How to Visit Whitehaven Beach from Airlie Beach – and Beat the Crowds

You’ve probably seen photographs of its swirling white sand and electric blue water, but without knowing exactly how to visit Whitehaven Beach from Airlie Beach, you’re no closer to seeing Australia’s infamous beach.

Visiting Whitehaven Beach was one of my favourite moments of my trip between Cairns and Sydney.

In an age of Instagram filters, it’s tricky to find somewhere that looks just as good in person as in pictures.

However, Whitehaven Beach is truly spectacular in person.

In the following blog post, I will explain the cheapest, quickest and most fun ways to visit Whitehaven Beach from Airlie Beach — and why you might want to pick one way over another.

If you’re in trip-planning mode, feel free to check out my backpacking Whitsundays guide for tips on how to visit on a budget.

I have also written a detailed guide to the best backpacker Whitsundays tours.

Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links. If you decide to click through and make a qualifying purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you – thanks for your support.

Where is Whitehaven Beach?

Whitehaven Beach is on Whitsunday Island, the namesake of the Whitsunday Islands National Park, which has 74 islands.

The famous beach is just under 34 kilometres from Airlie Beach, where most boat trips depart for the Whitsundays.

Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays are located in Queensland. They are on the east coast of Australia between Mackay and Townsville.

Many people visit the Whitsundays (including Whitehaven Beach) as part of a tour up or down the East Coast, often stopping at Cairns or K’Gari (Fraser Island) before or after.

Because Whitehaven Beach is a remote location, it is only accessible by boat or seaplane.

Sadly, there are no ferries to Whitehaven Beach.

How to Get to Whitehaven Beach: The 5 Best Ways

There are five main ways to get to Whitehaven Beach from Airlie Beach.

Most of these are by boat.

The first and cheapest way is to take a speedboat day tour from Airlie Beach.

The second way is to take a sailboat day tour, which is slower (it takes one to two hours each way) but gives you the experience of sailing in the Whitsundays.

The third and most adventurous option is to take a multi-day sailing tour. As multi-day Whitsundays tours spend the night on the water, they beat the crowds to the beach by arriving early in the morning.

Your fourth option is to take a seaplane. It’s more expensive but it gives you a birds-eye view of the Whitsundays.

The final way is to charter a boat. A three-day private charter may be costly, but if you don’t mind splurging, you can explore the beach at your leisure.

Let me break those options down in more detail…

1. Speedboat Tours: The Quickest Way to Get to Whitehaven Beach from Airlie Beach

Best for: Getting there quickl, beating the crowds and escaping motion sickness!

Time needed: 1 Day

The Ocean Rafting speedboats

Taking a speedboat tour to Whitehaven Beach has three main advantages.

Firstly, if you’re short on time, you only need one full day to take the tour.

Secondly, speedboats are faster than sailboats, so they reach Whitehaven Beach before the largest tourist crowds arrive (which happens around 10 am – 11 am).

Thirdly, it’s one of the cheapest ways to reach Whitehaven Beach.

I took the Ocean Rafting speedboat tour to Whitehaven Beach, which cost 199 AUD.

The speedboat got me to the beach in just over an hour and without the rocking motion of a sailboat, meaning that I didn’t get seasick.

I was at Whitehaven Beach by 9:45 am, and most importantly, before most of the sailboats (except those on multi-day cruises).

The crew was also extremely genuine and friendly, which made the day so much better.

They run two tours at the same price:

• Northern Whitehaven: This tour only visits the Hill Inlet, allowing you to hike to the famous viewpoint over the beach. It doesn’t include any time on the sand at the southern end of the beach, instead visiting two snorkelling sites.
• South Whitehaven: This tour sacrifices one snorkelling site to spend time on the southern end of Whitehaven Beach. In total, you’ll visit the Hill Inlet, one snorkelling site and the southern end of the beach.

I went on the South Whitehaven tour because I wanted precious beach time.

Another popular speedboat tour is the Thundercat tour, which only visits the Hill Inlet and snorkelling sites.

2. Sailboat Tours

Best for: Those with just one day to spare, and who want to experience sailing!

Time needed: 1 Day (including a one- to two-hour sail to the beach)

If you only have one day to spare but still want to experience sailing in the Whitsundays, you can take a sailboat day tour from Airlie Beach to Whitehaven Beach.

Sailboats take one to two hours to reach Whitehaven, arriving when the beach is already quite crowded.

However, sailing means that you get to take in the scenery of the Whitsundays at a slower pace.

The Camira catamaran (239 AUD per person) sails directly to the Hill Inlet viewpoint before spending time on the beach for a barbecued lunch. It also visits one snorkelling spot.

Another cool day sail is the Providence V schooner, a 62-foot rigged sailboat which looks like a pirate ship.

For 199 AUD, it visits the Hill Inlet at Whitehaven and one snorkelling site. It doesn’t offer beach time, though, only the lookout.

3. Multi-day Sailing Tour: The Most Adventurous Way!

Best for: Adventure, beating the crwods and meeting new people

Time needed: 2 – 3 days

If you have the time and money, taking a multi-day island hopping tour is an epic way to experience Whitehaven Beach and the Whitsundays.

Running for two days and one night or three days and two nights, these tours beat the crowds to Whitehaven by spending the night within the national park.

On top of that, they have extra time to visit other islands, beaches and snorkelling sites, helping to maximise your time in the Whitsundays.

I didn’t have enough time to take a multi-day tour but several of my friends have sailed on Avatar (2D/2N – 589 AUD per person) and adored it. It’s a backpackers’ boat, but it caters to a more relaxed crowd.

If you are looking for a party boat, the most famous is The Atlantic Clipper (2D/2N – 699 AUD per person).

Families will want to avoid backpackers’ boats. Prima (2D/1N – 499 AUD per person) is a far better option, as it’s family-friendly and offers more comfortable cabins. It also only caters to 12 people at a time.

• Best overall: Avatar (2D/2N – 589 AUD)
• Best for families: Prima (2D/1N – 499 AUD)
• Best party boat: The Atlantic Clipper (2D/2N – 699 AUD)

4. Seaplane

Best for: Quick access and a birds’-eye view

Time needed: 1 Day

Taking a seaplane to Whitehaven Beach is the most expensive way to visit Australia’s famous beach.

However, you get a coveted aerial view of the Whitsundays and it only takes 15 to 20 minutes.

Seaplane tours typically depart from the Whitsunday Coast Airport (also known as Proserpine Airport), which is a 30-minute drive from Airlie Beach.

A shared air-conditioned transfer service from Airlie Beach to the airport costs an additional 25 AUD.

Seaplane tours cost upwards of 300 AUD per person and they are often prone to being delayed depending on the weather conditions.

They are usually only available during the high season.

5. Charter a boat

Chartering a boat is expensive, but if you don’t mind splurging to explore one of the world’s most famous destinations, it is worth it.

Chartering a boat is also a special way to spend a honeymoon, anniversary or birthday.

Chartered cruises typically last two to four days. They usually include all meals and feature a fully licensed bar.

Check the availability for a two-day guided yacht charter. Suitable for a group of six, it works out at $630 AUD per day per head for a group of six.

You can also check the availability for a four-day private yacht charter if you want to spend longer at sea.

Split between a group of six, this works out at $398 AUD per day per person.

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I hope you found my guide useful! If you’re looking for more information on the Whitsundays – such as a budget guide – check out the articles below…

Suggest reading:

• Backpacking Whitsundays budget guide – How to explore on a budget!
• The best backpacker Whitsundays tours
• The Honeyeater Lookout Trail – a fun hike from Airlie beach

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