Things to do in Whitsunday Island

Top Things to Do in Whitsunday Island

Things to Do in Whitsunday Island


Top Attractions in Whitsunday Island

These rankings are informed by traveller reviews—we consider the quality, quantity, recency, consistency of reviews, and the number of page views over time.

Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.


Learn more about this content
Tours, activities and experiences bookable on Tripadvisor, ranked using exclusive Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, popularity, user preferences, price, and bookings made through Tripadvisor.
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

What travellers are saying

  • 396anitah
    Upper Coomera, Australia106 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This was my second visit to whitehaven beach and the unspoilt beauty still astounds me today. Best place to access the beach is from Hamilton resort, taking approximately 30 minutes via a leisurely and scenic sail. The silica sand casts an almost white luminous glow against the blue backdrop of the water, making this a stunning setting for photos and to simply relax. In the heart of the Great Barrier Reef this place is not to be missed. You can swim, sunbake, or if a little more adventurous take a hike to hill inlet or snorkel at chalkies beach. Keep a lookout for the dolphins, turtles and other marine life that surround the tropical waters along this coastline - an absolute piece of Australian paradise.
    Written 6 March 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Mairwen1
    United Kingdom9,563 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A lot of the reviews below are only about the beach but really this is just the starting point for the walk up to the Hill Inlet lookout point. This was a highlight of our time here and is unanimously agreed to be the best lookout point in the Whitsundays.
    Starting from Tongue Bay, we followed the well sign-posted path through the bushland to the lookout.
    The walk is not difficult and it’s not long (about 1.3km one way). However it is uphill all the way so allow about 12 - 15 minute to make the climb.
    The path is clearly marked but for the most part, it is a dirt track with stone stairs carved into the bushland. For the most part, the trail takes you through dry rainforest until you pop out at the top where the 3 viewing platforms are.
    The first platform was very crowded when we got there but the others have equally stunning views so we just moved on to the next one and came back to it later.
    The views are breathtakingly beautiful. The ever-shifting, pure white sands and turquoise blue, waters were so special. Apparently the unique colours are caused by suspended particles of sand that diffuse the sunlight and cause the water to take on such striking colours.
    The day we went, was a little overcast so we weren’t even there on the best day. Even so, it was unlike any other view I’d seen before and without a doubt, worth the climb.
    Written 2 February 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Mairwen1
    United Kingdom9,563 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The Whitsundays National Park covers a vast area, made up of 74 islands, pristine beaches, coral reefs, and open seas.
    We recently hired a Sunsail 42ft Leopard catamaran and spent a week exploring. It’s an absolutely brilliant thing to do and I can’t recommend it highly enough.
    Not surprisingly, there were many, many highlights. Two of the best were overnighting off Whitehaven Beach and at Cateran Bay.
    Whitehaven is a uniquely beautiful, sprawling white sand beach with stunning turquoise blue water. It’s no surprise that it’s listed as #1 spot in the Whitsundays. Before leaving we sailed around to Tongue Bay and climbed Hill Inlet for a jaw-dropping view back down over Whitehaven.
    Cateran Bay lies off the less well known, Border Island.
    A small, deserted island, we had it entirely to ourselves at times. The bay is enclosed by steep, mountainous hills which make it feel very secluded and, unlike Whitehaven, the commercial boats don’t tend to come here. It was as close as we’re ever likely to come to the fantasy of owning a private island.
    It was incredibly peaceful and almost eerily quiet during the night.
    During the day, we spent time snorkelling and climbing the walking trail to the top ridge where we had outstanding views across to other island peaks.
    Written 16 February 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Mairwen1
    United Kingdom9,563 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Dugong Beach is a very lovely spot on the western side of Whitsunday Island. Like most of the beaches here it is has a stretch of golden sand and clear waters.
    It's only accessible by boat so we moored at Cid Harbour, then took our dinghy into the beach.
    You can easily spend several hours here especially if you take a picnic lunch.
    Facilities are limited, but there is a shaded picnic area with wooden benches and tables. There are also toilets (the camping, non-flush type).
    It’s possible to camp at Dugong Beach but you need a National Parks permit to do so.
    There is a great little walking trail linking Dugong and Sawmill beaches. It’s a short, easy, 1 km amble that weaves through the coastal rainforest. It’s cool and shaded, with giant rainforest trees and palms trees overhead.
    It is worth noting that you should not swim in Cid Harbour as there have been several shark attacks here. Despite the bright yellow warning signs in the harbour, we still saw one family swimming off the back of their boat.
    Written 8 February 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Mairwen1
    United Kingdom9,563 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Cateran Bay lies off Border Island, a small, deserted island in the Whitsundays group.
    It’s a protected and quiet bay, with crystal clear blue waters, excellent snorkelling, and a small but beautiful sandy beach.
    The bay is enclosed by steep, mountainous hills which make it feel very secluded. Unlike Whitehaven, the commercial boats don’t tend to come here, so when we arrived and picked up a public mooring, there was only one other boat. I’d imagine that you could often have it completely to yourself.
    We stayed overnight. It was incredibly peaceful and almost eerily quiet during the night.
    The beach is only small but when you’re not sharing it with anyone else, it’s like having your own private beach in paradise.
    We spent a bit of time here, swimming in the shallow , clear, glassy blue waters.
    When we felt like some activity, we found the walking trail that starts from the beach and leads up to a couple of stunning lookout points. The path was short but steep. Every once in a while, we would stop and look back down over the bay below. At the top we had expansive views across the Whitsundays.
    Overall, this was one of our favourite spots to stay overnight.
    Written 2 February 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Mairwen1
    United Kingdom9,563 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Despite its unromantic name, Sawmill Beach is a very lovely beach, with a stretch of golden sand and turquoise waters.
