Whitsundays

Whitsundays: One week itinerary

Whitsundays Insider

Yachts racing off Hamilton Island

Going to Airlie Beach without exploring the Whitsunday Islands is like going to Egypt without seeing the pyramids, so don't miss a thing.

Yacht tours

There's a whole spectrum of yacht tours to choose from: day tours to fully-crewed overnight trips. Check out Southern Cross Sailing Adventures (ph: 1800 675 790), Barefoot Cruises (ph: 1800 075 042), or Oz Adventure Sailing (ph: 1300 653 100).

But the best way to see the Whitsundays is to plan your own journey. You can charter a yacht from Hamilton Island at Abel Point Marina (Whitsunday Escape; ph: 1800 075 145), you can fly direct into Hamilton Island or catch a boat from the mainland at Shute Harbour on Sunsail (ph: 1800 803 988).

You can also charter a yacht through Cumberland Charter Yachts (ph: (07) 4946 7500) or Shute Harbour, a 10-minute drive north-east of Airlie Beach (Whitsunday Rent A Yacht; ph: 1800 075 000). Only minimal experience is required; you'll be briefed comprehensively to ensure you know the basics of navigation, anchoring and sailing.

The following itinerary, however, could change due to wind direction and sea conditions.

Day one

Sail to Cid Harbour, it's a great, safe anchorage to get your confidence up and sunsets here are the best in the Whitsundays. Swim all afternoon then have a sundowner or two as you cook a barbecue on the back of your yacht. At night, turtles will pop up beside your boat.

Day two

Beat the heat, get up at dawn to climb nearby Whitsunday Peak, the tallest mountain in the region, it'll take about two hours for the return journey. Cool off with a swim then make your way through Hook Passage and up the eastern coast of Hook Island. Spend lunch at the aptly named Luncheon Bay, one of the Whitsunday's most picturesque anchorages. Take a half hour sail west to Butterfly Bay for the evening, there's moorings there, that way you can avoid anchoring on coral.

Day three

Snorkel with the turtles of Butterfly Bay, the snorkelling here is some of the best in the Whitsundays. Take your time over breakfast then make sure your boat's ready for a decent sail — today head back past the north-eastern tip of Hook Island and across to one of the Whitsunday's best islands — but also one of its least visited islands — Border Island. Anchor in Cataran Bay, take your dinghy to the shore and walk up the hill for a view over the southern Whitsunday Islands.

Day four

You can't visit the Whitsundays without visiting Whitehaven Beach, regarded as one of the world's most pristine beaches. Anchor beside Hill Inlet and take your tender ashore for a day of swimming off the beach. Then sail south, watching the afternoon sun light up the silica sands before anchoring in Whitehaven's protected southern corner, now you can watch the moon light up the silica.

Day five

Sail through Solway Passage (be careful, time it right with the tides as it can be treacherous) and you'll come out opposite Hamilton Island for a perfect view of the island resort (and the towering skyscraper). Head ashore at Hamilton and have a look around the new marina, take lunch at the fantastic new sailing club, then head again across to Turtle Bay on Whitsunday Island with its stunning little white sandy beaches, it should be fairly empty.

Day six

Head back north for a lovely three hour sail to Macona Inlet, everyone goes to Nara Inlet just around the corner (they even call it Nara City these days) but Macona Inlet is only a few kilometres south of Nara and actually gets more afternoon sunlight than Nara. It's also home to some beautiful empty beaches with unusual sand full of trapped air that releases when you stand on it.

Day seven

This will depend on where you got your yacht from, if you're returning to Hamilton Island, spend your morning swimming at Macona Inlet, before your two hour sail back to Hamilton. If you're returning your yacht to the mainland, either sail above North Molle Island, or go between North and South Molle islands (through Unsafe Passage) back to Shute Harbour or Abel Point Marina.

Got any more itinerary suggestions? Have your say using the comments form below

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Whitsunday Group itineraries Queensland Airlie Beach Australia

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