Can You See Turtles In Airlie Beach?
Yes! You can absolutely see turtles in Airlie Beach and around the surrounding Whitsunday Islands.
Thanks to its proximity to the world-famous Great Barrier Reef and its tropical climate, Airlie Beach is a dreamy destination to spot all kinds of wildlife. From wallabies and whales to crocodiles and turtles, there are so many exciting creatures living in Airlie Beach and around the Whitsundays!
Sea turtles are particularly common around Airlie Beach, and can be spotted by lucky locals all year-round! Whether you’re sailing between the islands, snorkelling around Coral Sea, or simply strolling along the beach or the boardwalk, you’re in with a chance of spying some!
Why do turtles live around Airlie Beach?
Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays boast perfect living conditions for sea turtles, which is why it’s so easy to spot them cruising around this tropical paradise! Not only are plenty of shallow, protected shores and bays for turtles to rest, but the thriving coral reefs that surround Airlie Beach offer plenty of food sources.
The tropical climate that this part of the world gets to enjoy is a bonus for turtles, too! The cold-blooded creatures prefer to swim in warmer waters to boost their metabolism and general health, and improve breeding opportunities. Warmer weather also makes Airlie Beach and the Whitsunday Islands an idyllic spot for sea turtles to nest. Local beaches act as comfortable, safe, and undisturbed environments for turtles to lay their eggs and give their offspring the best chance of survival. If you happen to be in Airlie Beach between November and February, you could be in with a chance of spotting some turtles setting up their perfect nesting sites. Then, from January onwards, turtle hatchlings are often spotted crawling out of the sand and into the ocean.
What types of turtles live in Airlie Beach?
There are seven primary species of sea turtles, and six of those can be found living on the coast of Australia: Green Sea Turtles, Hawksbill Turtles, Loggerhead Turtles, Leatherback Turtles, Olive Ridley Turtles, and Flatback Turtles. Of those six, the most popular turtles living around Airlie Beach are Green Sea Turtles, Loggerhead Turtles, and Hawksbill Turtles.
Green Sea Turtles
These turtles are perhaps the most famous, and most commonly spotted around the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef. These protected species are green in colour because they eat so much sea grass that it alters the colour of their fat! If you’re lucky enough to spot one while you’re in the Whitsundays, the trick is to stay cool and try your best not to scare them away. Once they understand that you’re not a threat, they’ll likely stick around and hang out with you!
Loggerhead Turtles
Loggerhead Turtles can be found all over the world, and get their name because of their large log-shaped heads. Loggerhead turtles are also known for their strong jaws, which help them eat food with hard shells like horseshoe crabs.
There are some subtle differences that can help you tell green sea turtles apart from loggerheads. For example, their prefrontal scales - the scales that span from their nostrils to their forehead. If a turtle has just one set of prefrontal scales on its face, it’s a green sea turtle. But if it has more, it’s most likely a loggerhead.
Hawksbill Turtles
Hawksbill Turtles are a little bit smaller than green turtles and have pointed beaks. Their diets are a lot softer than that of a loggerhead turtle, preferring to chomp on sponges, seagrass, and even dangerous jellyfish. These turtles are a little harder to come by nowadays as they’re unfortunately critically endangered. Their unique and beautiful shells have unfortunately made them a popular target. This is a particular concern because hawksbill turtles play an important role in a healthy coral reef system by transporting nutrients and controlling sponge populations.
When is the best time to see turtles in Airlie Beach?
You can spot turtles in and around Airlie Beach at any time of year - from January all the way through to December!
During the warmer months - from September through to April - higher temperatures in the water will encourage increased activity from turtles, making them easier to spot during your boat tour! In the middle of these warmer months is the breeding season for sea turtles, so keep your eyes peeled for nests and eggs between November and February!
Then, when the weather calms down between April and September, the ocean’s visibility improves tenfold, making it the perfect time of year to spot turtles during a snorkel or a dive around the Whitsundays or the Great Barrier Reef.
Popular turtle spotting locations around Airlie Beach
Since the conditions are so perfect for turtles in and around Airlie Beach, there is no shortage of places you can spot them!
Turtle spots around Airlie Beach
In central Airlie, keep an eye out for turtles around Boathaven Beach or Coral Beach, where they might pop up their heads for air in the calmer waters.
