Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet Day Cruise

Whitehaven Beach is the image on every Whitsundays postcard, and with good reason. The beach runs for about seven kilometres along the east side of Whitsunday Island, and its sand is almost pure silica, so fine and so pale that it squeaks underfoot and stays cool even in midday sun. The water beside it fades from clear shallows to a milky turquoise that changes with the tide, and the whole strip sits inside the Whitsunday Islands National Park, so there are no buildings, no beach clubs and no road. Everyone arrives by boat, which is exactly why a day cruise from Airlie Beach is the classic first outing for a visitor. A typical day cruise leaves the Airlie Beach marina area in the morning on a fast catamaran and threads between the islands for an hour or two, with commentary on the geography and the marine park. The boat anchors off the southern end of Whitehaven, passengers wade or step onto the sand, and there is time to swim, walk, sunbathe and photograph the contrast between white sand and blue water. Most itineraries add a walk to the Hill Inlet lookout, where the tide carves swirling patterns of sand and water, and many include lunch on board.

Think carefully about timing and tide. Hill Inlet is at its most dramatic when the tide is partly out, because that is when the sandbanks show their curling shapes, and the light is best when the sun is higher in the sky. Tour operators plan around this, so choose a departure that names the lookout and ask which tide window the trip uses.

At the beach itself the sand can reflect strong sunlight, so sunglasses and a hat matter as much as sunscreen, and the stretch you are dropped on may be one of several sections of the beach, because boats spread out along it.

Be ready for the marine environment. From about November to May the Whitsunday waters can hold marine stingers, and operators supply full-body stinger suits for swimming, which most visitors wear without fuss. Wear swimmers under your clothes, bring a towel and a light layer for the breeze on deck, and carry a small bag, as you step off the boat directly onto the sand.

Water is available on board, while shade on the beach is limited, so keep a hat handy. If you get seasick, take a remedy before you leave the marina, because the crossing can be choppy when the southeast trade winds blow.

The day cruise is the best value way to see the headline sights if you have only one day for the islands. It is less intimate than sailing or ocean rafting, since catamarans carry larger groups, but the trade-off is comfort, shade, a toilet on board and a smooth ride. If you want fewer people, look at the ocean rafting option or a sailing day, and if you want to stay overnight, a multi-night sail gives you the sand at dawn when the crowds have not yet arrived.

Finally, remember the rules of the national park. Take your rubbish back to the boat, do not take sand or shells away, do not feed wildlife, and keep to marked paths at the lookout so the dunes are not damaged. The beach looks timeless, but it stays that way only because visitors treat it gently, and operators will brief you on these points before you land.