Blame it on Instagram, but when I saw a pic of Whitsundays Inlet, I knew I had to see it in person. So, I decided to take my third trip to the land Down Under. I based myself in Sydney because I have simply never heard a bad review of Australia’s most cosmopolitan city. I fell in love with Sydney, but more on that later…

I flew with GSL Aviation who accommodated me with a discount and a pick-up from Hamilton Island. The six-seater plane was safe enough, but hot as blazes. That’s what I get for arriving in February, the hottest month of the year in Tropical North Queensland. There is no air conditioning, just one tiny vent in each window. I got a bit claustrophobic, but being the diehard photographer that I am, I forced out the anxiety and let the pure beauty of the reef keep me sane.

We first flew over Whitsunday Inlet with its vanilla swirls. So, what makes the inlet so swirly? As the tide shifts, the white sand and blue waters of the inlet coalesce. I’ve seen a lot of beautiful islands (I live on one), but the color of this water is unreal. The architecture of the Great Barrier Reef is best seen from above, so I highly recommend you board a seaplane or a helicopter for this view. You can see the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Heart Reef if you have a pilot gracious enough to count it down for you.

I was surprised that even at one in the afternoon, the sun was not too bright. Actually, that was a good time for photography as the glare of afternoon sunlight wasn’t a problem. Bring a telephoto lens and leave the selfie stick at home, as the plane is simply too small.