As school just passed our half way point, I am in awe at the fact my time studying at JCU is half way over. Even though Uni gets harder and harder every week with more assessments, that doesn’t stop us Americans from exploring Australia.
This past weekend a small group of us went to Magnetic Island, or as the Aussies call it, Maggie Island (Aussies pretty much shorten every word they can). Maggie Island is a small island off the coast of Townsville. It is a short 20 minute ferry ride away.
We spent the night in a hostel in Nelly Bay called Base Backpackers. Magnetic Island is a beautiful green and colorful island full of Koalas, horse back riding, hikes, scuba diving and snorkeling. This island is a hub for many different backpackers and travelers all over the world.
When we arrived at our hostel, we were taken back by what it had to offer. There were bean bags everywhere for sun bathing, in addition to, a pool, multiple beaches, a bar, a restaurant, and a volleyball court. To my surprise, there were so many travelers from different parts of the world. We met people from Germany, France and even the U.K. Initially, I figured Maggie would be a place for Aussies to take a Holiday or just a small weekend getaway, but no, it’s a massive tourist sight for everyone.
We rented paddle boards and snorkeling gear. We saw fish and even some string rays up to 5 ft in size. We also accidentally discovered a nude beach! We walked along the beach on low tide and discovered a more hidden beach and were strongly surprised when we saw naked people walking around. There’s a first time for everything! Sunday morning my friend and I woke up at 6am to watch the sunrise.
Views from the rocks looking out to the water at the nude beach
Maggie Island was an amazing experience and I would go back there within a heart beat!
Cheers Mate!
Makenna