Moreton Island is the third largest sand island in the world.

It is located right off of Brisbane, an hour by bus from the Sunshine Coast. This island is a national park with many breathtaking views and lookouts. From bright blue water to orange rocks and desert, this place has it all.

There are, however, things it doesn’t have — paved roads and cell phone service. But that isn’t all bad. A nice break from the phone can help in enjoying a weekend.

I went on my very first ferry ride for 90 minutes from Brisbane to Tangalooma Wrecks, 15 vessels deliberately sunk to form a breakwall that now serve as a snorkeling site. Traveling with a group from the university made this experience awesome because I was able to meet more people from my school.

Our first stop was swimming in a fresh water lake called the Blue Lagoon. There was also a lighthouse that has been there since before Queensland became a state.

We also went night kayaking around a shipwreck. It was hard to see many fish but we did see a Wobbegong shark, a stingray and a big sea turtle that came up right by my kayak.

The next day started early in the morning with a good breakfast and then we were off to snorkel the shipwreck, which was the highlight of the trip. Coral surrounded the wreck, and I saw many different kinds of fish, which sometimes completely surrounded me.

The most exciting thing we saw was another Wobbegong shark. It was lying in a hole most likely waiting for food to pass because these sharks are great ambush hunters.

After snorkeling we took to the transparent kayaks again and this time we were able to see more fish. After a refreshing lunch we made our way to the sand dunes to sand board. We went to a large piece of land completely covered in sand that they call “The Desert.”

We laid on our stomachs on the boards and slid down a steep hill. Think sledding, but in snow instead of sand — it was exhilarating.

When we were done everyone was hot, sweaty and sandy. We cooled off in the ocean one last time before catching our ferry back to Brisbane and taking in a gorgeous sunset on the way back to the mainland.

Moreton Island is the perfect place for an adventure-packed trip, even in a few short days.