The hostel was unbelievable. The bar looked out over the beach with the hostel rooms further back following the line of the sea. The pool was also looking out to sea. As we walked in there was a great atmosphere created by chilled music and the wooden bar area extending the beach theme. Our hostel room was a triangular shack.

We had heard that the best way to see the island was to rent a 4x4. We started trying to get a group of people together to share the cost and before we knew it there was 7 of us keen to explore the next day.

In the morning we tried to hire a 7 seater but they were all booked up so we settled for two 4 seaters. This actually worked out well as the 4 seaters were great to ride in and were open topped. It also gave us more freedom to go different ways if the group needed to split. Anyway we started the day by cruising along the sea front in the open top listening to tunes. It was great fun and made us wish it was sunny back home. First we went to 'The Forts' which was a walkway where wild koalas were known to live in the trees. We walked in the baking heat for only about 20 minutes until we came across a large mummy koala and baby koala clinging onto a tree. They were both quite happy chilling while we moved around them and took loads of pictures. The baby koala was so small high up in the trees that it looked like a soft toy.

Afterwards we headed back up the path content now that we had seen koalas. Next we made our way to 'radical bay' which was recommended to us. But it required going down a really bumpy path with potholes throughout. Jess did a great job navigating the car slowly through the worst bits. It was quite an adventure getting to the bay. But it was worth it once we got there. Through the palm trees we could see the clear blue ocean and rocks either side. The bay was almost completely empty and we had a great afternoon swimming and exploring the beach.

Next on our day trip we headed to a busier bay where there were shops and cafes. This too was nice but nothing compared to radical bay. That evening we ventured onto another challenging road which took us to 'north point' which was meant to be the best place to see the sunset. It was a great location with beach stretching out either way behind you. Across the water you could see the mountains of main land Australia. There weren't even many people there with a few local's fishing and enjoying the views. We enjoyed a couple of ciders as we watched the sun disappear behind the mainland.

The next morning we all got up early to make use of the last few hours with the car. We drove back to radical bay with breakfast packed with us. It was a relaxing morning eating and lying down in the shade. A great end to our few days on magnetic island.