How Do You Explore Whitsunday Island?
To explore Whitsunday Island, you will need to head out to the island itself via boat (day tours, overnight trips and private charters are abundant and depart from Airlie Beach). You can also take a scenic plane or helicopter ride and land on Whitehaven Beach. Once on the dazzling Whitsunday Island, you can discover Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet Lookout on foot. Whitsunday Island has no cars, so the only option is walking, but there are well-maintained pathways and signage to guide you.
Whitsunday Island is the star of the broader Whitsunday Island group and is the most frequented by boat tours from Airlie Beach. It’s also the largest island of the Whitsunday Island archipelago, with 7km of the world’s most famous beach, Whitehaven. The silica sands glow white here, making for cool strolls along the aquamarine water and seriously beachy days! Surrounded by the Great Barrier Reef and home to hidden bays, you can snorkel, swim and let your worries float away! Hill Inlet is also a gorgeous gem of Whitsunday Island, where the clear blue waters and white sands swirl together to create breathtaking views, visible from the must-visit Hill Inlet Lookout.
How to get to Whitsunday Island
When it comes to travelling to the beautiful Whitsunday Island, visitors have an array of options as most tours will make a stop at Whitsunday Island, giving passengers time to disembark and discover Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet Lookout. You only need to walk down to Coral Sea Marina to see the plethora of catamarans, powerboats, yachts and sailing vessels available for tours to Whitsunday Beach! Broadly, you will need to choose whether you prefer a day tour, overnight trip, private charter or to bareboat your own vessel for your Whitsunday Island adventure.
Day trips to Whitsunday Island
Day boats
Day trips from Airlie Beach have varied itineraries, but will generally cruise out through the rolling island landscapes to moor at Whitsunday Island on the east side. A day boat experience will cost anywhere between $120 to $300. Day trips will also commonly include stops for snorkelling, lunch and swimming. There are an array of vessels available to take you out, from catamarans, yachts and sailing boats. Check out our favourite day trips to Whitsunday Island from Airlie Beach which will optimise your time sunbaking and exploring Whitehaven Beach.
For a more detailed breakdown of the differences between Whitsunday Island day trips, read our in-depth day tour article to make the perfect choice for your next holiday.
Best Day Trips to Whitsunday Island from Airlie Beach
Day trips from Hamilton Island
There is also a selection of Whitsunday Island trips departing from Hamilton Island, if you’re staying on the luxe tropical island! Check out the best tours to Whitsunday Island from Hamilton so you can zoom from one stunning island haven to the next.
- Explore: Whitehaven, Sail & Snorkel from Hamilton Island
- Explore: Hill Inlet Half Day Tour from Hamilton Island
- Explore: Twin Tour - Hill Inlet & Snorkel from Hamilton Island
Scenic Flights
Or, if you’re not too much of a water baby but want to discover Whitehaven Beach and all of its magic, you can take to the sky! With a range of seaplanes and helicopters, check out our favourite flights that will land guests on the shores of Whitehaven Beach!
- Air Whitsundays Seaplane: Panorama Tour
- GSL: Reef & Whitehaven Beach Landing Helicopter Tour (H3)
- Airlie Beach Helicopters: Heart Reef & Whitehaven Rest & Relax
Overnight tours to Whitsunday Island
If you want to slow it down and take more time in the world-wonders of the Whitsundays you can see Whitsunday Island on an overnight trip. Whether you’re interested in authentic sailing, luxury catamaran cruising, family-friendly trips or backpacker boats, nearly all overnight trips stop at Whitsunday Island and leave you with more time for exploring than a day trip. Check out these links above to discover all of our excellent overnight trips for any kind of traveller!
Whitsunday Blue 3-day, 3-night sailing trip
Private charters
Craving something a little more personalised? We offer an array of private charters which will deliver you to the stunning Whitsunday Island... all by yourself! With a personalised private charter itinerary, you can spend exactly the amount of time you want on Whitehaven Beach, even enjoying a beach picnic and champagne on the bright white sands! Here are our exclusive private charters that can deliver you to Whitsunday Island!
Private charters to Whitsunday Island
- Salty Adventure - max 8 people, day trip
- Whitsunday Blue - max 8 people, overnight
- Big Fury - max 35 people, day trip
- Nisi Superyacht - max 15 people, day trip
- Whitsunday Getaway - max 8 people, overnight
Discover more of our overnight and day private charters for a unique, tailored Whitsunday Island adventure.
How to get to the Whitsunday Island region & Airlie Beach
The Whitsundays Region is easily reached by car, plane or bus and visitors usually arrive and stay in Airlie Beach; the seaside hub with complete access to the islands. If you’re driving, the Whitsundays is well connected by highways and roads! Check out our guide to arriving to Airlie Beach by car. If you’re flying in, Proserpine Airport is just 30 minutes from Airlie Beach centre, and there is also an airport on Hamilton Island. Read more and plan your trip with our guide to flying into the Whitsundays. Airlie Beach is also well-connected by long-distance bus services like Greyhound and Premier. Tickets are available to purchase in travel passes or single journey fares, which you can learn more about in our article about arriving to Airlie Beach via coach!
How to get around on Whitsunday Island
Once you arrive on Whitsunday Island, you will notice that there are no cars or roads for public use. So the only real way to explore Whitsunday Island is to walk! Not to worry though, there are ample pathways and signage to guide you to Whitehaven Beach North and Hill Inlet Lookout. You can walk along the beach to visit South Whitehaven Beach if you have a little more time, or around the corner from the north of the beach to find tranquillity in Betty’s Bay. The walk up to Hill Inlet Lookout only takes about 10 to 15 minutes and isn’t too strenuous. Your tour guide will often guide you up to this glorious vantage point too, especially with day trips.
Is Whitsunday Island accessible?
Unfortunately, there is no wheelchair access on Whitsunday Island. However, there is an experience that provides a beach wheelchair and accessible facilities; read more about visiting Whitsunday Island with a disability in our accessible tours article.
