Hamilton Island's Ultimate Instameet: Return2Paradise

Watch all the highlights from our Ultimate Instameet - Return2Paradise on YouTube.

Hamilton Island’s inaugural Ultimate Instameet in 2012 was so much insta-fun that a second Instameet was held from 17-19 May 2013. The Return2Paradise Instameet saw Instagrammers from around Australia, the United Kingdom and China experience this Australian slice of paradise.

In an industry coup which coincided with the Return2Paradise Instameet, Hamilton Island and Tencent Weibo announced a landmark partnership which enabled Tencent, China’s largest online community with over 780million+ active users to broadcast Hamilton Island to the booming China market. Tencent Weibo operates on the same 140 characters system as Twitter, however as Chinese characters carry more significance than English, a fuller, more meaningful conversation can be started.

Return2Paradise featured top talent including Olympians, fashion designers, comedians, actresses, chefs and photographers. These gifted Aussies, with a combined Instagram following of over 423,000 fans, were joined by Australian and UK competition winners and social media users for a weekend Whitsundays’ getaway.

Tencent Weibo advocates including Chinese supermodel Li Ya Hong, Hamilton Island Chinese ambassador Chao Xian Yang, Tencent Weibo executive Mr Xia Yue and one lucky competition winner also shared the picture perfect paradise instantly with Tencent Weibo’s hundreds of millions of users.

They experienced delicious Australian produce, incredible sights and unique experiences, including three-course feasts at qualia’s waterside Pebble Beach restaurant, a day trip to nearby Whitehaven and Chalkies beaches for snorkeling, swimming and sumptuous local Whitsundays seafood, sunset cocktails on Australia’s only Golf Course on its own Island at Hamilton Island Golf Club, a gourmet beach BBQ dinner on picturesque Catseye Beach, and a cuddle with Australia’s native koalas.

The eclectic group stayed in varying accommodation including the newly renovated Palm Bungalows, scenic Reef View Hotel, boutique Beach Club, luxury Yacht Club Villas and qualia, capturing everything on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, Tumblr and China’s Tencent Weibo, reaching hundreds of millions of social media users in Australia, the United Kingdom, China, and beyond.

Our Ambassadors

• Model and TV presenter Rebecca Judd (@becjudd)
• We Are Handsome Co-Founder and Designer Jeremy Somers (@wearehandsome)
• World swimming champion Michael Klim (@michaelklim1)
• Mother, businesswoman and Balinese princess Lindy Klim (@lindyklim)
• Comedian and radio announcer Scott ‘Dools’ Dooley (@scottdools)
• Food photographer, Masterchef contestant and cookbook author Billy Law (@atablefortwo)
• Actress and model Samara Weaving (@samweaving)
• Photographer, designer and one of Australia’s top 10 Pinterest users Luisa Brimble (@luisabrimble)
• Chinese supermodel Li Ya Hong
• Hamilton Island ambassador Chao Xian Yang
• Tencent Weibo executive Mr Xia Yue
• Returning Australian Instagrammer Paul Vella (@paulyvella)
• Competition winners electrician Mark Seabury (@markseabury) from Northmead, insurance worker Rob Read (@bobby_j) from Darlinghurst, married couple graphic designer/photographer Matt (@mattglastonbury) and fulltime student Mia Glastonbury (@miaglastonbury) from Tasmania’s Rose Bay, and UK Instagrammer, PR & Creative Manager from London, Ido Simyoni (@ido8all).

To see the Return2Paradise images

1. Search #return2paradise and #hamiltonisland on Instagram

Follow @hamiltonisland on Instagram to see all the latest pics from our guests and celebrity ambassadors.