"Would you like to lick an ant's bum?"

The question hung in the air while my mind grappled with it. Was this the folks Down Under talking their peculiar Aussiespeak, or just a joke?

"The green ants," my guide said, pointing to a conga line of insects. "The Aborigines boil them up for a cough remedy, but visitors usually just lick them."

It was over in seconds: an ant's rear gently presented, a lightning-quick flick of the tongue, and I was savoring the taste of citrus. Had it been good for the ant, too? My hosts laughed heartily and clapped me on the back with shouts of "Good on yer," which is their way of saying, "Well done."

Where the reef meets the rainforest:
Tropical North Queensland.

Australia's Tropical North Queensland is certainly the place to get up close and personal with nature. Running from Cairns up the eastern coast of Australia, this region encompasses two of the country's most famous natural areas: the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree forest. It's balmy—the resort town of Port Douglas shares the same latitude as Tahiti—and the beaches that stretch for miles along the coast are gorgeous. And while you'll find as much adventure here as you can handle, you'll also find luxury resorts and all the amenities of home—even in the middle of the rainforest.

Move on to The Great Barrier Reef

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Get Away to Australia—Today The Best of the Reef - Dive in and explore the world's longest barrier reef. Queensland in Depth - Up close and personal with nature in northeast Australia.

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