    To get there, we took a public mooring at Cid Harbour, on the western side of Whitsunday Island, and then we took our dinghy into the beach.
    You can easily spend several hours here especially if you take a picnic lunch. Whilst facilities are limited, there are a few picnic tables in a clearing and toilets (although be warned, they are the camping, non-flush type).
    The beach is also the starting point for a couple of good walks including a decent hike on the Whitsunday Peak Track. We did the shorter, easier Sawmill-Dugong walking track which was more like a pleasant stroll through the coastal vine forest. It’s a cool, shaded, 1 km walk with giant rainforest trees and palms trees overhead. Kids will manage this easily if you allow about an hour.
    There’s an interesting history to this beach which is well recorded in several information boards at the beach. In the early 1890s, an enterprising English carpenter, John Withnall, built a small sawmill right not he beach. Two things caught his eye. Firstly there was a seemingly endless supply of giant hoop pines. Secondly the creek, which still runs down from Whitsunday Peak across the beach, provided him with a ready power source. He promptly dammed the creek and used it to run his steam-operated mill.
    These were the days when the hard work of felling trees and sawing was done by hand. Its almost impossible to imagine the working conditions in the hot, humid weather. Fortunately, transporting the fallen logs to the mill was much easier. The trees were cut on the steep hills, so the giant logs were simply given a great heave-ho and then they slid all the way down the slopes, to the mill below.
    Surviving at Sawmill Beach was not without its struggles and in 1896, Withnall and several of his men were caught in Cyclone Sigma and washed ashore on Gloucester Island where they existed for 8 days on oysters.
    After 14 years of relentless hacking down of trees, Withnall’s ‘endless’ supply began to run out and Withnall packed up and left. There’s little trace of the operation here now although you can see some rusted tram rails and the remains of the dam.
    Written 3 February 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Mairwen1
    United Kingdom9,563 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This walking trail links Sawmill Beach and Dugong Beach on Whitsunday Island.
    There are two walking trails on this side of the island but this is the easier and shorter one. This is a pleasant amble through the coastal rainforest whereas the other one, the Whitsunday Peak Track, is a challenging and steep hike.
    The Dugong-Sawmill trail is well defined and flat and there’s no scrambling through the bush. Even so, you still need good footwear rather than our flip flops or sandals.
    For the most part, we were walking through rainforest vegetation, with palms, ferns, wild orchids, and stag horns.
    The tree canopy is quite thick which provides lots of shade but does make it humid in the tropical heat and there are a few bitey things so Aerogard or insect repellent is useful. We did the walk quite late in the afternoon so it's likely that the bugs were starting to come out as it got dusky.
    There are a couple of minor points of interest along the way.
    Two cairn-like stone monuments commemorate the voyage of Captain James Cook, who sailed through the Whitsunday Passage on 4th June, 1770.
    Another feature is the scant remains of an old sawmill which operated here in the 1890s. John Withnall, a resourceful Englishman spotted the stands of giant hoop pines and saw a business opportunity. He built a dam across the creek that runs along the beach, then built a steam-operated sawmill. However after 14 years of chopping and milling, he worked his way through most of the hoop pine and when the supply dwindled to almost nothing, he packed up and left. The creek is still there and a few remnants of rusty track here and there. A large information board provides some historical background on Withnall's mill.
    NOTE: There have been shark attacks in Cid Harbour so don't even think about swimming here. There are yellow signs in the harbour warning people but even so we saw one family swimming off their boat in the harbour.
    Written 8 February 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Mairwen1
    United Kingdom9,563 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Border Island is a small, deserted island in the Whitsundays group. We picked up a free public mooring off Cateran Bay Beach and took our dinghy into the beach to make the short hike to a couple of stunning lookout points at the top of the island’s peak.
    It’s an undeveloped and uninhabited island and, unlike many of the other islands, the commercial boats don’t tend to come here so you have it all to yourself.
    Starting from Cateran Bay beach, the hike began steeply and stayed steep the whole way. The dirt and stone trail is well defined but you still need good footwear rather than our flip flops or sandals.
    There’s no tree canopy and no protection from the sun, so make sure to wear a hat and clothing that provides good cover or use sunscreen.
    The tall black spikes of the giant grass trees rise up over your head but for the most part, you are walking through low scrubby bushland and native grasses so as you climb, you always have a very open and unimpeded view. We kept stopping just to turn and look back down over Cateran Bay - it was simply stunning.
    However the view gets even better at the top where you look out across the ocean and towards Mosstrooper Peak and Deloraine Island, the peaks of drowned mountains that were submerged at the end of the last Ice Age.
    At the top, the walk continued along the island’s saddle, an exposed and windswept area. Ceremonial rock cairns stood out against the horizon, undisturbed for who knows how long. A
    A series of information boards also listed some of the various native plants and their unique features. For example the alarmingly named Barbed Wire Grass, is in fact not sharp at all and instead gives off a lovely lemony scent when crushed. Even more interesting was that the grass trees spikes can be used as a compass because the spikes appear on the northern side of the plant.
    Overall, this was a fabulous walk, and I'd highly recommend it. Yes, we worked up a sweat but there was a beach back at the bottom with crystal clear water, just waiting for us.
    Written 5 February 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • tappa692024
    Newcastle, Australia1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Holiday aboard cruise ship
    Quantum of the saes
    It was ria ing most of the time but we still had a great experience
    Written 15 March 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Nel Deniclaus
    Phuket, Thailand8 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    I had an amazing experience with Summertime Whitsundays! The sailboat was stunning, complete with a jacuzzi at the back – a unique touch. It's the only boat offering air conditioning, which added to the comfort. The crew members, Audrey, Aaron, and Brad, were outstanding, ensuring a top-notch and enjoyable atmosphere throughout. The food was excellent, and the activities, including beach visits, kayaking, and snorkeling, were delightful. We were fortunate to spot dolphins in the evening, adding to the magic.

