs into a crystal clear cyan before effortlessly blending into a deep navy on the horizon.

I’m taking in these captivating views from the deck of Reefworld in the Whitsundays – a permanently moored pontoon at Hardy Reef where visitors can swim, snorkel and sleep (yes, sleep!) on the Great Barrier Reef.

On the day we’re lucky enough to visit, there’s an infectious buzz of excitement on board.

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It’s day one of the Great Barrier Reef Festival and, in what’s believed to be a world-first, our eco-conscious travellers are having a personalised reef tour with 12 Master Reef Guides.

“They’re trained by the best scientists, the best marine park managers and the best experts in many, many fields, and the Master Reef Guides program is all about educating visitors to the reef with the best science that we can,” Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Assistant Director of Reef Engagement Fiona Merida said.

“We want visitors to take home a piece of the Great Barrier Reef in their hearts.

“I want them to pat themselves on the back for coming and seeing this incredible place and then go home and tell everybody about how special this place is.”

The Reefworld pontoon on the Great Barrier Reef. Photo: Tourism and Events Queensland

It’s a mission shared by fellow Master Reef Guide Krystal Lacey, or ‘Little Fish’, as she’s affectionately known.

“The message we want to send to people is to come and see the Great Barrier Reef for yourself,” Krystal said.

“It is so very much alive and what we want to do as Master Reef Guides is tell the stories of this beautiful natural wonder.

“Every time you put your head underwater, even if you snorkel the same spot every day of the year, you are guaranteed to spot something different every time.

“There are so many life forms under the water, so many different relationships. There is so much going on that it just blows my mind.

“It’s a World Heritage area and it’s one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It’s extremely unique. It’s the largest living thing on the planet, and who wouldn’t be amazed just by that?”

Getting there is easy

For us Queenslanders, getting there is easy. From Brisbane, it is a one-hour 40-minute flight to Proserpine and the team at Whitsundays Transit will then drop you at the doorstep of your Airlie Beach accommodation.

It’s the perfect place to base yourself for a Whitsundays adventure. From humble caravan parks to glamping, self-contained apartments to boutique hotels, you’ll find a great mix on offer, most within walking distance of Airlie’s vibrant shopping strip and thriving foodie scene.

Waking up during the Reefsleep experience. Photo: Tourism and Events Queensland

For something really special

For a once-in-a-lifetime experience, check out Cruise Whitsundays’ Reefsleep. At the end of a day swimming, snorkelling or diving on the reef, there’s no need to return to the mainland. Just head to the top deck and slip into your ‘reefbed’, where it’s just you, the ocean and a galaxy of stars.

Or to really embrace your inner mermaid, head below deck to the exclusive Reefsuites.

These private undersea rooms boast floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing you to witness all the natural beauty of the ocean, not to mention the best loo with a view on the planet.

See the sites of Airlie, sustainably

For those who want to leave a minimal footprint during their Airlie Beach stay, check out the team at Just Tuk’n Around.

With a fleet of 14 electric tuk-tuks, owner Marty Mosley and his very fit crew will pedal you around town in comfort as you take in the spectacular sites from a sustainable new mode of transport.

“The tuk-tuks are battery operated, we charge them up and they last for about three hours, so we ride them around and then bring them back for another charge,” Marty said.

“Some of the fleet now have solar panels on the roof, so they’re charging as they go.”

Just Tuk’n Around owner Marty Mosley. Photo: Nicky Haydon

Marty has called Airlie Beach home for three years after visiting the region while on holidays from Perth.

“I came to Airlie Beach and just fell in love with it as soon as I came over the hills and saw that view,” he said.

“I decided then to pack up my life and literally cross the country diagonally about as far as you could go.

“It’s a great business, everyone’s happy and we offer a variety of tours. The champagne breakfast is really popular, there’s a sunset tour and the progressive dinner, where we visit three local restaurants is a hit.

“The idea is just to give people a fun, light-hearted and environmentally friendly trip around Airlie Beach and tell them as much about the place as we can.”