How To Visit Whitehaven Beach

There is a broad collection of day tours that visit this 7km long stretch of sand and you will experience many different options, so here is what you need to determine.

1. Sailboat or speed boat?
Sailing tours take longer to get to the beach but are relaxed and peacefully paced, sailing tours are best suited for people who don’t get seasick and love to unwind.
Fast boats take you to more locations and extra time at each location. Boats like ZigZag Whitsundays eliminate seasickness by rushing across the top of the water, stopping any rolling ocean fell. These boats are fast-paced and action-packed. ZigZag Whitsundays now offers a tour from Daydream Island as well.

2. Where on Whitehaven Beach do they go, and how much time do they devote to the beach?
There are 2 prime areas tours take you to on Whitehaven Beach, The North end and the South end, the north end has the famous Hill Inlet Lookout and Betty’s Beach.
The South end means you get time on the Actual Whitehaven Beach and get to visit the new South Whitehaven Lookout.
Which is better, you ask?
It revolves around what you prefer, my preference is the south end as Hill inlet Lookout turns overcrowded and that’s not my thing. The South lookout views more of the coast and surrounding Whitsunday Islands with fewer crowds.

3. Snorkelling, do you prefer to snorkel the coral reefs around the Whitsunday Islands? some tours do and some do not

4. Inclusive pricing–look for a tour that has everything incorporated and doesn’t require you to pay for lunch, wetsuit, pictures, drinks, etc

5. Reviews – always look at the reviews. Google reviews are the leading place to start, as you will discover genuine reviews from real people who have been on these tours. To find these, enter the search name of the business into Google and see their business listing for the latest reviews.

Back in the early 2000s I worked on these overnight sailing tours, it was a great life, however, make certain you investigate the marketing the company uses, some yachts are targeted at the backpacker and youth market while others take a maximum of 8 people and have private rooms, bathrooms, etc. Most overnight tours spend 4 hours to a day at Whitehaven Beach. You will have plenty of time to explore.

Any how to visit Whitehaven Beach Guide would not be complete without a view from above! A Whitsunday scenic flight is one of my favourites in the Airlie Beach Region. Fly AUS has a 70-minute Whitsundays Scenic flight over Whitehaven Beach, the Whitsunday Islands and the Great Barrier Reef. Showing Hill Inlet swirling sands and all 7kms of a white beach spreading across the eastern part of Whitsunday Island is a spectacular sight! From there you will fly over the outer reef including the very famous Heart Reef Whitsundays.
Air Whitsunday has a seaplane that will touch down on the coral sea and allow you time on Whitehaven Beach. This is again an activity you shouldn’t miss.

Helicopter landings on Whitehaven Beach

HeliBiz has choppers that will fly you from Airlie Beach to Whitehaven Beach. There are opportunities for a flight over the beach and also beach landings. This is the ideal way to take someone you care for and enjoy some private time in the heart of Whitehaven Beach.

If you have your own boat, you can easily visit Whitehaven Beach, although there are a few points to consider before taking on the ocean.

• Wind direction and velocity, depending on the size of your boat the appropriate conditions are breezes from the South East at 15 knots or below (bigger boats over 25 feet up to 25knotts)
  Northerly winds drive the swell onto the coast so this is not a good time to go
• Reliability of your boat, Whitehaven beach is 27 nautical miles from Airlie Beach, so make certain you are equipped for all conditions and make certain someone knows your expected return time
• How much boating experience do you have? Try getting to the closer islands first and observe how your craft handles and evaluate your confidence levels.
• Fuel range, make sure you have spare fuel for the expedition

I hope our “How to visit Whitehaven Beach” guide has benefited you and if you’re considering a tour, give me a call on 07 4813 9007 for ZigZag Whitsundays Day Tour. If you are looking for things to do while in Airlie Beach see our Airlie Beach Lagoon Page