Or, just a short walk from the centre of town, try Cannonvale Beach! At the right time of year, this is a popular spot for turtle nesting and hatching!
Turtle spots around the Whitsunday Islands
While Whitsunday Island boasts excellent turtle-spotting sites like Tongue Bay and Chance Bay, popular holiday destinations like Hamilton Island and Daydream Island have also been known to accommodate sea turtles at Catseye Beach and Lover’s Cove.
Snorkelling sites like Manta Ray Bay on Hook Island, Blue Pearl Bay on Hayman Island, or Langford Island Reef are particularly popular among visitors because of how much marine life can be spotted among the coral - and turtles are certainly no exception!
Turtle spots around The Great Barrier Reef
A little further out - and by that, I mean, out as far as the Great Barrier Reef - you’ll find the famous Hardy Reef, where all sorts of sea creatures thrive. This is a particularly popular spot for green sea turtles, so if you’re heading out to the pontoon, be sure to keep your eyes peeled!
Tours for turtle-spotting in the Whitsundays
There are so many turtles living in and around the Whitsundays that you could potentially see them on just about any boat tour if you look hard enough. That being said, here are a few of our favourite tours for spotting the little snappers at sea!
Best Day Tours for Turtle Spotting
Any day tour that takes you to one of the many snorkel sites of the Whitsundays gets you in with a chance of getting up close and personal with some sea creatures. But Ocean Rafting has pretty excellent luck when it comes to sea turtles! Perhaps it’s because the Ocean Rafting vessels are designed to skirt along the top of the reef and the waves at top speed without hurting or frightening any marine life. Or maybe turtles just really like the colour yellow! Whatever the reason, this multi-award winning day trip is a must-do if you want to see the best of the Whitsundays in a day.
Get all the way out to Hardy Reef and back in just one action-packed day with Cruise Whitsundays’ exceptional Great Barrier Reef tour. There are so many opportunities to spot turtles on this trip, whether it’s by snorkelling, scuba diving, or setting off on a glass bottom boat tour. If you’re one of the few who doesn’t get a chance to spot a turtle on this amazing pontoon adventure, it’s probably just because you were having too much fun doing something else!
Whisper Cruises Turtle Spotting
Whisper Cruises offer short day tours that focus specifically on turtle-spotting around Airlie Beach. Hop on-board their intimate vessel especially designed with quiet motors, and set off around Pigeon Island, Coral Sea Resort, and Mandalay Bay on the lookout for turtles. This 1.5 hour tour fits just eight guests and includes complimentary nibbles - after all, this turtle-spotting can be hungry work!
Best Overnight Tours for Turtle Spotting
The more time you spend at sea, the better chance you have of spotting turtles. Makes sense, right? That’s one of the reasons why overnight boat tours are so popular in the Whitsundays: you’ll get to see everything you could possibly want to see without feeling rushed! Here are some of our top picks:
This luxurious catamaran treats its guests to an adventure of a lifetime. Cruise around the Whitsunday Islands while dining on gourmet meals, sleeping in your own spacious private cabin, and indulging in action-packed water sports! As well as snorkelling, Getaway offers guests a chance to try their hand at stand-up paddleboarding, which is an excellent sport for spotting turtles!
For a slightly longer trip, and an authentic sailing experience, why not opt for Kiana? This boat whisks its 12 guests off to the Whitsunday Islands as well as the Outer Great Barrier Reef for snorkelling and scuba diving. Explore the depths of popular sites like Bait Reef and Hook Island, whether you’re a certified or a first-time diver, and see if you don’t see a turtle or two!
Set off on one of the swankiest boats in the Whitsundays, complete with a heated onboard spa, outstanding catering, and top-tier service. This fun-filled catamaran takes guests through the Whitsunday Islands to showcase all of its natural wonders, as well as the playground of marine life that’s thriving beneath the surface! After a day of snorkelling or stand-up paddleboarding, when the sun goes down, watch the water with delight as the boat’s marine blue lights attract even more ocean wildlife toward the vessel.
However you decide to go turtle-spotting, be sure to respect these gentle giants. If you’re lucky enough to spot one on your adventure, give them plenty of space, act calm, and avoid the temptation to reach out and touch them. Turtles may typically move slowly, but they can dart away from a scene in seconds if they sense they’re in danger, so do your best not to scare them away!
Why not set off on your own turtle-spotting adventure in the Whitsundays?
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