The Whitsundays Islands Tours
Europa Private Charter (Agent Use ONLY) – Hamilton Island Depart
Rayglass Protector ‘Standard’ Private Charter (Max 8 Passengers)
A Whitsunday Islands Sail, SUP & Snorkel Day Tour
The Ultimate Whitehaven Beach & Hill Inlet Experience
Discover Scuba Diving – Day Tour
2-Tank Scuba Tour – Whitsunday Islands
Things to do in Airlie Beach, Book Here
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Segway Sunset and Boardwalk Tour (includes dinner)
Bowen Discovery
Tandem Skydive with Beach Landing
Waterfall Express
Sunrise with kangaroos
Segway Rainforest Discovery Tour
As you descend into the Whitsundays from the air you are likely already experiencing a sense of awe and wonder. The water gets gradually lighter, the green atolls rising from within more frequent, and the patchwork reef begins to come into crisper focus the closer you approach this idyllic destination.
Made up of 74 islands, the Whitsunday group are renowned for Hamilton Island, Daydream Island, Hayman Island (newly re-opened as the exclusive One & Only resort), Whitsunday Island, and of course as the gateway to a spectacular stretch of the Great Barrier Reef.
The mainland launch pad for the Islands is Airlie Beach, a vibrant, touristy party town with bars, eateries and a plethora of booking agents for all your accommodation and activity needs.
Things to do in the Whitsundays
Scenic flight
Breathtaking scenery is inescapable wherever you turn in this pocket of North Queensland, but to behold some of the most startling views you should look to adventuring overhead. A small plane flight will head out through the Coral Sea to the Great Barrier Reef, circling over icons such as Heart Reef and Whitehaven Beach. The aquamarine reefs contrasting with the open sea make this area’s listing as one of the seven natural wonders of the world seem a no-brainer. These are the pictures you were hoping to take on your trip to paradise.
Camira Sailing Adventure
Everybody in the Whitsundays knows of or will encounter the Camira, but usually recognise it as “the purple catamaran”. This is Cruise Whitsundays fun (alcohol is served from 11am) tour of the islands and the Great Barrier Reef on one of the world’s fastest catamarans. It is one of the best ways to experience the idyllic Whitehaven Beach.
Made up of 98% pure silica sand (which works wonders brightening jewellery), Whitehaven is a 7km stretch of pristine beach, voted the 5th most beautiful beach in the world this year by Trip Advisor.
“The beach was beautiful,” said Rhiannon from Canberra, who took the day trip on the Camira with her partner James Beaumont. “Everyone had told us about it but you couldn’t believe it until you got there. Beautiful white sand, crystal clear blue water.”
“People go on and on about how beautiful it is,” added James “but you really have to go there to experience it.”
Reefsleep
Imagine reclining on a pontoon deck 40 nautical miles from land, the Great Barrier Reef surrounding you below and a sky full of stars above. Add to that the possibility of a massage, a heli flight and/or scuba diving and you must think we are referring to some Utopian dream. But we assure you that Reefworld is a place, and the option for rolling up a swag or securing a double room to stay overnight is indeed a verifiable, and surely unforgettable, experience. Available to a maximum of 12 guests per night, the Reefsleep adventure offers people the chance to sip champagne on the deck as the sun goes down over the reef, before watching the Milky Way open above. The two-day adventure starts from $399 per person, and includes transfers, meals (breakfast, two morning and afternoon teas, two buffet lunches and a BBQ dinner on deck), your accommodation out on the reef and guided snorkelling trips.
Airlie Beach
Airlie beach is the mainland gateway to the Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef. It’s a convenient base for any of the activities the region has to offer, especially as Able Point Marina has connections to most of the islands in the Whitsundays group.
There are some great eating options in Airlie Beach, where for good reason, seafood is king. Most options are within a few streets of each other, mainly along Shute Harbour Road and Airlie Esplanade. Fish D’Vine: Fish Café and Rum Bar is a stand out, and would be at home in most major cities. In the spirit of your seaside holiday, try the Hemingway daiquiri, ‘papa’s own concoction’ of Cuban rum, fresh lime, and fresh grapefruit sweetened with maraschino liqueur, or go for similarly themed cocktails like the Dark n Stormy, Cuba Libre, or the delicious blueberry Mojito. Don’t be put off by the seafood-heavy menu if you don’t eat meat, the vegetarian pasta is delicious, using local fresh ingredients to suit the season.
Festivals and events
The first weekend in August marked the 14th Whitsunday Reef Festival, attracting visitors to Airlie for seaside activities. Highlights included music from The Basics (featuring Wally De Backer from Gotye), Collective, and Nathaniel, along with a Starlight Cinema, a sand sculpting exhibition, a recyclable regatta, and various rides.
Chairperson of the Festival Margie Murphy said the festival “gets bigger and better ever year” and “it’s all about the passion and the love of the Whitsundays.”
“We have an inflatable reef and actual reef animals and sharks coming over from Daydream Island for the kids to look at. (The are a) lot of free activities; just something for every age,” she said.
She acknowledges that it is not too hard to lure music artists up to perform at the festival either, saying “all the performers who come here love playing here. We look after them with great accommodation, with great bars…they love the whole Whitsundays experience.”
Check out for Festivals in Queensland
Hamilton Island
Hamilton Island is one of the most popular islands in the whole of Queensland. At a size of 650 hectares, it has five resorts and a maximum occupancy of 3,500 people. If you are after complete indulgence, the world-renown Qualia resort is the height of luxury, and rooms start at $995 per night. There are also more affordable options, with holiday self-catered rentals that start from $288 per night.
Daydream Island
Visiting Daydream Island is like stepping back in time to the eighties. Sporting garish décor, fish-covered staff uniforms, and a soundtrack of easy listening hits like Whitney Houston and Neil Diamond – this is not at all necessarily a good thing. But young children who never experienced the kitsch of a few decades ago seem over the moon about it. Mini golf! Fish carpet! High five!
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Getting to the Whitsundays
Great Barrier Reef airport is situated on Hamilton Island. There are direct flights daily from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Cairns operated by Virgin, Jetstar and Qantas Link. Cruise Whitsundays have 9 transfers per day from the airport to Abel Point Marina in Airlie Beach. The trip costs $48 (most via Daydream Island). The direct crossing takes 50 minutes and takes in some stunning scenery on the way. Alternately, GSL Aviation offer small plane flights from Airlie Beach to Hamilton Island Airport for $79.
When to Go
The Whitsundays are beautiful year-round, but the least preferred time to visit is from October to May due to ‘stinger season,’ when Box Jellyfish are common. These jellyfish can be dangerous. The ideal months to visit are August and September, though they are the busiest, so it’s best to book ahead.
Where to Stay
The Whitsundays offers various accommodations, from luxurious options like One & Only Resort on Hayman Island and Qualia on Hamilton Island to budget-friendly backpacker dorms such as Base and Nomads in Airlie Beach. For mid-range stays, consider the Blue Horizon Resort Apartments in Airlie, featuring a great swimming pool and spa rooms, with a penthouse that sleeps 7 and has three spas.The Whitsundays Vista next door offers basic hotel rooms with nice views of Airlie and the Port.
By Katie Mayors, host of the weekly ‘Wanderlust’ show on Bondi Beach Radio. Twitter and instagram @katiemayors
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