13 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Visit the Whitsundays
Many people travel to Australia every year for a holiday, gap year, or simply to immerse themselves in the beautiful land down under, but what most people consider a bucket list destination, isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. As locals, we still can’t wrap our heads around why anyone would want to come to the Whitsundays. To save you the hassle of wasting your time (and money) we’ve got the lowdown the tourism destination leaders and government WON’T tell you, so you can better plan your time in Australia… You’re welcome.
1) It Certainly Isn’t Bondi Beach
You see what I mean. Whitehaven Beach is located on Whitsunday Island, and, I mean-Just look at it. If you’re looking for a social hub filled with people, this is the wrong beach to visit. Sure, it has the iconic swirling sands of Hill Inlet, is only accessible by scenic flight or boat, and has over 7 km of almost pure silica sands, but if people and city are where your priorities lie, then this national park certainly isn’t for you.
2) The Locals Will Trick You into a Big Night Out
The town of Airlie Beach should come with a warning sign upon arriving in the region. Sure, the locals may seem friendly, but after a pint or two at one of the local watering holes, you’ll suddenly find yourself out at 3 am in one of the nightclubs cutting shapes, wondering how you got there. Be especially warned if you’re looking for a couple of quiet drinks the night before an overnight charter boat trip…
3. A Drinking Town With a Sailing Problem
Not only can the locals hold their drink, but they are also obsessed with sailing-So much so, you will find it hard to visit Airlie Beach without finding yourself on some sort of sailing vessel. Whether it’s hopping onto a locals yacht during the weekly Wednesday night twilight races at the sailing club or hopping on a day or overnight sailing charter boat, you will inevitably be green with envy if you don’t get yourself on a sailing boat during your stay.
4. Secrets, Secrets, are No Fun
Try to get any info about the best parts of the Great Barrier Reef to visit from the locals and you’ll find they will clam up pretty quickly. Most of the Whitsunday region has some epic coral reef systems, and the locals definitely don’t want to share their locations. Luckily, most of them have to hold down jobs and tend to do so on the many day and overnight boat tours that visit the inner and outer reefs in the Great Barrier Reef park, so booking on a tour might be your best bet if you want to experience some magic under the water.
5. While the Beaches aren’t Crowded, the Reefs Certainly Are
The reefs have some of the highest traffic in the area and can become quite crowded. Not with snorkelers and divers, but with marine life. Head to sweet spots like Manta Ray and Blue Pearl Bay, and you’re bound to hit bumper to bumper traffic with tropical fish, sea turtles, and giant Maori Wrasse, that don’t seem to mind people and certainly don’t want to clear out so you can enjoy the coral. Rude.
6. Noise Complaints
Oh, we don’t mean from the bustling nightlife in town, despite being one of the biggest party towns in Australia with something on every night of the week. You’ll probably find yourself complaining about the noise-Not from the locals-From the Cockatoos that is. These cheeky locals are found everywhere and will fly right up to your balcony. Their playful nature and loud scrawk is certainly not something you will miss out on while here.
7. Other Terrifying Animals
Oh yes, you’ve probably read some pretty horrible things about the wildlife in Australia, something about how they all want to kill you - And they aren’t lying. They. Want. You. Dead. Just look at that face, if that doesn’t scream “danger!” then I don’t know what does. Visitors are discouraged feeding wildlife however, there are several reserves and wildlife parks you can visit to experience these Australian icons in the Whitsundays.
8. You’ll Struggle to See Everything
If the local people and wildlife haven’t already scared you away, then the sheer number of annual events will. From sailing regattas to music festivals, Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island have so many events that you will have a hard time choosing which time of year you want to plan your holiday here. Throw in other events like the annual humpback whale migration, you’ll end up changing your mind about your length of stay.
9. The Weather is Average
And by average, we mean the average daily temperatures in the Whitsundays ranges from 22 degrees Celcius in winter, and 30 degrees Celcius in summer and water temperatures stay around 25 degrees Celcius most of the year. This means you can don your boardies or bikini and thongs year round, and enjoy the many water activities on offer any time.
10. 74 Islands Too Many
As there are 74 islands that make up the Whitsunday Group and 4 of them with operating resorts and communities, there are definitely too many to see in one visit. You can try with an Island Hopper Pass or spending a few nights over at each, but all that will do is whet your appetite for more island time, so inevitably you will be left wanting more.
11. You Might Get Stuck
Cars and campervans flock to this special place every day, but if they had read this they probably would have thought better of it. Given Shute Harbour is the only road in and out, you may end up stuck here, which can be an issue during the rainy season. There are definitely easier ways to visit the region, with two domestic airports you can choose to fly into. Greyhound and Premier buses still insist on running daily services to the area, as well as trains, so driving isn’t your only option. Although, we can certainly think of worse places to get stuck...
12. Save Your Instagram Energy
Yeah, the surprising thing most people don’t know about the Whitsundays is that there are literally THOUSANDS of Instagram worthy locations around the region. The rest of your Australian holiday you will certainly want to save up your energy to get some stunning photos here, including the #3 most Instagrammed place in the country, Whitehaven Beach. The sunrises and sunsets are also nothing to balk at, and with so many hiking trails to lookouts, you’ll need an extra SIM card or two.
13. You Won’t Want to Leave
Ok, well, I suppose you’ve worked out why we wanted to keep people away from here… It’s our little slice of paradise, can you blame us?! But all joking aside, there is so much to see and do here, you will find yourself not wanting to leave, or at least planning your next visit back. The Whitsundays are truly a magical place-A hidden gem in Australia so precious, we want to keep it all to ourselves!
