Airlie Beach Travel Guide

Whitehaven Beach is one of Australia's and the world's most famous beaches. On Whitsunday Island, this ~7 km beach features pure white silica sand (98% silica — doesn't retain heat), turquoise and blue water and stunning aerial swirl patterns — repeatedly rated among the world's best beaches. Pure silica sand — fine and cool underfoot even in sunlight. Crystal-clear turquoise water. Famous aerial views of tidal swirl patterns. Reached by boat from Airlie Beach or Hamilton Island. Visiting for the world's best beach is a dreamy tropical Australian experience.

Dent Island lies west of Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays — a small private island known to travellers for its 18-hole championship golf course. Designed by Peter Thomson, the course runs along ridgelines and the coast, with several holes facing straight out over Whitsunday waters and views towards Hamilton Island's marina and the sea around Whitehaven Beach. Reaching Dent Island usually means connecting through Hamilton Island's marina or airport, so it suits travellers whose main purpose is golf. Beyond the course and its facilities the island has no public amenities, so confirm tee times and transfers before setting out.

South Molle Island is part of the Whitsunday Islands National Park, lying between Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island, and is known for its rolling hills, network of walking tracks and several quiet bays. The tracks climb to a number of lookouts over Whitsunday waters and the outlines of neighbouring islands, and the fringing coral and shallows suit snorkelling. It was once one of the busier resort islands in the group, but the resort has remained closed since Tropical Cyclone Debbie in 2017, and the island is now mostly visited on day trips for walking and snorkelling. Access is by licensed operator vessels, so confirm whether trips are running and which areas are open.

Long Island is a narrow national park island in the Whitsundays, lying north of Airlie Beach near Hamilton Island. It runs almost nine kilometres north to south and in places is only a few hundred metres wide, which gives it its name. The island has white-sand beaches, rainforest walking tracks and a number of lookouts, and the fringing coral around Orange Bay is clearly visible and good for snorkelling. The tracks pass through native rainforest where the birds and plants typical of the Whitsundays can be seen. Accommodation has opened and closed repeatedly and remains changeable, so the island is now mostly a day-trip destination for walking, picnicking and snorkelling. Access is by licensed operator vessel — confirm routes and open areas before travelling.

Hook Island is one of the larger islands in the Whitsunday Islands National Park, lying in the northern part of the group, and is known for clear water, rich coral and a relatively untouched character. The fringing coral at Butterfly Bay and around Stonehaven is widely regarded as among the best snorkelling in the Whitsundays, with clear water and dense fish life. The island retains Aboriginal rock art sites and rainforest tracks where the group's distinctive plants and birds can be seen. Compared with the neighbouring resort islands it is little developed and lightly visited. The resort here has long been closed, and the island now serves mainly as a day-trip, snorkelling and walking destination, reached by licensed operator vessels.

Hayman Island lies at the northern end of the Whitsundays and is positioned around a private resort, ringed by hills and bays with quiet, clear water. The resort was extensively rebuilt after Tropical Cyclone Debbie in 2017 and reopened in 2019, known for its large lagoon-style pool, several restaurants and spa, with an overall style pitched at upmarket holidays and honeymoons. As a gateway island for the Great Barrier Reef and the Whitsundays, it can arrange outer-reef snorkelling, helicopter flights and trips to Whitehaven Beach. The island is operated as a private resort and non-guests generally cannot visit freely; arrival is by yacht, seaplane or helicopter, arranged through the resort.