Paris might have a reputation for romance and you may swoon when you think of Venice, but when it comes to being seduced by a place you can't go past Australia.

One of the world's top honeymoon or romantic getaway destinations are the Whitsunday Islands in Queensland. Offering 74 islands - only eight of which are inhabited - the Whitsundays are a gateway to one of the world's most famous natural wonders, the Great Barrier Reef.

The Whitsundays region is famed for its crystal clear waters, chalky-white beaches, dazzling coral reefs, fine food and romantic offshore islands featuring top-class resorts and pampering spas.

Among these is Hayman Island, known for its five-star resort, hedonistic spa, reef adventures and breathtaking scenery. Hamilton Island is also popular with newly-weds, and is famous for being the home of one of Australia's most luxurious spa resorts, qualia.

Another island praised by honeymooners and couples is Brampton. It has a dozen pristine beaches, a beautiful resort and plenty of walking trails through national park.

While snorkelling and diving on the Great Barrier Reef is a popular activity in the Whitsundays, the area's deserted inlets, calm waters and welcoming harbours make for a sailing paradise too.

You can sail between islands on a range of vessels, from multi-sailed tall ships, to yachts and catamarans. Join a day cruise, sip champagne on a romantic sunset sail, hoist the mainsail on a self-skippered boat, or organise a fully-crewed private charter boat and enjoy a leisurely week-long meander between the islands.

Don't forget to call in at Whitehaven Beach, on Whitsunday Island, the largest island in the Whitsundays chain. Fringed by the sublime beauty of the emerald-coloured Coral Sea, Whitehaven is one of the whitest sand beaches in the world. If you aren't already married or engaged, it will make you want to propose on the spot.

The protected warm waters of the Whitsundays are also sought after by female humpback whales, which give birth to their calves here.

Other places favoured by honeymooners in Queensland include Cairns and Port Douglas, which also have good access to the Great Barrier Reef. Both towns offer high-end resorts and spas too.

The Queensland coast is dotted with other resort islands that act as tropical magnets for those with romance in mind. Among these are Green Island - an ancient coral cay home to colourful birds and beautiful coral gardens - and Lizard Island, which features secluded picnics on private beaches and indulgent spa treatments.

Further south, the Gold Coast is a Queensland hot spot for honeymooners too. Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach both have exciting urban skylines, a thriving cultural scene, long stretches of sand, and a diverse cafe, restaurant, fashion and nightlife scene.

Meanwhile, the Gold Coast hinterland offers plenty of natural attractions too, including Lamington National Park, part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area - the most extensive area of subtropical rainforest in the world.

In New South Wales, another ideal spot for a honeymoon is bohemian Byron Bay. There are some lovely beaches here, a relaxed shoes-off attitude, excellent surfing, artists and artisans everywhere and a location close to some of the best examples of sub-tropical rainforest on the east coast of Australia.

Adventurous honeymooners who travel to the north of Australia often base themselves in the languid tropical surrounds of Darwin, before heading out on a journey to experience the dramatic scenery, wetlands, and Aboriginal rock art of the World Heritage-listed Kakadu, or the waterfalls and natural bathing pools of Litchfield National Park.

From Darwin, you might want to journey into the heart of Australia on one of the world's most romantic adventures, a trip aboard The Ghan. This luxurious train connects Darwin to Alice Springs in the Red Centre and then to Adelaide in South Australia. In Alice Springs you can hire a car and drive through red-dirt country to Uluru (Ayres Rock).

Stay at the Ayres Rock Resort, or the luxurious, eco-sensitive and romantic, Longitude 131°. This five-star luxury tented resort offers private views of the sun rising and setting over Uluru and intimate dinners under a glittering canopy of stars.

You can watch the most famous rock in the world change from orange to red to maroon as the sun goes down. You can fly over the red desert in a helicopter or light plane, ride a camel with Uluru in the background and travel in style on the back of a late model Heritage Softail Harley Davidson. Now that's romantic!

Over in Western Australia, the Kimberley combines outdoor adventure with plenty of post-wedding relaxation. This magnificent area of Outback country takes in dramatic gorges, rock pools, and spectacular deserted beaches. Start your honeymoon perhaps with a camel ride along romantic Broome's Cable Beach, where you can watch a blazing sun sink into the Indian Ocean.

Don't miss a scenic flight over the towering orange-and-black striped rocks of the Bungle Bungle Range. These fascinating geological landmarks rise up to 578 metres above sea level, sheltering gorges, crystal-clear pools, fan palms, wildlife and living Aboriginal history.

Cruise down vast Lake Argyle past freshwater crocodiles, wallabies, wetland birds and dramatic cliffs. Then take a boat out to the islands of Buccaneer Archipelago. Expect secluded white sandy beaches here as well as patches of rainforest, mangrove estuaries, plunging cliffs, indigenous rock art, and offshore reefs.

You can toast yourself by exploring some of Australia's major wine regions too, such as Margaret River in Western Australia, or the Barossa Valley in South Australia - home to some of the continent's most famous wineries. Add abundant seasonal produce, artisan food producers and award-winning restaurants and you can see why the Barossa is a romantic's dream destination.

Then there's one of the highlights of Tasmania. You'll feel a million miles from modern life when you glimpse the jagged dolerite peaks of Cradle Mountain across the mirrored waters of Dove Lake. It's a wilderness vision that draws travellers to World Heritage-listed Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park time and time again.

Formed by glacial forces during the last Ice Age, the park has vegetation unlike anything you'll find on Australia's mainland. There are plenty of marked walking trails around lakes and over moorland, and through myrtle beech and pencil pine forests.

The park's most famous walk is the six-day Overland Track. It's a true challenge and a great way to immerse yourself in the area's majestic, fast-changing scenery. And there's always a romantic lodge awaiting your return.