Whitsundays and surrounds

Why come here

• Whitehaven Beach and the view over Hill Inlet, where the tide shifts white silica sand through turquoise water — best at mid to low tide.
• The islands are close together and largely national park, so a day boat, a sailing trip or a bareboat charter all reach good bays in a few hours.
• Fringing reef close to the islands and the outer Great Barrier Reef at Hardy Reef, both reachable on day trips from Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island.
• Humpback whales in the passage from about May to September, peaking in August.
• Ngaro Country: the Traditional Owners of the islands, whose cultural site at Nara Inlet and the new Ngaro Track walk tell a much older story than the resorts.

The Whitsundays and surrounds

Everything on this map is a day trip or a short hop from The Whitsundays — the way Tourism Australia itself organises the country, around a gateway city and the destinations it opens up.

Things to do

1. Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet

   About 7 km of 98% silica sand on Whitsunday Island, reached only by boat or seaplane. From Tongue Bay a 1.4 km return track (about 40 minutes) climbs to the Hill Inlet lookout; mid to low tide shows the most sand through the water. There are no shops or cafés on the beach.

2. Sail the islands for two or three nights

   Crewed overnight boats leave Airlie Beach for the islands, from party catamarans to small, quieter yachts: we sleep aboard, anchor in national park bays and snorkel most mornings. Skippered or bareboat charters suit groups.

3. Snorkel the fringing reef

   Tourism Whitsundays lists Blue Pearl Bay off Hayman Island, Langford Island and Chalkies Beach among the snorkelling spots, with turtles often seen. Operators usually supply stinger suits; we wear one whatever the month.

4. See Heart Reef from the air

   The heart-shaped coral formation is protected and in-water visits are not allowed, so a scenic flight by seaplane or helicopter is the way to see it, often combined with Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet.

5. A day on the outer reef at Hardy Reef

   Cruise Whitsundays runs to a moored pontoon at Hardy Reef, 39 nautical miles offshore: about three hours each way from Airlie Beach or two from Hamilton Island, with around four hours on the reef. Divers also head for Bait Reef, the closest outer-reef site.

6. Walk the Ngaro Track or visit Nara Inlet

   The Ngaro Track is a 32 km, three-day walk on Whitsunday Island co-designed with the Ngaro Traditional Owners and booked through Queensland Parks. Many boat trips stop at Nara Inlet on Hook Island, where a platform overlooks a Ngaro cave with rock art.

7. Hamilton Island's walking tracks

   The island has about 20 km of tracks, including the walk up to the Passage Peak lookout over the passage. We start early: it is exposed and hot by midday.

8. Swim the Airlie Beach Lagoon

   A free, lifeguard-patrolled, chlorinated lagoon on the foreshore, stinger-free all year — the town's answer to stinger season.

Where to base yourself

• Airlie Beach

  The mainland base: Port of Airlie, the free swimming lagoon, the Saturday market and the widest range of places to stay and tours to book.

• Cannonvale & Shute Harbour

  Quieter mainland options either side of Airlie Beach; Shute Harbour is also a Resort Connections ferry stop.

• Hamilton Island

  The airport island, with resorts, the Marina Village and Front Street restaurants, a free shuttle and buggies to hire.

• Daydream Island

  A small resort island close to Airlie Beach, on the Resort Connections ferry route.

• Hayman Island

  A single-resort island in the north of the group, near the snorkelling at Blue Pearl Bay.

4 days in The Whitsundays

1. Day 1

   Arrive at Airlie Beach

   Fly into Proserpine (PPP), swim the lagoon and walk the foreshore at sunset. Book a Whitehaven trip for the day with the best tide and wind.

2. Day 2

   Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet

   A full-day boat trip: the Hill Inlet lookout while the tide is mid to low, then the afternoon on the beach, with a snorkel stop on the way back.

3. Day 3

   Islands and Ngaro Country

   A day boat to Hook and Hayman for Nara Inlet and the snorkelling at Blue Pearl Bay, or a scenic flight over Heart Reef if the sky is clear.

