The Top Airlie Beach Activities

Airlie Beach is the mainland base for the Whitsundays, so things to do in Airlie Beach tend to split into three camps: out on the water, up in the air, or inland in the rainforest. A day on Whitehaven Beach, a skydive over the islands and a platypus trip to Eungella National Park all start from the same town. Pick by how much adrenaline you're after and how many hours you've got.

Whitehaven Beach and island day trips from Airlie Beach

Most visitors book at least one day out to the islands, and the style of boat shapes the day. Fast boats cover the most ground: the Whitehaven Beach Northern Exposure tour is a 7-hour ocean raft trip with two snorkel sites on inner fringing reef, a guided walk to Hill Inlet lookout and lunch on the sand. It's a popular choice.

Catamarans trade some speed for sun decks and shade. A full-day Whitehaven Beach tour with lunch leaves the marina at 9am and is back at 5pm, with water taxi transfers between boat and beach. Airlie Beach cruises add sunset sails and reef trips to the mix.

Skydiving over the Whitsundays

Airlie Beach skydiving is a tandem jump, so there's nothing to learn beforehand. A jump from up to 15,000ft with Skydive Australia gives you up to a minute of freefall over the islands and is a popular choice. Airlie Beach SkyDivers also jump from 15,000ft and finish with a beach landing.

Jet boats, jet skis and kayaks

Jet boating in Airlie Beach is the quick hit. The Pioneer Bay jet boat ride packs 360-degree turns, drifts and power stops into a 30-minute run past waterfront mansions and shipwrecks. You will get wet.

Jet skis stretch it out. A 1.5-hour guided jet ski tour covers around 30 kilometres of Airlie Beach and Pioneer Bay. If you'd rather paddle, a half-day kayaking turtle tour takes small groups over fringing coral from Shute Harbour. Airlie Beach water sports add waterbikes to the mix.

Scenic flights over Whitehaven Beach and the reef

To see the islands without getting wet, flying in Airlie Beach does it from above. A 60-minute scenic flight leaves Whitsunday Airport in a fixed-wing aircraft with big windows, passing over Whitehaven Beach, Heart Reef and the Great Barrier Reef with pilot commentary.

Rainforest, wildlife and Airlie Beach after dark

Inland, the Segway rainforest tour rolls through Conway National Park on a 4-hour morning, with a meal beside Impulse Creek. Further afield, the Eungella full-day trip heads into the Clarke Range for the Sky Window walk and wild platypus at Broken River.

After dark, the glass-bottom boat night tour uses underwater blue lights to bring up crayfish, turtles, octopuses and sharks.

Overnight sailing from Airlie Beach

A 2-night sailing trip on the maxi yacht Hammer leaves Airlie Beach at 2pm, stops at Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet, and includes meals and snorkelling at up to three fringing reef spots. Airlie Beach sailing trips include day sails too, if you only have a few hours.

Choosing between Airlie Beach activities

Time is the easiest filter. A jet boat ride is a 30-minute fix, a skydive takes up a morning, and island trips run from a half-day to a full 8 to 10-hour day. Travelling with kids? Things to do in Airlie Beach with kids narrows it to trips with age limits that suit younger travellers. For a guided day, Airlie Beach tours are the place to start, and Great Barrier Reef tours from Airlie Beach reach the outer reef.

When to go

Marine stinger season in the Whitsundays runs from November to May, according to Whitsunday Regional Council, though stings can happen at any time of year. Many water tours supply stinger suits, so it rarely rules anything out. Humpback whales pass through between July and September, and some boat and kayak tours report sightings in that window.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best things to do in Airlie Beach?

Day trips to Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet, trips out to the Great Barrier Reef, tandem skydives and jet boat or jet ski rides are the main things to do in Airlie Beach. Add a rainforest tour or an evening glass-bottom boat trip if you have the time.

How far is the Great Barrier Reef from Airlie Beach?

The outer Great Barrier Reef is a 2 to 3-hour boat ride each way from Airlie Beach, with the Hardy Reef pontoon sitting 39 nautical miles from shore. Full-day reef cruises leave Port of Airlie in the morning and return in the evening.

Are there things to do in Airlie Beach with kids?

Airlie Beach has plenty to do with kids, from Whitehaven Beach days on a catamaran to a glass-bottom boat night tour that suits all ages. Age and height limits differ by activity: the Pioneer Bay jet boat sets a minimum age of 5 and a minimum height of 120cm, and skydives start at 12 to 16 depending on the jump.

Is there a stinger season in Airlie Beach?

Marine stinger season in the Whitsundays runs from November to May, according to Whitsunday Regional Council, and a full-body stinger suit is the first line of protection. Many Airlie Beach tours include stinger suits.

Airlie Beach activities run from a 30-minute jet boat ride to a 2-night sail on a maxi yacht, so there's room to build a trip around whatever sounds like fun. Choose your day, check what's included and book it.