Day or night, Airlie Beach is the hottest and the coolest place to hang out in the Whitsundays. Enjoy its bars and restaurants, clubs and activities, because this place is all about choice. Whether you’re a backpacking student or a billionaire with your own yacht, Airlie Beach can oblige. Fill your days with endless water or land based activities, and after dark when the resort really comes alive, dance until the sun comes up.
What to doVisitors flood to the Whitsundays for its main attraction, the Great Barrier Reef, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. You can get here by boat, catamaran or air (these days you can even sleep over on the reef), but the Whitsundays is not just about the reef, you’ll find Whitehaven Beach, one of the most beautiful and photographed beaches on earth. Incredible Marlin fishing opportunities, championship golf and rainforest adventures in Eungella National Park, can also be enjoyed, where you can view one of only two monotremes in the world, the Platypus, in its natural environment. There’s shopping and dining, relaxation and adventure, things for free and things with a cost attached. So, with all that and over 74 islands to explore, you’ll have to plan your time carefully.
Where to stay
The Whitsundays covers a vast area, and as well as the islands including Hamilton and Hayman islands there’s the mainland too. You can choose to stay in resorts which are closely guarded secrets of the stars, or take a family caravan close to the beach. There are tropical rainforest hideaways or smaller resorts along the coast. Busy or quiet, there’s always heaps of choice. Airlie Beach, once the haunt of backpackers, now welcomes guests of five star resorts, who find there’s plenty of choice for those with a bigger budget. Towns such as Bowen and Proserpine, a short distance away, are quieter alternatives.
After dark
From haute cuisine to fish and chips on the beach, you’ll find many restaurants on the Esplanade. Hotels along the coast and on the islands also have open air terraces where you can enjoy a meal with a view. Thai and Japanese, Aussie and Italian; dining in the Whitsundays is all about choice. But it’s not time to turn in for the night just yet, if you’re looking for nightlife, you’ve got it. Airlie Beach has acres of space dedicated to clubs and themed bars with dance floors, sophisticated wine bars and Irish pubs, Karaoke and quizzes, theatre and live music. Expect a real holiday atmosphere.
Travel tips
Airlie Beach is the place to plan your excursions onto the reef and into the sub-tropical rainforest. There are also heaps of operators offering adrenaline pumping activities such as skydiving, jet boats and Quad tours. This is the place for shopping, but it’s also the place for relaxing on the beach, the lagoon, or if you like walking, on the trails around the resort. The Whitsundays is sub-tropical meaning that the weather’s good here all year round. The busiest times are during the winter months May to September, so if you like it a little quieter try and visit outside these times.
