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There are a few different options to get to the mainland where Airlie Beach is located, if your plane is arriving on Hamilton Island.

Via Ferry:

This service is operated by Cruise Whitsundays and as at 1/3/2015 the price to travel to the ‘Port of Airlie’ at Airlie Beach is $48.00 per person.  There are no discount prices for children, pensioners, seniors or students.  Children under 4 years of age are complimentary.  The transfers will connect close to the arrival time of your flight.  If you have not booked tickets, don’t stress, you can purchase them at the Cruise Whitsundays desk located in the baggage claim area on Hamilton Island.

Via Small Plane:

Need to connect to Airlie Beach for a departing overnight sailing tour or just don’t want to be on a ferry? Then this options is available at $79.00 per person one way with a minimum of two people booking.  You can pay for two people if you are only one person travelling and your luggage entitlement per person is 15kg or 30 kgs for two people. https://airliebeachonline.com.au/whitsunday-tour/hamilton-island-air-transfer/

Via Small Plane and seeing the Great Barrier Reef:

How about some adventure to start your holiday or finish off your holiday in the Whitsundays!! Yes, the small plane can offer the service whether arriving at Hamilton Island or if you want to disembark at Hamilton Island.  We just need to know your flight details, minimum luggage must be 15kgs per person and the cost is $229.00 per person.  A beautiful way to see the icon of the Whitsundays and Australia! https://airliebeachonline.com.au/whitsunday-tour/hamilton-island-airport-via-great-barrier-reef/

**For those living in Melbourne and Sydney, Jetstar will fly direct to Whitsunday Coast Airport as of June/July on Monday, Thursday and Saturday.  Tiger Air fly direct from Sydney on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Prices correct as at date of publishing, 1st March, 2015.

I would say ‘YES, YES, YES’ but it is a personal decision that you will make. I often hear, that you can snorkel of Whitehaven Beach and unfortunately that is not true. It would be lovely but there is no fringing coral reefs off Whitehaven beach. If you take the 1/2 day WHitehaven Beach tour, you will not snorkel.  If you take a tour that incorporates Whitehaven Beach, snorkelling and the Hill Inlet walk, then you will go to another area to snorkel and the Hill Inlet walk is close to Whitehaven Beach, also another stop for most tours.  Most tours are a full day as it takes a few hours to get out to Hook Island and Whitsunday Island from Airlie Beach.  Whitehaven Beach is located on Whitsunday Island and has national parks on it, self catering camp sites and toilet facilities.  No shopping here ladies, and the gentlemen I can hear saying ‘thank you’!

There are some lovely areas to snorkel especially around Mantaray Bay, Blue Pearl Bay, Butterfly Bay & Langford Reef at the northern end of Hook Island.  Your snorkel experience also depends on the weather and whether it is high tide or low tide, the winds are up or down and if it is the rain season (December – March). This can all effect your time snorkelling the fringing reef or Great Barrier Reef.  Most times, I have had wonderful experiences from looking at the different formations of coral to the  fish and coral interacting together.  Some fish are so interesting to watch that I feel they are really reacting to me being in there home.

For tours to Whitehaven Beach that incorporates snorkelling, please go to our www.airliebeachonline.com.au website and select DAY TOURS and then Whitehaven Beach from the drop down menu or on the home page.

The Great Barrier Reef – is also magical and you have to travel up to 3 hours by boat to get to Hardys Reef from Airlie Beach.  If staying on Hamilton Island, the boat stops here to collect more guests and Hardys Reef is 2 hours from Hamilton Island.  Once again, the weather can effect your experience however, I believe it is a beautiful area to snorkel.  I am happy sitting on the boat and enjoying the scenery. My first experience was perfect in every way, perfect weather, perfect tide time and it was head down to snorkel for hours exploring the reef.  Another time, it was windy, and the tide was up so it was difficult to snorkel.  If you don’t want to snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef or you are short on time, you can always take a small plane, the sea plane or a helicopter to fly over and see it all from above.  The layout of the Great Barrier Reef, the Heart Reef is spectacular and a wonderful choice as an alternative or do both.

For tours to the Great Barrier Reef , please go to our www.airliebeachonline.com.au website and select DAY TOURS and then Great Barrier Reef from the drop down menu or on the home page.