Whitehaven Beach - What Dreams are Made Of

Inspiration

The sand at Whitehaven doesn't retain the heat, so you can walk barefoot even on the hottest day.

When your feet sink into Whitehaven’s pure white sand for the first time, and you wade through its warm, crystal clear waters along the shore you’ll think you’re in paradise, and you’ll be right. Some couples come here to marry; some come to witness the incredible patterns in the sand, whilst others simply come to relax with their favourite book. Whatever reason you choose to visit Whitehaven Beach, one of the top attractions in the Whitsundays, you won’t want to leave.

 
Queensland’s best and one of the World’s top ten beaches, the only way to describe Whitehaven Beach is heaven on earth. Situated on Whitsunday Island, the largest of the Whitsunday’s 74 islands, Whitehaven Beach is 7km of totally unspoiled nature.
Whitehaven Beach from the air

So what makes this place so unique? Apart from its natural, unspoiled beauty, Hill Inlet at the northern end of the beach is one of the big draws. Here, the tide shifts to create incredible sand and water patterns in an amazing array of colours. Take a short hike to Tongue Point, and at the top of the natural bush track, you’ll be rewarded with the very best views of the sands and the ocean. If you plan your trip to coincide with low tide, your experience will be even more amazing. What you’ll see there will make you understand why Whitehaven Beach is the most photographed beach in all of Australia, and why it has won such a long list of awards.

Check out this video of a perfect wedding on Whitehaven Beach:

However, what truly makes Whitehaven Beach so special is its sand. It’s made up of 99% pure silica, or quartz, making it extremely fine and brilliant white. Unlike ordinary sand, the sand at Whitehaven doesn’t retain the heat, so you can walk barefoot even on the hottest day. And there’s another plus; the sand here is so fine it could polish glass, so by the end of the day your feet will be as smooth as silk. The sand is also unique because it’s travelled to get here. The rocks on Whitsunday Island don’t contain quartz, which means that the sand has been carried to the island by the tides over thousands of years.

Seaplane Wedding

 

Getting to Whitehaven Beach is all part of the adventure. Whitsunday is an island; the only way you’ll get here is by air or by water. Helicopter or seaplane, motor boat or luxury yacht, your journey begins from Airlie Beach, Shute Harbour, or Hamilton Island. You can come for the day, or enjoy an overnight boat trip. But despite the lack of roads, Whitehaven has everything you need for a perfect day out. There are trees which act as nature’s beach umbrellas, there are high points which provide the very best views, and the sea, well, that can be a place to dip your toes, to swim, to snorkel, or just something to admire and dream about when you leave.
 
Whitehaven Beach - paradise on Earth.
Couple at Whitehaven