Overview
Take a trip to Whitsundays on your Australia Vacation
The Whitsunday Islands are a popular tourist destination on Australia vacations off the central coast of Queensland, comprised of a collection of 74 islands spread across the Great Barrier Reef in the Coral Sea. Most of the islands are deserted but there are eight that offer accommodation and tourist facilities.
Enhancing any Australia vacation, the Whitsundays also offer great beaches and an intimate atmosphere and can be visited either by taking a cruise or staying at one of the many resorts that dot the islands.
Whitsunday Islands Vacation Highlights
The Whitsundays are named for uninhabited Whitsunday Island, the largest in the group, which is home to the famed Whitehaven Beach. It’s easily reached via the numerous cruise tours that run from the nearby resorts and from Airlie Beach.The most important island to the tourism industry however is Hamilton Island. Despite being the most populated of the Whitsunday Islands, 70% of Hamilton Island is a national park, offering natural beauty and good scenic walks. There is also a quality golf course here.
Hayman Island is the most northern island and is the epitome of a tropical paradise. Activities include everything from bushwalks to excellent diving and snorkeling.
Daydream Island is a haven for wildlife lovers, where it's possible to hand-feed stingrays, sharks, and fish, and where it's not unusual to see dolphins and turtles in the nearby waters.
Long Island (no, not that one!) is closest to the mainland and is a great destination for hikers. Palm Bay is one of its secluded delights, showing off the Whitsundays at their very best.
Airlie Beach is located on the mainland itself and is the jumping-off point for many Whitsunday and Great Barrier Reef excursions. If you'd rather stay in a local community rather than at a resort, while still having the Whitsundays at your fingertips, Airlie Beach is a great option.
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Pacific Coast Road Trip: Sydney to Cairns
Atherton Tablelands, Queensland, Cairns, Great Barrier Reef, Auckland, Whitsundays, Brisbane, New South Wales, Hunter Valley, Sydney, Sydney Opera House, and Bondi BeachSet off along Australia's captivating east coast, where vineyards meet golden sands. From Hunter Valley's wines to Cairns’ tropical allure, this classic road trip beckons.
20 days
From US$3,206/p.p.
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Australia & Tahiti Tropical Island Escape with Air
Moorea, Queensland, Whitsundays, Sydney, New South Wales, Sydney Opera House, and Bondi BeachAn air-inclusive escape to Australia and French Polynesia, blending vibrant reef adventures, misty blue mountain landscapes, and relaxing lagoon swims, all complemented by warm island hospitality and delicious local flavours.
15 days
From US$6,499/p.p.
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Rail, Reef & Islands: Queensland's Coastal Journey
Queensland, Cairns, Great Barrier Reef, and WhitsundaysJourney along Australia's stunning east coast from Brisbane to Cairns. Enjoy two spectacular rail journeys, a Great Barrier Reef adventure, Fraser Island safari, and more.
11 days
From US$3,285/p.p.
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Ultimate Downunder: Australia & New Zealand
Auckland, Queenstown, Milford Sound, Sydney, New South Wales, Sydney Opera House, Bondi Beach, Queensland, Whitsundays, Victoria, and MelbourneA refined private-guided journey through Australia and New Zealand, pairing coral seas, wild coasts, fine flavours and alpine calm.
16 days
From US$11,897/p.p.
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Australia In Style: Sydney, Rock, Reef & Rainforest
Queensland, Whitsundays, Atherton Tablelands, Great Barrier Reef, Northern Territory, Ayers Rock (Uluru), Sydney, New South Wales, Sydney Opera House, and Bondi BeachExperience an unforgettable adventure in Australia, exploring Sydney's sights, the captivating Red Centre, and the stunning Great Barrier Reef, all in luxury!
12 days
From US$7,110/p.p.
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Turn your travel dreams into reality with Goway. Our customized vacations take travellers to all corners of the world.
Pacific Coast Road Trip: Sydney to Cairns
Atherton Tablelands, Queensland, Cairns, Great Barrier Reef, Auckland, Whitsundays, Brisbane, New South Wales, Hunter Valley, Sydney, Sydney Opera House, and Bondi BeachSet off along Australia's captivating east coast, where vineyards meet golden sands. From Hunter Valley's wines to Cairns’ tropical allure, this classic road trip beckons.
20 days
From US$3,206/p.p.
Request a Quote
Australia & Tahiti Tropical Island Escape with Air
Moorea, Queensland, Whitsundays, Sydney, New South Wales, Sydney Opera House, and Bondi BeachAn air-inclusive escape to Australia and French Polynesia, blending vibrant reef adventures, misty blue mountain landscapes, and relaxing lagoon swims, all complemented by warm island hospitality and delicious local flavours.
