The Whitsundays at a glance
The Whitsundays are a group of 74 islands off the Queensland coast. Airlie Beach is the mainland starting point, and Hamilton Island is the main island base with its own airport. Most visitors combine three things: a sailing or island trip, a day on the outer reef and the white sand of Whitehaven Beach.
The Whitsundays are not the same area as the southern reef around Heron Island, which has its own page on Lady Elliot Island and Heron Island. An island cruise also does not automatically include an outer reef pontoon. Look for the reef name in the itinerary before you book.
Our picks: Whitsundays tours
Our take: the sailing day gives a full day under sail with a fringing reef snorkel and a barbecue lunch, the rigid inflatable is faster and adds a snorkel on the inner reef. The scenic flight shows the islands and Heart Reef from the air.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in Australian dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Whitsunday Islands and Heart Reef scenic flight
- Window seat
- Live pilot commentary
- Park and airport fees included
Heart Reef is seen from the air on this flight, with a window seat and live pilot commentary. Marine park fees, airport fees and taxes are included.
Check availability →Full-day sailing trip to Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet
- Snorkelling at a fringing reef
- Barbecue lunch
- Beer and wine from 11 am
A day under sail through the Whitsundays with a snorkel at a fringing reef. The Hill Inlet lookout walk depends on the tide.
Check availability →
Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet by rigid inflatable, with reef snorkel
- Hill Inlet lookout walk
- Inner reef snorkel with gear
- Beach lunch
A rigid inflatable boat to Whitehaven Beach and the Hill Inlet lookout, plus a snorkel on the inner reef. On Queensland public holidays a surcharge of AUD 20 per adult is paid at check-in.
Check availability →Whitsundays tours and island trips
Island cruises, sailing trips, reef days and flights from Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island, with live prices and availability.
Airlie Beach: the mainland base
Airlie Beach is where most Whitsunday trips start. The nearest airport on the mainland is Whitsunday Coast Airport at Proserpine. A shuttle to Airlie Beach takes about 35 minutes, runs all year and is timed to the flights. A one-way ticket costs A$21 to A$28 and a return A$40 to A$45, depending on the ticket, so compare before you pay.
Where you sleep decides where your boat leaves. A reef day can start at the Port of Airlie, on Daydream Island or on Hamilton Island, so pick a base that matches. Our guide on where to stay explains the options, and getting there covers flights and entry rules.
Hamilton Island and the air options
Hamilton Island Airport, also called Great Barrier Reef Airport, has direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. It is also the departure point for most scenic flights. The table lists the main ways to see the outer reef and Heart Reef, with 2026 prices.
| Option | Departs from | Time | Adult price (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outer reef pontoon day at Hardy Reef | Port of Airlie, Daydream Island or Hamilton Island | About 4 hours at the pontoon | From A$295 |
| Plane flight over Heart Reef, Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet | Hamilton Island | 50 to 60 minutes, minimum 4 people | A$415 per person |
| Seaplane to Whitehaven Beach | Hamilton Island | Minimum 4 people | A$380 per person |
| Seaplane reef and beach trip with a Heart Reef flyover | Hamilton Island | Minimum 4 people | A$830 per person |
| Seaplane with a water landing in the Hardy lagoon and glass-bottom boat | Hamilton Island | Minimum 4 people | A$895 per person |
| Helicopter to a pontoon near Heart Reef, glass-bottom boat and lagoon snorkeling | Hamilton Island | 3 hours, minimum 2 people | A$1,470 per person |
For most visitors the pontoon day is the better-value way to reach the outer reef. The flights suit travellers who are short on time or want to see the reef from above. More in our guides to scenic flights and reef cruises.
Hardy Reef: what a full day includes
Hardy Reef is the outer reef trip for the Whitsundays. A full-day trip costs, in 2026: adults from A$295, seniors from A$269, children aged 4 to 14 from A$145 and a family from A$809. Children aged 0 to 3 travel free without a meal. The price is dynamic, so it changes with the date.
You spend about 4 hours at the pontoon. The price includes the reef charge, stinger suits, the semi-submersible and food. Expect small extras: a card fee of 1.42 percent on Visa and Mastercard, and the Airlie coach at A$13 for adults and A$7 for children, which you book at least 12 hours ahead.
The reef charge (Environmental Management Charge) is A$8.50 for a full day of at least 3 hours in the Marine Park and A$4.25 for less than 3 hours. The operator collects it and passes it on.
Heart Reef
Heart Reef lies in the Hardy Reef area. It is protected, and swimming or snorkeling at the heart itself is not allowed. You see it from above, on a flight, or from a glass-bottom boat that circles the formation. Snorkeling happens in the neighbouring lagoon. Nobody walks on the coral.
The helicopter trip in the table lands on a pontoon close by, adds the glass-bottom boat and offers optional snorkeling in the lagoon next to the formation.
Whitsunday Islands tours and sailing
Island cruises and sailing trips are the usual way to reach the beaches and viewpoints, and the tour block above lists current options. Compare three things for each trip: the departure point (Airlie, Hamilton Island or Daydream), whether it visits Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet, and whether an outer reef stop is part of the day. A trip around the islands is not a reef trip unless it says so.
If snorkeling is your priority, read our guide to snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef. For the beach itself, see Whitehaven Beach.
Weather and the best time for the Whitsundays
Average figures from Proserpine Airport, the mainland weather station nearest to Airlie Beach. They describe the climate, not a forecast.
| Month | Average high | Average low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31.6 °C | 22.7 °C | 307.8 mm |
| April | 28.8 °C | 19.3 °C | 115.0 mm |
| July | 24.5 °C | 11.3 °C | 25.9 mm |
| October | 30.5 °C | 17.5 °C | 40.6 mm |
| December | 32.2 °C | 21.8 °C | 178.5 mm |
Summer is wet, winter is much drier. The official cyclone season runs from 1 November to 30 April. That is not a closing time, and storms outside it are not ruled out. Humpback whales pass from May to September. Boats keep at least 100 m away, and 300 m from calves and inside the Whitsunday Whale Protection Area. See the full month-by-month guides on the best time to visit and weather.
Stingers and safety
Box jellyfish and Irukandji can be life-threatening. The higher-risk season is roughly November to May, but stingers can occur all year, so no month is stinger-free. Wear a full-body lycra or neoprene suit. If someone is stung, call 000, apply vinegar and get medical help. Irukandji symptoms can appear 20 to 40 minutes later. A stinger enclosure protects well but is not completely stinger-proof, and you should not swim when it is closed.
Whitsundays: frequently asked questions
How many islands are in the Whitsundays?
The group has 74 islands. Airlie Beach is the mainland base and Hamilton Island is the main island base with an airport.
Is an island cruise the same as a Great Barrier Reef trip?
No. A trip around the islands does not automatically include the outer reef. Hardy Reef is reached on a separate full-day trip from the Port of Airlie, Daydream Island or Hamilton Island.
Can you swim or snorkel at Heart Reef?
Not at the heart itself, which is protected. You can see it from above or from a glass-bottom boat. Snorkeling takes place in the neighbouring lagoon.
How do I get from the airport to Airlie Beach?
Take the shuttle from Whitsunday Coast Airport at Proserpine. It takes about 35 minutes and is timed to the flights. Fares are A$21 to A$28 one way, depending on the ticket.
When is the stinger season in the Whitsundays?
The higher-risk season is roughly November to May, but stingers can appear at any time. Wear a full-body suit when you swim.
Is this the official Whitsundays website?
No. This is an independent guide with no connection to a tourism body, an airline, a resort or a tour operator.