Top Things to do in Whitsunday Islands
Top 10 Nature & Parks in Whitsunday Islands, Queensland
The Whitsunday Islands are a collection of 74 tropical mini-paradises, floating in peaceful waters that double as a marine park and are a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. Plan a romantic getaway or a fun family vacation that’s filled with sun, sailing, golfing, snorkeling and diving, all served up with a little slice of heaven.
Restaurants in Whitsunday Islands
1. Whitehaven Beach
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2,394 reviews
Uninhabited Whitsunday Island is home to this beautiful beach, one of the world's most spectacular.
Reviewed By 1962SteveB - Brisbane, Australia
This is a must do when you go to Airlie and the Whitsundays. Highly recommend using Cruise Whitsundays that offer a guided walk at Hill Inlet, a delicious lunch and great service. Make sure you snorkel at the southern end reef, there are thousands of fish and live coral galore. Yep, it is not all dead.
2. Basil Bay
3. Hill Inlet
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 834 reviews
Reviewed By AnnieJuly
We did an Ocean Rafting (fantastic!) tour which included the walk up to Hill Inlet Lookout! WOW ???? The view is absolutely out of this world!! Don’t think you could get a better ‘beach’ view anywhere in the world!! It’s a relatively easy walk (even got toilets there)!! No filter required!!! Sublime!!
4. Whitsunday Islands National Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 31 reviews
Reviewed By CodyMav - Gold Coast, Australia
Get on the water, and experience what you can of the 74 Whitsunday islands. Whether its sailing, a cruise, the iconic Whitehaven Beach, Heart Reef or Hill Inlet, find a way to immerse yourself in this natural beauty
5. Connie Bay
6. Hamilton Island Marina
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 946 reviews
The Hamilton Island Marina is located in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, where your boating paradise awaits. With a jet airport serviced by Virgin Australia, Qantas and Jetstar, and with direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns and Brisbane, upon arrival you are just minutes away from being on your vessel. Cruise and explore hidden bays, iconic beaches and discover your own piece of the Great Barrier Reef. Take advantage of all Hamilton Island has to offer, including a variety of restaurants and bars, an abundance of water sports and activities, spa treatments, golf and more - the lifestyle options are endless!
Reviewed By 244alih
The marina is the entry to the island via boat. Airport is also a couple of min away. It's a cute little seaside town with restaurants and shops surrounding it: bakery, fish and chips, Romano's Italian restaurant, tavern, yatch club, icecream shops, pharmacy, IGA with bottle shop and the location for water tours. Water is crystal blue and it's nice to sit looking over the marina eating dinner. Some restaurants were closed which I assume due to COVID but unsure. Only place to buy fresh seafood is the IGA. There is a free bus going to and from the marina to hotels every 10 min. We visited this area a lot when we were here for 4 days. Very clean on the streets. Lots of golf buggies which you can hire and cruise around the island instead of getting a bus or walk (costly though). All staff wonderful! Not one bad encounter which was great.
7. Daydream Island Living Reef
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 467 reviews
Daydream Island’s amazing Living Reef is a must see on the island. Located at the entrance to the resort, it is one of the world’s largest man-made living coral reef lagoons and features more than 80 species of marine fish and 50 species of coral. This microcosm of the Great Barrier Reef continues to capture the imagination of tourists young and old; with guests having the opportunity to hand feed resident stingrays, sharks and barramundi.
Reviewed By Madeliene94
My partner and I really loved admiring the beautiful living reef surrounding Daydream Island Resort. The coral and the creatures are very well cared for by a team of passionate marine biologists. We particularly loved going to the underwater observatory to peacefully watch the marine life (open at certain times of the day) and the highlight of my holiday overall was the guided snorkel tour on the 28th. This was an incredible tour guided by Nick, a very knowledgeable, enthusiastic and kind biologist. I absolutely loved hanging out with his 'children' - the wonderful stingrays! The three rays were so friendly and were safe to snorkel with too. It was great to watch them glide through the water, cuddle up to us and have the opportunity to pat them! The coral is gorgeous too, with Nick and his team working hard to cultivate biodiversity, and there were many lovely fish to spot. I highly recommend booking this tour if you stay at/visit this island, and I can't wait to come back to do this again!
8. Catseye Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 834 reviews
Reviewed By T6259VVrobertf - Hamilton Island, Australia
We snorkelled at low tide, and swam with sea turtles, sting rays, colourful fish, uncovered flatheads - and found beautifully colourful coral.
9. Molle Islands National Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 11 reviews
Reviewed By carolineg650 - Brisbane, Australia
Great walks on Long Island - plenty of wildlife! Walk to Happy Bay and then do the loop. Walk to Sandy Bay!
10. Hamilton Island Wildlife
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 693 reviews
Hamilton Island Wildlife is one of only a few places in the world where you can experience the thrill and excitement of a koala encounter. This is an excellent opportunity to get up close and personal with one of Australia's most famous and unique animals. Other experiences include Breakfast with the Koalas, personal encounters with animals including our Koalas, Dingoes, Snakes and Lizards, our Keeper Tours (free with admission) and the Twilight Tour and BBQ. For more info visit our website or drop us an email!
Reviewed By PennyD1985
This is a little gem of a place on the island. The staff are lovely, the animals are well cared for and there is a lot on offer for such a small facility. For general admission, visitors can do a tour with a keeper at feeding time (if you go at the right time), there are a couple of exhibits were you can walk through with ‘free range’ inhabitants and unlimited entry means you can go back as many times as you like during your stay. We also did breakfast with the koalas and a meet and greet with Aubrey the dingo. The keepers are knowledgeable and keen to share information about the selection of animals at the facility, and it’s obvious they care about the furry, feathered and scaled residents. Would highly recommend for visitors of all ages.
