We have syndicated this piece with kind permission from The Modern Woman’s Survival Guide.
:: Gateway to The Whitsundays Besides being a fabulous holiday destination in itself, as the gateway to the Whitsundays, Airlie Beach has many amazing destinations at its doorstep. Take one of many Great Barrier Reef tours, snorkel in amongst tropical fish, lay on Australia’s best beach, and charter a yacht and sail from island to island at your leisure. Or even take a sea plane to get an aerial view of the islands and reefs.
:: The Whitsundays Best Kept Secret After being massaged to within an inch of our lives earlier that morning, it was most definitely time for some serious beach action. Especially for Erica and I who had not long fled departed Melbourne’s 18 degrees, so you could say we were rather keen to give our bikinis a serious workout in the water. After driving 45 minutes through fields of sugar cane and palm trees, we arrived at Hideaway Bay. A tropical paradise that’s coveted by locals – this hidden beach is a heavenly oasis that makes you feel like you just won lotto and bought yourself a private island. Speaking with one of the guests of the quaint motel, she told me they’d been coming back to this spot every year for over 20 years. And I can see why. With only 8 chalets, there’s a feeling of complete seclusion from the rest of the world, and the sense of having your very own private beach. (One power ball….) The only thing better than finally getting to hit the water after such a long hiatus, was ordering cocktails from the bar, and having them brought to us on the beach.
:: Getting to Hideaway Bay from Airlie Beach Hideaway Bay is a pleasant 45 min drive from Airlie Beach. Click here for turn-by-turn directions.
:: Victor Charlie Charlie “How does a scenic flight over The Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef, followed by landing on the water to snorkel in a sheltered lagoon, and then a flight over to Australia’s best beach where the pilot will serve you champagne on the beach sound?” “Roger that.” Taking off from Airlie Beach airport in a 8 seater plane, we flew over the spectacular entrance of the Whitsundays as our pilot Andy (who I swear is Dr Rochford’s doppleganger) commenced our in-flight commentary. After the excitement of the initial take-off, the plane went quiet as we absorbed the breathtaking aerial views of islands such as Daydream, Hamilton, Hayman and the likes of Heart Reef. All I could think was, somebody pinch me, am I really flying over one of the 7 wonders of the world? This really is a bucket list destination. Except they’re usually thought of as once in a lifetime experiences, whereas I will be most definitely going back to explore more of this beautiful part of the world.
:: Getting Up Close and Personal After landing on the water, we hopped off the plane and onto a glass bottomed boat to spend an hour below deck looking through the glass at the exquisite marine life of The Great Barrier Reef. After a lesson from the captain and smothering ourselves in SPF30+, we then jumped off the boat with our snorkel and flippers into the 25 degree water to get up close and personal with the tropical coloured fish and coral. Erica and Tash had the smarts and bought underwater cameras, but this kind of experience isn’t something you quickly forget. Clusters of bright purple and torquoise coral, aqua coloured clams in the reef wall, large rainbow fish, and schools of teeny tiny azure coloured fish. Back on deck, we partook in champagne with cheese and crackers. Could this day seriously get any better?
:: Excuse Me Miss, Can I Get You a Beach Umbrella? Being a former Perth gal, you could say I’m a bit of a beach snob. (Because, yes, let’s face it the word “beach” in relation to my new home town of Melbourne, can only be used with a large amount of poetic licence.) But I’m terribly sorry Cottesloe, you have a new competitor for my affections. Landing on Whitehaven Beach, my feet sunk into the whitest and softest beach sand I’ve ever encountered, and the clear pristene waters beckoned. Yep Cottesloe, I’m going to call it. Whitehaven is the best beach I’ve ever graced with my kaftan and fake tan. In the world. Laying our towels down, Andy asked us if we would like an umbrella, something to eat and a champagne. “Why, yes, don’t mind if we do.” It’s no wonder the only bad thing about Whitehaven beach, was having to leave it.
:: Take The Air Whitsunday Panaroma Sea Plane Tour Shelly from Tourism Queensland has visited the islands many times by boat, but this tour enables you to explore The Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef by air, and experience much more than you could in a day by boat. The cost of this tour is $495, and I think that’s money well spent for such an amazing experience of a lifetime. With the range of accommodation in Airlie Beach, you can most definitely stay in comfortable style, and save your money for these kinds of experiences at Airlie’s doorstep. Click here to see the full itinerary from Air Whitsundays.
Stay tuned for part 3, which will give you the lowdown on where to eat and stay in Airlie Beach. You’re in for some amazing seafood, an 8 course gastronomy lunch, and some fabulous mojitos.
If you missed part 1 of Discovering Airlie Beach, you can catch up on it here.