{"id":3461,"date":"2017-08-09T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-08-08T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/?p=3461"},"modified":"2020-05-01T14:27:51","modified_gmt":"2020-05-01T04:27:51","slug":"reasons-to-visit-whitsundays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/tropical-north-qld\/reasons-to-visit-whitsundays\/","title":{"rendered":"10 epic reasons to visit the Whitsundays"},"content":{"rendered":"

What? Are beautiful beaches, fantastic resorts, and awesome year-round weather not enough for you? Okay. Here are our top 10 reasons why you need a Whitsundays getaway<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1. Heart Reef<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Photo credit: Tourism Whitsundays<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

a.k.a. The one from every Whitsundays postcard you\u2019ve ever seen. And it deserves its fame. Heart Reef is an all-natural coral formation that\u2019s 17m in diameter and can only be viewed from above. It just celebrated the 40th<\/sup> anniversary of its discovery by an Air Whitsunday pilot, although you\u2019ll swear it doesn\u2019t look a day over 30. While you can\u2019t land on Heart Reef, you can admire it with a scenic flight. This cute little natural wonder has inspired countless love declarations and wedding proposals, which is great if you want to give someone a hint ;).<\/p>\n

2. The Great Barrier Reef <\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Photo credit: Tourism Whitsundays<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Guys, it\u2019s\u00a0the<\/em>\u00a0Great Barrier Reef \u2013 the world\u2019s largest coral reef and one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. What more can I say? Okay, how about the fact that the Whitsundays are in the heart of Reef country (uh, ocean), with heaps of easy options for day tours and activities. Check it out from above with a scenic seaplane,\u00a0light aircraft<\/a>, or helicopter flight, get up close and personal with\u00a0snorkelling<\/a>\u00a0or scuba diving, or relax with a\u00a0classic boat tour<\/a>. However you do it, a day on the Reef is unforgettable.<\/p>\n

3. Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Photo credit: Tourism Whitsundays<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Whitehaven Beach is often voted one of Australia\u2019s best beaches, and when you see it for yourself you\u2019ll understand why. Its sparkling turquoise water and 7km of white silica sand will take your breath away. Whether you snooze on the beach, go for a dip, or take a bushwalk through the lush coastal rainforest, Whitehaven is a serious must-do. PRO TIP: Check out Hill Inlet at the northern end of the beach – a stunning swirling fusion of colours created by the sand meeting these as the tide comes in. There\u2019s a viewing platform from which you can see most of the swirl (a perfect photo op) \u2013 it\u2019s included on many Whitehaven Beach tours<\/a>.<\/p>\n

4. Whale watching<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Photo credit: Cruise Whitsundays & Reef Safari Photography<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Humpback and pilot whales (sometimes including Migaloo, the rare white humpback) visit the Whitsundays every winter on their annual migration north. From June to September, whales are a common sight as they frolick between the islands and even occasionally out on the Great Barrier Reef (hey, it\u2019s on their bucket list too). Lots of whales also give birth in the Whitsundays, as its warm, calm, protected waters are an ideal nursery. Plus, no hospital food.<\/div>\n

The Whitsundays doesn\u2019t have many official whale watching experiences, but you\u2019ll often spot them while you\u2019re on other tours (bonus!). Hop on a boat tour or take to the sky with a scenic flight.<\/p>\n

5. Sailing<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Photo credit: Tourism Whitsundays<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Whitsundays\u2019 calm, safe waters are a sailor\u2019s paradise, with the Great Barrier Reef providing natural protection (or a barrier<\/em><\/strong> \u2013 get it?) against ocean waves. If you\u2019re a still greenhorn, charter a crewed yacht and chillax while your expert crew cruises you around the islands. If you\u2019re pro, hire a bareboat and chat with a local sailing guru to create your dream itinerary. Or skip the serious stuff and just hire a kayak or jetski for a day of paddling and splashing around. Woohoo!<\/p>\n