    This was a remarkable experience that left a lasting impression on my Australian journey. I loved it so much that I would gladly do it again. I highly recommend experiencing the Whitsundays with Summertime – a truly unforgettable adventure!
    Written 3 March 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Ellie
    Perth, Australia2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Such an epic trip, massive thanks to the crew J Mac, Ben, Lilly and Morgan you guys killed it! Very accomodating, plenty of tasty food, and high energy positive attitudes the whole time!
    We had so much fun diving, snorkelling, chilling on Whitehaven, and meeting new people. The itinerary was amazing and well thought out specifically for the weather conditions. The crew were a wealth of knowledge and we learnt so much about the reef and islands. If you want a fun trip to the Whitsundays seeing all the highlights with an amazing crew and a younger crowd this is the tour for you!!
    Written 21 November 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • damoiseauchopin
    Paris, France14 contributions
    1.0 of 5 bubbles
    MISSED THE FLIGHT BUS CAME LATE
    Shuttle bus came too late, the host said I had plenty of time to jump to the next bus which was scheduled 1 hour after what I ask and after I called several times!
    They don't recognize the fault and didn't refund me the transfer and plane ticket
    I had a partial refund of flight after long discussion, the company putting the fault on me!!
    Written 3 September 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions about Whitsunday Island




The most popular things to do in Whitsunday Island with children according to Tripadvisor travellers are:See all kid friendly things to do in Whitsunday Island on Tripadvisor