4. Day 4

   Hamilton Island or the outer reef

   Ferry to Hamilton Island for the Passage Peak walk and lunch on Front Street, or the long day out to the pontoon at Hardy Reef.

Eat & drink

Eating here is simple: seafood and a view of the water. Airlie Beach has the range, from cheap backpacker meals on the main street to waterfront restaurants, and the Lions Airlie Beach Community Market runs on Saturday mornings. Hamilton Island's restaurants are resort-priced and cluster around the marina. Most overnight sailing trips include all meals aboard.

• Airlie Beach foreshore and main street — Where most visitors eat, from takeaways to sit-down seafood, all walkable from the lagoon.
• Port of Airlie — The ferry and tour terminal, with places to eat by the boats.
• Front Street, Hamilton Island — The Marina Village strip: the Marina Tavern, Bob's Bakery, fish and chips, pizza and gelato, plus an IGA for groceries.
• Lions Airlie Beach Community Market — Saturdays, about 7am–1pm on the foreshore: local produce, crafts and breakfast. Check the location first, as foreshore works have moved it before.

Getting there & around

Getting there. There are no direct flights from the UK; we fly to Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne and connect. Hamilton Island Airport (HTI), now branded Great Barrier Reef Airport, has direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and suits island stays. Whitsunday Coast Airport (PPP), near Proserpine, has direct flights from Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns, Toowoomba and the Sunshine Coast, is about 25 minutes from Airlie Beach, and has car hire. Cruise Whitsundays runs a coach from PPP to Port of Airlie that connects with its ferries; it must be booked at least 12 hours ahead.

Getting around. Boats, not cars. Cruise Whitsundays' Resort Connections ferries link Port of Airlie with Hamilton Island (marina and airport jetty), Daydream Island and Shute Harbour; we book ahead, especially for airport connections, and note that Daydream Island takes day visitors only on its Daydream Island Escapes package. There is no scheduled public ferry to Whitehaven Beach: it is a tour boat, sailing trip, private yacht or scenic flight, from Airlie Beach, Hamilton Island or Daydream Island. On Hamilton Island there is a free Island Shuttle for guests, and golf buggies to hire.

Culture

The Ngaro people are the Traditional Owners of the Whitsunday Islands, and the Gia people of the mainland coast around Airlie Beach (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority). Queensland Parks worked with Ngaro families on the Ngaro Track, and the Ngaro cultural site at Nara Inlet on Hook Island has a viewing platform at a cave with rock art. We treat these places as living cultural sites: stay on platforms and tracks, and touch nothing.

Practical tips

• Entry: British citizens need a visa before travelling, either a free eVisitor (subclass 651, applied for online with the Department of Home Affairs) or an ETA (subclass 601, through the official Australian ETA app; a service fee may apply). An ETA allows stays of up to 3 months each visit within 12 months. Check FCDO entry requirements before booking.
• Biosecurity: declare food, plant and animal products on the Incoming Passenger Card, or bin them at the airport.
• Stingers: higher risk October–May but possible all year. Wear a full-body stinger suit in the sea (most tour operators provide one), swim inside nets at patrolled beaches, and use vinegar and call 000 if stung.
• Weather: tropical cyclone season in Queensland normally runs November–April. Follow Bureau of Meteorology warnings and local advice.
• Snorkelling: resorts and operators ask for a medical declaration; FCDO says be truthful about any condition.
• Money: the currency is the Australian dollar; notes are polymer and issued by the Reserve Bank of Australia. Cards are widely accepted.
• Whales: boats must keep at least 300 m from whales in the Whitsunday Whale Protection Area, so whale sightings are from a distance.

Plan it

• Search flights to Proserpine (Whitsunday Coast) →
• Search flights to Hamilton Island →

Before you go

Entry rules, safety and health for Australia: the UK government's FCDO travel advice for Australia (the definitive source), summarised with visas, currency and plugs on our Australia guide.