Sailing around the WhitSunday Islands was just magic, there is no other way to describe it & I don’t think I have ever been so excited to be somewhere in my life. This spot is on one of my cheesy ’50 things to do before you Die’ lists I keep in the notes section of my phone. Don’t deny it we all have one of them! So I knew when deciding on a trip Down Under that this dreamy set of Islands would be a priority. Australia is such an insanely huge country its super hard to fit everything in on one single trip so I had to choose wisely.
For anyone who is not familiar with the WhitSunday Islands, they are a collection of beautiful islands off the coast of Central Queensland & part of the Great Barrier Reef. They are also famously known for the white sand stretch of heaven known as Whitehaven Beach.
Getting there:
I think it’s safe to say unless you are road trippin you can’t really get anywhere in Australia without getting a flight. From Sydney, I flew straight to Hamilton Island airport (the only only habituated island on the WhiteSundays.) I flew back to Sydney from Prosopine Airport which is located near Airlie Beach on the mainland where you will find all the Great Barrier Reef Cruises. Both Virgin Australia & JetStar fly to these airports & are generally very reasonable.
I started the trip with a few days in Hamilton Island climatizing (mainly being completely comatose in bed for the first day & a half!!) But staying in the Reef View Hotel looking out at the bluest water I have ever seen was the perfect way to rest up.
Hamilton Island Highlights:
•Make your way down to the Rainforest Cafe to enjoy your eggs in the company of koalas. This was such a novelty and they are sooo adorable. I sat there for literally two hours watching them snooze & anticipating the smallest movement. For an extra fee you get a ‘touchy touchy’ or ‘cuddles’ with pictures. It reminded me that Australia is such a unique country & boosts an insane amount of indigenous wildlife. Animal Kingdom basically.
• Go for a dip in Catseye Beach. This beach is super shallow so you can walk out about 800 meters & still have clear turquoise water only up to your knees. Great place to do some kayaking too.
• Rent a golf buggy for the day. There are no cars on the island & everyone gets for A to B on a golf buggy. It makes zipping down to get coffee in the Marina a LOT of fun.
• The connivence of Hamilton Island is almost disconcerting. The entire island is run under one tourism board that can book everything from your hotel room to your restaurant table. I would recommend booking things in advance as this little island gets a little busy.
I took a quick ferry trip back to the mainland to Backpacker epicenter Airlie Beach. Here I boarded my accommodation for the following three nights the ‘Anaconda III’. We sailed through the first night & woke up at Whitehaven Beach.
Sailing the WhitSundays Highlights
•All I can say is Whitehaven Beach is pure PAR-A-DISE. This 7km beach is one of the most famous in the world. Even on the hottest of days it’s whiter than white & finer than fine sand remains cool. It actually felt like dipping my feet into a bag of flour.
•After a couple of hours of sunbathing & a marathon photoshoot I got to learn scuba diving skills. I’m quite nervous in the water as I wouldn’t consider myself the greatest swimmer but thankfully my scuba instructor Max from the Anaconda III had the world of patience. THANK GOD.
•We left Whitehaven beach & sailed straight for Hill Inlet Lookout. Once anchored, it’s just a short 15min hike to see the most incredible views of the top of Whitehaven Beach. My photos are in no way photoshopped, you just need to see it to believe it!
•I spent the second day snorkeling & scuba diving on the Outer Reef in the open ocean. It was an incredible experience to see all of the beautiful striped & colorful metallic fish species & even spotted a family of nemos swimming in & out of their home. Disney dreams do come true.
•On our last day, I did some last minute snorkeling in the most colorful & beautiful areas Butterfly Bay, I got to see a turtle! I was so glad I picked the ‘Anaconda III’ to sail with as all that swimming is hungry stuff but thanks to our chef Clementine, the food was delicious!
What I Wore:
Cream Crochet Bikini Top click here Bottoms here
Cream & Taupe Co-Ord Set click here
Red ‘Baywatch’ Swimsuit click here
Rainbow stripe Swimsuit click here
Denim Ripped Shorts click here
Jade Green Bikini click here
Orange Lace Detail Bikini click here
Overall Sailing the WhitSundays is my favourite part of this trip of a lifetime. It’s beauty would literally take your breath away & I have never felt more like Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’. There in the clear open waters, flipping & frolicking, I felt part of their world!
Aoife x
