3 days in Airlie Beach

Take the Bicentennial Walkway between Airlie and Cannonvale. This 4km (2.5mi) stretch of coast is blissfully cooled by sea breezes, and there are plenty of places to refuel along the way. Keep your eyes peeled for sea turtles.

Held along the Esplanade on Saturday mornings, the Airlie Beach Markets are a bustling and colourful affair. Grab a coffee, mingle with locals, browse fresh produce and pick up everything from handmade jewellery to clothes and art.

Manmade Airlie Beach Lagoon is the perfect place to cool off. It’s built on a raised breakwater with views out to the Coral Sea and Whitsundays. It’s patrolled by lifeguards year-round, and there are plenty of places nearby for picnics and barbecues. 

Feel the need for speed? With Whitsunday Jetski Tours you can choose from several adventures across breathtaking turquoise water and around islands that twinkle like gems. The Ultimate Island Trek even includes a poolside lunch at Palm Bay Resort.

There’s no better way to end the day then on a dusk jaunt around the harbour with Domino Sunset Sail or Sundowner Cruises. Watch the lights of Airlie start to sparkle, and toast to a beautiful first day in the Whitsundays.

Airlie Beach offers plentiful accommodation for all types of travellers. Choose between holiday homes, resorts, hotels and even bareboating (a boat you skipper yourself). Wherever you choose, you'll enjoy the classic Aussie hospitality.

The Whitsunday coast hinterland is a lush patchwork of waterfalls, hiking trails and green canopies. Enjoy a refreshing dip at Cedar Creek Falls, a freshwater swimming hole just begging for you to splash about in.

Rainforest-clad hills, secluded beaches and panoramic lookouts characterise Conway National Park. Explore on a walk or, for something more high-octane, a Whitsunday Segway Tour. Learn about local flora and fauna from an expert guide as you weave through the jungle.

About an hour north of Airlie Beach, Bowen is home to one of Australia’s ‘big things.’ Meet the ‘Big Mango’, nodding to the fruit this area grows. Nearby, you'll find public artworks from local sculpture artists.

Also in the town of Bowen,  Horseshoe Bay is one of the most spectacular, secluded spots to spend a day at the beach. Just a short swim from the beach, you'll find a fringing coral reef, and snorkelling equipment can be hired from Horseshoe Bay Resort.

It’s a short cruise from the Coral Sea Marina to Whitsunday Island, where you’ll spend the day exploring the Great Barrier Reef with Red Cat Adventures. After a fast and furious ride, marvel at the beautiful coral and the blindingly white sand of Whitehaven Beach.

After the day-trippers leave, experience the Great Barrier Reef after dark with a night on the Reef Sleep pontoon in the middle of the Coral Sea. Witness the reef’s unique nocturnal activity on a night snorkel and sleep under a starry sky.

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet. The ideal way to discover its marine life is on a snorkelling tour. With Sailing Whitsundays, you cruise to Bait Reef on a luxe catamaran. Want to linger? Prosail Whitsundays offers overnight cruises. 

It’s hard to imagine a dreamier coastline than that framing the Whitsundays. This will be your outlook when you take the plunge and go tandem skydiving over the Great Barrier Reef and Airlie Beach. Is this the most beautiful drop zone in the country?

Drive ten minutes from Airlie Beach toward Shute Harbour, where Airlie Beach helicopters operate choppers over the Whitsundays. Fly to Whitehaven Beach for a picnic, swoop over Heart Reef and be dazzled by the blues of the Great Barrier Reef.