Things to do in Airlie Beach
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Fantasea
Offers high-speed catamaran cruises to its Reefworld pontoon on the Great Barrier Reef, where you can snorkel, take a trip in a semisubmersible and check out the underwater viewing chamber (adult/child/family $225/102/589). An overnight 'Reefsleep' costs from $460.
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Whitsunday Bookings
Once you’ve figured out what boat you’d like to sail on, you’ll need to book through a travel agency such as Whitsunday Bookings. Sells berths on most vessels and will offer standby rates.
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Whitsunday Great Walk
The Whitsunday Great Walk is perhaps a little boastfully named, although it is a pefectly enjoyable three day stroll. Ironically, it's not in the Whitsundays, as such, although you're rarely far from an arresting view of the islands.
Spanning 30km (18.6mi) of the Conway State Forest, from Brandy Creek to Airlie Beach, the Great Walk is a leisurely three-day hike through coastal rainforest. The Whitsundays themselves are visible from many points on the trail (including the summit of Mt Hayward), and there's always the chance of spotting an orange-footed scrub fowl or a wompoo fruit dove closer to hand. Shorter side walks can be attempted if time is pressing, but if you do…
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Proserpine River wetlands
A leisurely cruise through saltwater croc country mightn't be everyone's idea of relaxing holiday entertainment, but the Proserpine River wetlands are a unique and often breath-taking ecosystem.
While the Whitsunday islands and coast deservedly claim most people's attention, the littoral wetlands formed by the estuaries of the Proserpine River are also well worth a look. They are home to the feared saltwater crocodile, a living relic from the time of the dinosaurs that inhabits waterways across Southeast Asia and Australia's tropical north. Yes, 'salties' (which can grow beyond five metres and weigh over 750kg) can be extremely dangerous creatures, but companies such as …
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Conway National Park
When you've had your fill of Airlie's maritime diversions, turn inland and explore the forested gullies of the Conway Peninsula.
Spread out over 22,500ha (55,598 acres) of the Conway Peninsula, this stunning swatch of lowland rainforest is traditionally home to the Gia and Ngaro tribes. The landscape of hoop pines, rocky escarpments and lush gullies is identical to that found on the Whitsundays themselves; they were cut off from the peninsula by rising sea levels around 10,000 years ago. While there are a few local inhabitants to be wary of (including scrub mites, red-bellied blacksnakes and (honestly!) stinging trees), and jellyfish make swimming unsafe from October to M…
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OnAqua Restaurant & Bar
By candlelight, murmurs of conversations resolve into a soothing chant as tastebuds tango at this small and intimate restaurant overlooking a sapphire-blue pool and the Coral Sea beyond. To describe the menu here as simply food is an injustice. This is gastro par excellence, a multidish journey through modern Australian cuisine. Service is efficiently attentive but non-obtrusive - just enough space between courses to pause for savouring and superlatives.
OnAqua oozes taste in more ways than one but is not pretentious.
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Armada Lounge Bar
You can dine upstairs and outdoors under a rippling canopy at smooth and classy Armada, a big city lounge with loads of sophisticated drinks as well as sublime meals to wash them down. There is a sultry, stylish mix of Japanese and Balinese décor, and dim lighting sets a romantic vibe. Food is well presented and flavour packed, and the menu offers everything from kangaroo to barramundi to plenty of options for vegetarians.
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Deja Vu
Rated as one of Airlie's best, this Polynesian-themed restaurant concocts contemporary dishes with Asian and Mediterranean influences. Be sure to while away a few hours at the famous long Sunday lunch (eight courses for $40 per person).
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Shipwrecked
An exceptional wine list accompanies the best seafood menu in town. The barramundi and coral trout are always safe bets, but you’re on holidays, for crying out loud, so try the sweet and sultry Penang seafood curry or the Shipwrecked Platter ($135 at last count), which will easily please three fussy pescatarians.
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Capers
This casual, though classy restaurant gets a huge rap from locals and tourists alike. Lots of fresh seafood along with steaks, fine cheeses and a mouth-watering array of desserts complement a good wine list and a prime people-watching locale. Grab a plump couch and get stuck right in.
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Fish D'vine
Of course, rum and fish – what a perfect combination! But somehow this quirky concept has taken off like a storm. Seafood dishes will keep you happy, and the selection of over 100 different rums is bound to unleash your inner pirate.
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Village Cafe
Always busy with hung-over backpackers, and those after good coffee, this popular cafe has breakfasts that are just the tonic to get the day started. For lunch or dinner be sure to order a 'hot rock' ($26 to $34) and watch your protein of choice cook to perfection on a volcanic rock that's been heated for 12 hours.
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Whitsunday Sailing Club
The sailing-club terrace (don't sit inside) is a great place for a meal and a drink and wonderful ocean views. Choose from the usual steak and schnitzel culprits.
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Magnum’s
Imagine a giant bottle of champagne. Now imagine five hundred sunburned 21-somethings jumping around in a vast outdoor venue with cheap champagne and cheap beds. Magnum’s is a classic backpacker party; we say whack it on an ironic ‘do-before-you-die’ list.
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Mama Africa
Just a stumble across the road from the main party bars, this African-style safari nightclub throbs a beat that both hunter and prey find hard to resist.
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Oz Adventure Sailing
Once you’ve figured out what boat you’d like to sail on, you’ll need to book through a management company such as Oz Adventure Sailing. Sells berths on most vessels and will offer standby rates.
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Paddy Shenanigans
Irish name? Check. Irish beer? Check. Irish crowd? And Czech, German, English, Canadian, Mackay… Hundreds of loose individuals dancing like mice on a wheel and loving it? Check it out; it’s right near Magnum’s.
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Salty Dog Sea Kayaking
Offers guided full-day tours and kayak rental ($50/60 per half-/full day), plus longer kayak/camping missions (the six-day challenge costs $1500). It's a charming and healthy way to see the islands.
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Beaches
Late afternoons here are heaven by some definitions. More of a sit-and-whistle than dance-ya-pants-off kind of crowd; there’s also a great pool if you get too hot to handle.
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Phoenix Bar
Locals and curious tourists quaff drinks in more intimate surrounds at this brand-new bar, yapping about how much they’re ‘over’ the all-night parties.
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Cappa’s Cake & Ale
Tucked in an alley behind Shute Harbour Rd in central Airlie, it has heaps of breakfast options, real bagels and great sandwiches and cocktails.
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Extreme Bean Espresso Bar
An excellent cafe known for frappes, eggs Benedict, cheesecakes and changing daily specials.
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