6. FOOOOOD!<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Photo credit: @fluffpiece<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Don\u2019t think \u201cfood\u201d when you think \u201cWhitsundays\u201d? You\u2019d better think again! The Whitsundays abounds in fresh local produce, from the North\u2019s yummy fruit and veg, to the Coral Sea\u2019s amazing seafood, to the hinterland\u2019s awesome organic beefalo (a cross between American bison and traditional beef cattle. Yep, it\u2019s a thing). Whether it\u2019s a counter meal at a local pub, fish and chips on the beach, a seafood feast overlooking the Bowen Marina, or a degustation menu in a chic Airlie Beach restaurant, there\u2019s no chance of going hungry.<\/p>\n

7. Cedar Creek Falls<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Photo credit: Tourism Whitsundays<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I probably shouldn\u2019t tell you about this one, \u2018cause it\u2019s kind of a local secret. But you look trustworthy, so here we go. Cedar Creek Falls is a gorgeous natural waterfall and rockpool just off Saltwater Creek Road, halfway between Airlie Beach and Proserpine. It\u2019s awesome for swimming, picnicking, bushwalking, and animal spotting – especially birds and butterflies. Keep an eye on the local weather forecast, \u2018cause the waterfall is even more impressive after a decent downpour. Yep, even rain has its upside when you\u2019re in the Whitsundays \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

8. Bowen<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Photo credit: Tourism Whitsundays<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

45 min north of Airlie Beach, Bowen is the most charming little coastal town you\u2019ve (probably) never heard of. It\u2019s home to fantastic beaches (including Horseshoe Bay, which was rated 11th<\/sup> out of Australia\u2019s top 101 beaches), some of which have fringing coral reefs just metres from shore \u2013 perfect for newbie snorkellers. But most importantly, Bowen is home to Bowen mangoes, an achievement the town celebrates with the 10m tall Big Mango at the Bowen Visitor Information Centre. Any town that gives us mangoes (and, by extension, mango daiquiris) is a winner in my book.<\/p>\n

9. Bushwalking<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Photo credit: Tourism Whitsundays<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Whitsundays has awesome walks for all ages and abilities, and they\u2019re a great way to get up close and personal with the unique tropical landscape and wildlife. Check out Honeyeater Lookout in Kara Crescent, just behind Airlie Beach Main Street. The walk up is steep to start, but you\u2019ll be rewarded with stunning views of the mainland and islands. Or if you\u2019re really keen, take two or three days to hike the Conway Circuit through the Conway National Park. Starting at Forestry Road and ending at Airlie Beach, it\u2019s a little adventure!<\/p>\n

10. Lake Proserpine <\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Photo credit: Tourism Whitsundays<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

20km north-west of Proserpine, Lake Proserpine is famous for its impoundment barramundi, a style of fishing that\u2019s becoming increasingly popular. You\u2019ll have to be patient, as it can sometimes feel like the nibbles are few and far between, but the bragging rights when you catch a big one will make all the waiting worthwhile. And it\u2019s only a matter of time until you do \u2013 Lake Proserpine has more barra over a metre in length than any other impoundment in Australia. And thanks to the Whitsundays\u2019 mild winters and tropical climate, Lake Proserpine doesn\u2019t need a close season, so you can fish all year round. Make sure you bring your crab pots too, \u2018cause Lake Proserpine also has red claw and freshwater crayfish. Yum!<\/p>\n<\/i> BOOK YOUR NEXT TRIP TO THE WHITSUNDAYS! <\/a>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What? Are beautiful beaches, fantastic resorts, and awesome year-round weather not enough for you? Okay. Here are our top 10 reasons why you need a Whitsundays getaway. 1. Heart Reef a.k.a. The one from every Whitsundays postcard you\u2019ve ever seen. And it deserves its fame. Heart Reef is an all-natural coral formation that\u2019s 17m in …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":3462,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[779,766],"tags":[],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3461"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3461"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3461\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3540,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3461\/revisions\/3540"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3462"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3461"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3461"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3461"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}