Exploring Whitsundays From A to Z!
The Whitsundays is overflowing with activities and places to see. So where do you start and how do you make sure you cover everything?! Keep reading to check out a list of things to do in the Whitsundays from A to Z.
Firstly, check out our Aquarium at the Whitsunday Coast Airport. This 30,000 litre, 10m long aquarium is the first of many beautiful sights that you will see once you fly into the Whitsundays. This tank comprises of over 100 different species and 4 tonnes of moulded coral. This heart shaped reef represents that Airlie Beach is the heart of the reef.
Explore the Coral Beach Bushwalk which leads you down a short 1km trail to an excluded beach, that looks out over the islands. This is one of our most beautiful beaches and is best visited on high tide. There is hardly any sand on the beach, it is made mostly of small pieces of sun bleached coral and pretty shells. High tide creates a beautiful spot to swim because the sea floor is covered in small smooth pebbles.
Is it raining outside? Why not take a drive to the Bowen Cinema to watch a new release movie. Bowen is located 45 minutes north of Proserpine and is famous for it’s Big Mango statue, you can’t miss it driving into town. Bowen was also used as one of the sets for the movie Australia released in 2008 staring Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman.
Want to experience a true Diner? Then why not have a burger or milkshake at George’s Diner, the cutest little cafe in town! Located 30 minutes from Airlie Beach, this cafe is one of a kind, with neon lights, car seats used in the booths, old aluminium signs and delicious food!
Enjoy a glass of wine on a sunset cruise around the bay at Airlie Beach. You will get to watch the sky change to purple and red as the last light vanishes behind the hills. This cruise is the best way to show the true beauty that Airlie Beach has to offer, under a glorious Whitsunday sunset.
Catch a big Fish at Peter Faust Dam! Located 20 minutes from Proserpine, this lake offers free camping and exhilarating fishing, and it is also a spot that the locals go water skiing. With the help of a local fishing guide, you too could catch a 1m+ barramundi that this lake is best known for.
Play Golf on the exclusive Dent Island, with breath-taking 360 degree views out over the Whitsundays. This par 71, 18 hole golf course is said to be one of the most challenging in the world.
Check out the bushwalk to the Hill Inlet lookout. Watch the turquoise waters of the Coral Sea swirl through the white silica sand from Whitehaven Beach and into the sheltered bay. This is the most popular lookout in the Whitsundays and most day tours will take you here.
Explore our 74 breath-taking Islands. There are countless beaches, fishing spots and snorkelling spots for you to explore around our very own 74 islands which make up the Whitsundays. Most of our islands are uninhabited, with dense rainforest, hiking trails, sandy beaches and coral reefs that surround the islands.
Take a Jet Ski tour around the bay and islands to get up close and personal with the pristine coastline. Jet ski tours are an easy way to explore the Whitsundays. They are small and easy to maneuver around the rocks and reefs, so you can pull up on almost any beach.
Hug a Koala on Hamilton Island! Who wouldn’t want to tick that off their bucket list? The koala is an Australian animal that is hard to spot in the wild. They live up in the trees in tall eucalyptus forests and their species is in serious decline due to habitat destruction. There are possibly only 43,000 left in the wild. They are very cuddly and warm, with soft thick fur. There are not many places in Australia where you can hug a koala, but we are lucky enough to have them here in the Whitsundays!
Have a swim in our beach front Lagoon. It is free entry and there are plenty of shallow areas for the kids to play. The lagoon is located just off the main street in Airlie Beach and includes BBQs, picnic areas and playgrounds.
Our foreshore Markets are held every Saturday along the beach front. There is a mixture of stalls that include Whitsunday nik naks, delicious food, candy, clothes, cold and hot drinks and more. Make sure you check out the mango ice-cream stall!
Enjoy a cocktail on the beach front at Northerlies Beach Bar & Grill. They have a bus that can pick you up and drop you back to town when you are done. This is a private and exclusive spot of paradise.
Make sure to go Ocean Rafting around the islands to check out what the Whitsundays truly has to offer. They will take you on a bushwalk up to Hill Inlet lookout, lunch on Whitehaven Beach and then snorkelling around the islands for the afternoon.
Check out our Water Park in Proserpine. This is such an easy way to keep the kids cool during summer. This new addition to the town will keep your kids entertained for hours.
Ride a Quad Bike through the rainforest and up to some of our exclusive Whitsunday lookouts. Quad bikes are available for hire on Hamilton Island and can be a fun way to adventure and explore the island.
Experience the Living Reef on Daydream Island. This is a great way for the kids to get up close to the coral and fish that are often seen throughout the Whitsundays. This eco-friendly and educational living reef wraps over 200m around the central building on Daydream Island and holds an impressive 1.5 million litres of water. There are over 100 unique species of marine fish inside.
Sleep with the fishes at the Great Barrier Reef. This new addition is Australia’s first underwater accommodation on the Great Barrier Reef and is a once in a lifetime opportunity. There is nothing else quite like it and it provides the ultimate Whitsunday experience.
Try one of our famous mojitos from Fish D’Vine. You haven’t had a mojito until you have tried one from Fish D’Vine! All tourists say that these mojitos are unforgettable!
Check out our new Underwater sculptures which provide unique diving locations throughout the islands. Six underwater sculptures have been installed in separate locations to help rejuvenate the local reef.
Say your Vows on Whitehaven Beach. Imagine flying in and landing on Whitehaven Beach, then holding your partner’s hands with no one around you for miles. There is no place quite like it to tie the knot.
Watch our Whales swim and play in our Whitsunday waters between July and September, as they pass through heading for warmer waters to give birth.
Check out the Whitsunday Xmas light displays. Go for a drive or a walk throughout our streets in December to see our houses light up the night.
Hire a Yacht and sail the Whitsundays. You can set your own course and choose your own islands that you want to explore. Just pull up at any beach and jump off the back for a swim!
Check out our own Australian version of a Zoo at Bredl’s Wild Farm. Here you can pat a wombat, feed a kangaroo, cuddle a koala, hold a baby crocodile, come face to face with an emu, hand feed a cassowary and much more! This is the ultimate Australian experience!
Speak to the team from Whitsunday Vacations for further information on activities to experience during your stay.
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