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The Whitsundays Islands

The Whitsunday Islands are a collection of continental islands of various sizes off the central coast of Queensland, Australia and form part of the Great Barrier Reef. The vast majority of islands are designated national parks and major attractions include access to coral reefs for snorkeling and diving, pristine beaches, especially Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island and clear aquamarine warm waters. They are well connected by two major airports on Hamilton Island and the mainland town of Proserpine. Over half a million visitors go to the Whitsundays each year.

Costs in the Whitsundays

• Hostel Prices:: There are no hostels in the Whitsundays.
• Budget Hotel Prices: Some of the larger islands have hotels but they are not budget hotels. The hotels here are more like resorts and will cost a lot of money. A more economical way to see the islands is to do a sailing cruise.
• Average Cost of Food: All food is provided by the boat.
• Cost of Internet: There is no internet on the Whitsunday islands.
• Transportation Costs: The Whitsundays are best visited by sailing trip. Boats leave daily from Airlie beach and trips last 3 days, 2 nights. These tours cost around $200 AUD and all your meals are included. You can take longer or shorter tours if you want. Additionally, you can choose to stay on one of the resorts in the islands but this very expensive. Most travelers simply do a 3 day sailing cruise.

Things to Do in the Whitsundays

• Whitehaven Beach – Whitehaven Beach is by far the most recognized of all the Whitsundays landmarks. Stretching about 4.5 km and consisting of fine, brilliant white sand, it presents the image that is used more often in tourism brochures and regularly on TV advertising in Australia.
• Hamliton Islands – One of the most developed and populated Whitsunday island and has its own airport, post office and bank. Hamilton Island and Dent Island are privately owned by the Oatley family, founders of Rosemount Wines in Australia. Despite development, the island remains a haven for options in getting out to reef areas and Whitehaven Beach (about 1/2 hr by boat, Great Barrier Reef about 2 hours).
• Whitsunday Island – The largest island in the archipelago, and home to the famous Whitehaven Beach. Most day boat trips come here and it is on most people’s “must see” list of things while here. Whitehaven beach faces east towards the open sea, making some boat journeys there very choppy. The size of the island also means there are dozens and dozens of little coves and inlets where people with yachts or boats can pull in away from it all. Many boats also go to Tongue Point, which has a well trodden trail up to a built lookout over Whitehaven.
• Hook Island – The second largest island in the archipelago and a great place to see birds and wildlife. It is a frequent stop on many of the boat tours that sail around the islands.
• Hamilton Island Race Week - August sees the famous Race Week, started by Keith Williams in the 80′s. This sees hundreds of yachts from 30 foot boats rented for the week to billion dollar super yachts finely tuned for serious racing.
• Scuba Diving - The islands have some amazing dive spots, though they are best viewed during the summer time. The rainy season makes the water murky and visibility can be get pretty low. But here you can spot a wide array of fish, coral, and sea turtles.
• Take a ride on the Yellow Submarine – For those of you that don’t want to explore the sea via snorkeling, the Yellow Submarine is a fun way to check out what is below the surface of the sea. Just off of Black Island, it’s pretty hard to miss this big, yellow vessel.
• Explore the Reef World – Along a platform on the Great Barrier Reef is an array of things to do — a full-fledged diving platform, complete with a submarine, undersea windows, a diving and snorkeling center, and even a helicopter platform. It’s kind of a cheesy place to go but if you don’t have a lot of time, it can give you a good overview of the marine life in the area.
• Take a resort vacation – The beauty of these islands has encouraged many resorts to pop up. Pick one out and enjoy all of the accommodations included. Many resorts offer package deals with, sailing trips, swimming pools, golf, arcades, snorkeling tours, and more. There is a package for just about every price range.
• Enjoy the sunset – The sunsets from the islands are amazing from just about anywhere. Try to find a place that is guarded from wind and stake out for a few hours of relaxing, colorful enjoyment. Make it a date with yourself or someone else–grab a bottle of wine and some appetizers to get you ready for dinner; that’s what vacations are all about.

Budget Tips for the Whitsundays

• Ferries: Ferries are a good option if you plan to visit just one island. However, since there are only expensive resorts on the larger islands, it still works out cheaper to do a cruise. Plus it’s more fun!
• BYOB: With the exception of day trips on large boats with licensed bars, you can bring your own alcohol but most of the sailing boats prohibit glass. To keep it cheap, most travelers bring a box of goon for the trip.
• Camp: If you enjoy being outdoors you can camp much cheaper than staying in a hostel. There are about 21 campgrounds on the islands, and all you need is a camping permit that cost $4.50 per night. However, you’ll need your own boat to get to these places.
• Get a Cheap Sailing Trip: Island sailing trips are a hugely popular activity with all travelers and as such tour prices are a bit high. This is definitely an expensive activity. Try to book in advance, with a group, or as part of larger package to get a bit of a discount of the sailing tour.

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