The Whitsundays – What You Need to Know

For some people, it can take months to travel the whole East Coast of Australia. For others, they might only have a limited time to do it. Of course, there are so many things to do and so many beautiful places to see. As long as you make sure you fit in the Whitsundays, Fraser Island and The Great Barrier Reef in your itinerary, everyone’s happy.

Whitehaven Beach

First things first, unlike most beaches, the only way you can get yourself to Whitehaven Beach is either via a helicopter or by boat. Whitehaven Beach is on one of the 74 Whitsunday Islands and is regularly voted as the world’s best beach!

“But what’s so special about Whitehaven Beach?”

• If you haven’t been living under a rock, then you would have heard of Pirates of the Caribbean. Some of the beach scenes were filmed here on Whitehaven!

• It has a colourful indigenous history which you’ll learn from the many cool signs around the National Park.

• The beach is made up of 98.9% silica sand. The only place in the world that has this sand.

“What’s so special about silica sand?”

• For starters, the sand is so pure that NASA used it to create the glass for their Hubble Telescope.

• Many people rub this magical substance all over their body including their teeth. It is meant to exfoliate and rejuvenate your skin, strengthen your hair and whiten your teeth. We’re not kidding!

• One of the worst things about visiting any beach on a scorching hot day is the heat of the sand on your bare feet. Not at Whitehaven, the pure silica sand doesn’t retain any heat, instead, it reflects the sun’s rays!

• If you’re wondering about the crazy looking swirling layers of sand from the Hill Inlet. It is due to the natural formation of the island forcing tides in and out. The pattern is completely different every single day!

• You can also rub the sand on any jewellery, it will make it extra shiny!

• Fun fact: the sand squeaks when you walk on it

"Can we take some back?”

• No can do. The sand is actually protected and can result in an on-the-spot fine of $10,000.

• When Sydney hosted the Olympics on Australian soil. They pushed and pushed to get some of Whitehaven’s silica sand on their Volleyball courts, but it wasn’t permitted.

“Right, I want to go but how?”

• The Whitsundays is located close to Airlie Beach and the most common access point is from the port of Airlie.

• If travelling by coach, make sure you get off at Airlie Beach.

• Alternatively, if you are flying, the closest airport to Airlie Beach is Proserpine Airport which is just North of Airlie.

“And what type of experience am I expecting?”

The most cost-effective way of experiencing the Whitsundays is through a sailing tour. You can either do a day tour or an overnight tour. If you wanted to go the extra mile, you could even do a helicopter tour as well!

The hard part is picking the right boat for you. At MAP we are independent and we work with pretty much every sailing company on the Whitsundays. We can find the perfect boat for you.

• There are plenty of boats on offer which can sail you through the Whitsundays.

• A day trip to the reef and Whitehaven beach is a great experience if you’re on a strict time schedule or you are on a budget. It’s great to get in there, soak up some vitamin sea (sorry!) on the glorious beach and then get out. Snorkelling around the reef is also epic. Some tours also include free lunch on the boat and a few snacks to keep you going.

• If you wanted to maximise your experience, the overnight tours are the most popular and best way to get the full Whitsundays experience.

• There are many different experiences you can go for.

• You can go for a party boat, a luxurious relaxing boat or one in the middle; an adventure one.

• Most boats allow you to bring your own booze so during the evenings, feel free to crack open a beer or ten and enjoy the sunset with your new crewmates.

• You get the opportunity to swim and snorkel at multiple spots on the fringing Great Barrier Reef.

• Once you get to Whitehaven beach the following morning, you normally get to spend a few hours there. You can go for hikes or just chill and appreciate the best beach in the world.

• All of your home-cooked meals and snacks are included

• Get a choice to sleep on the deck under the stars or a cabin if you wish.

• Some boats include activities such as banana boats, slides, scuba diving and more fun activities

• Great way to meet friends and you might even find yourself a travel buddy for the rest of your time in Australia.

Free Gem: When you get onto Whitehaven Beach head over to the unofficial best-kept secret known as Bettys Beach. It’s a hidden treasure, once you get onto the squeaky sand, follow the coastline to your left till you hit some rocks. Over these rocks lies a hidden gem.

We apologise for the endless amounts of information we've just unloaded on you!

However, it is important to know that there are hundreds of sailing tours out there. We work with pretty much every great company out there. We’re here to help you find the best backpacker tour for you. Message us today if you would like some help picking the best boat that meets your needs.

Email: info@myadventureproject.com

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