Well what can I say? Probably one of the most stunning places I’ve ever been.
Getting there? There’s an airport in Proserpine that Jetstar/Virgin flies to. You can get transfers from Proserpine to Airlie Beach. Or there’s an airport on Hamilton Island that the major domestic airlines fly to.
I’ll start at the coast and head out from there.
Airlie Beach? I lived there for 6 months at one point for work. Great place! Backpacker central really. It’s a reasonably cheap party town. That being said, there are 5 star resorts in the area as well. It caters to pretty much both ends of the market. Airlie Beach (+Shute Harbour) is sort of the gateway to the Whitsunday Islands. You can catch the big cat out to the reef for the day from the Marina. You can catch ferries out to South Molle Island or Hamilton Island. You can hire a yacht (+crew if you don’t know what you’re doing) and go island hopping on your own boat. Though that does require you to have some boating proficiency if you go without hiring crew. Generally if you have a boat licence they’ll let you hire one.
I’ve been to many of the islands, but I’ll just list the major ones that I can remember the most about.
Just a couple of notes…Many of the Whitsunday Islands come under serious national park classifications. The marine park authorities enforce rules about being allowed on certain islands. And there are very serious rules about fishing in the region. If you’re going to visit and make it a “do it yourself” type holiday, then make sure you get the relevant information from the authorities so you know where you can and can’t go and where you can and can’t fish and what you can and can’t catch. The fines for breaking the rules can run well in to the tens of thousands of dollars.
Hayman Island – known for its luxury 5 star resort. Pure relaxation and luxury here, with prices accordingly. Not cheap, but if you’re on your honeymoon or money is no object, definitely worth the experience. It’s stunning. Much of the island is untouched paradise. Lagoons, empty beaches, forest walks, lazy days by the pool with the cabana boy bringing you drinks! The resort will organise transfers from the mainland for you.
Hamilton Island – More family oriented. Big high rise hotels, its own airport…It’s a little like the Gold Coast of the Whitsundays. Glitz and glamour I suppose. Personally I think the island used to be stunning. However with all the development and massive tourist numbers over the last couple of decades, the place has become a worn out hole. The reef surrounding the island has been wrecked through run-off from the resorts and massive tourist numbers. Which means that at low tide all you see are mudflats and broken dead coral reefs. However you can still catch a ferry out to the Great Barrier Reef direct from Hamilton Island to see some less damaged coral and see all the amazing reef fish and stuff. The resorts are nice, but still your typical island/beach resorts. It’s not cheap, but it’s certainly not as expensive as other islands in the region. Getting around the island you can hire a golf buggy. Seriously, that is how you get around the island! There’s lots to do: from sitting on the beach, to lounging by the pool, to shopping, to day trips to other islands or the GBR, to going bushwalking, to playing a round of golf. It’s not my preferred island to visit, but it’s a great family holiday destination!
Whitsunday Island – Nothing. Which is why I love it. Whole thing is national park, so nobody is allowed to develop on the island. There’s no resorts, no hotels, no shops, no nothing. Pure pristine tropical island! Only way to get there is by private boat or by charter boat. You can go picnic on Whitehaven Beach with nary another person in sight. Possibly my most favorite island purely for the fact that there’s nothing there.
South Molle Island – Sort of a budget family holiday island. The last time I was there I think I was about 14 or so, so what I have to say is from the point of view of a kid! They had mini golf. They had this awesome resort with tons of stuff for kids to do, a pool with a waterslide and everything! I don’t recall the hotel being all that spectacular, but like I said, it’s a budget type resort. You can hire out paddleskis and stuff. You can go hiking around the island. You can bum around on the beach. As a kid, I loved it. But then I always was more into the nature and sightseeing than I was in to “I want to go to the amusement parks”.
Hook Island – Home of Manta Ray Bay. Truly one of the most awesome experiences of my life. Going diving with huge manta ray’s in Manta Ray Bay. They’re these huge gentle giants and are in massive numbers in the area, mainly in winter. And you can go diving with them! Or if you can’t dive, you can always just go snorkelling, which is almost as awesome! There’s these huge Maori Wrasse to go swimming with. There’s underwater caves. Probably one of the most amazing dive sites anywhere in the world. There is a hotel on the island. Budget accommodation (though it’s not crap either), but really, who cares? The scenery and the diving make up for it! And now I’m all depressed thinking about it and want to go back for a holiday!
Daydream Island – Another family island, but probably a little more upmarket than some of the others. And it also caters to the “resort and spa” crowd. Again, plenty of stuff to do. Watersports like jetskiing and paddleskiing, snorkelling around the fringing reefs, lounging on the beach, lounging by the pool, hiking through the rainforest, mini golf…Probably not where I’d choose for a nice relaxing getaway, but it’s a fun island.
Really, the Whitsundays cater to almost every budget and every tropical island experience. From the relaxing 5 star resorts to the camping out on the beach in your own tent. From hiring your own yacht for a week or two, to taking a day trip out to the Great Barrier Reef on one of the big cats.
I love the Whitsundays. I wouldn’t live there again, it’s too far from everything for my liking (though that is generally why people do want to live there in the first place). But as a holiday destination, probably has to rank in my top 5 places on earth (so far).
