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A little while ago we did a survey of our Australian customers to work out what type of hotel/holiday you lot were looking for. Overwhelmingly the response was "Beach Hotel or Resort". So that confirms it, we are a nation of sun-kissed water babes. Luckily there are 11,011 beaches in Australia to choose from! We share some of our favourites with you...

Australia's seaside cities offer the perfect balance of beach bum and urbanite. Head to the iconic Bondi Beach in Sydney. Check out the art gallery at the Bondi Surf Lifesaving Pavillion and dine at Icebergs, at the southern end of the beach with cafes, a fine dining restaurant and the adjoining Bondi Baths. On the north side of the Harbour Bridge, stop at Manly. It's a great area for families - shops, cafes, weekend market stalls and a protected swimming beach with rockpools to explore. You can also visit Oceanworld Manly and see sharks, stingrays, turtles and fish in the 5 million litre Oceanarium. Or take the plunge and book in for an Xtreme Shark Dive... yikes!

The Gold Coast is a tribute to the successful marketing of the "Aussie beach lifestyle". You can be easily distracted by the 40km stretch of beaches and choice of themeparks. But don't forget to spend some time in the hinterland where wineries, art galleries, bushwalks and glow worms offer drier entertainment. If you're a surfer go straight to Burleigh Heads. Other surfing hotspots not far from their capital city include Margaret River (WA) and Bells Beach (VIC).

For blinding white, squeaky clean sand head to Cable Beach Broome (WA), Wineglass Bay Freycinet National Park (TAS), Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsundays (QLD) or Hyams Beach Jervis Bay (NSW).

Get up close and personal with marine life at the Great Barrier Reef (QLD). Be mesmorised by the humpback whales at Hervey Bay (QLD). Make friends with the dolphins at Monkey Mia (WA). Swim with whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef (WA). Experience a penguin parade at Phillip Island (VIC). And get all of this and more on Kangaroo Island (SA), often described as a zoo without fences!