15 days
From US$6,499/p.p.
Request a Quote
Rail, Reef & Islands: Queensland's Coastal Journey
Queensland, Cairns, Great Barrier Reef, and WhitsundaysJourney along Australia's stunning east coast from Brisbane to Cairns. Enjoy two spectacular rail journeys, a Great Barrier Reef adventure, Fraser Island safari, and more.
11 days
From US$3,285/p.p.
Request a Quote
Ultimate Downunder: Australia & New Zealand
Auckland, Queenstown, Milford Sound, Sydney, New South Wales, Sydney Opera House, Bondi Beach, Queensland, Whitsundays, Victoria, and MelbourneA refined private-guided journey through Australia and New Zealand, pairing coral seas, wild coasts, fine flavours and alpine calm.
16 days
From US$11,897/p.p.
Request a Quote
Australia In Style: Sydney, Rock, Reef & Rainforest
Queensland, Whitsundays, Atherton Tablelands, Great Barrier Reef, Northern Territory, Ayers Rock (Uluru), Sydney, New South Wales, Sydney Opera House, and Bondi BeachExperience an unforgettable adventure in Australia, exploring Sydney's sights, the captivating Red Centre, and the stunning Great Barrier Reef, all in luxury!
12 days
From US$7,110/p.p.
Request a Quote
Don't see the
perfect trip idea?
Request a custom quote.
Turn your travel dreams into reality with Goway. Our customized vacations take travellers to all corners of the world.
What do the experts say?
Tasmania is under the radar for many travelers, but it’s great for hikes, natural landscapes and now modern art!
Sydney and Melbourne are a great combination for first-time visitors to Australia, with Brisbane, Adelaide and/or the Outback added in, depending on how much time you have. Returnees should take in Perth, Darwin and the Kakadu National Park area and/or Tasmania if they can, plus spend some time in the cities they loved the first time around
It might sound cliche, but you really can visit year-round. Australia is a big country, so there is always somewhere with amazing weather!
Goway’s trips to Australia are not stock itineraries. We can put together trips of a few weeks or a few months, allowing you to see as much of the land Downunder as you can. And we offer a mix of travel options, from self-drives to train journeys to long stays.
Goway has partnerships with many unique inns and hotels in Australia. Among the most memorable are Qualia on Hamilton Island, Longitude 131 at Uluru and Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island.
Whitehaven Island - famous for its white sand b...
Aerial views of the Whitsunday Islands
Humpback whale breaching
Swim-up bar in the tropical Whitsundays
Located 900km north of Brisbane between Bowen a...
Sea plane anchored on Whitehaven Beach
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Everything was wonderful. Everything went smoothly. The individual tours were wonderful and all the guides were exceptional. A lot of traveling-the flight was very good on Cathay Pacific would highly recommend their airline seats were comfortable and spaced well. Being on an airplane for 16 hours sucks in general, but other than being a little sore from being stuck in one place all was good.
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Our trip was to Fiji, New Zealand and Australia, from Aug 4-22, 2026. The way she planned and booked the trip makes the experience convenient and enjoyable. The flexibility of payment makes the decision faster and attractive. Everything we need to know including contacts were readily available within our travel documents itinerary.
Overall, I'll say it's money well spent and a lifetime experience particularly for my kids.FestusI'm a new travel agent and used Goway to help plan a group trip to the UK. Ani, from Goway was so great! She was very detailed oriented, she had great communication and was very thorough in the planning. I felt confident that my clients would be taken care of. My clients had an amazing trip and loved all of it! SieKyeAthul Ajay was our travel agent and he was excellent from the beginning to the end of planning our trip. Great at communicating and replying back too. Sabrina GaffoglioIsabella Luu made the arrangements for our trip to Scotland and all aspects of the trip and stay were excellent. Our assistance at the airports were very good as all were alerted to our needs. Our ride services were excellent. Isabella was always available to answer any questions that we had in a knowledgable and prompt manner, which is always very important to me.Audrey HenryHad an excellent tour of Australia, thanks to our travel specialist Katie Stephenson. She was patient as we kept modifying our plans. Got support from Goway and Katie when there was a need to rebook a tour midway through, all handled easily by Goway.Ron PrestonWe went on a highly customized comprehensive (though quick tour) of England and a bit of Scotland through Goway. Ingrid Aird did an amazing job of planning and arranging every detail with her deep experience, insight, thoughtfulness and creativity, tuning into the needs of each traveler; and she did so even though our decision to travel was rather spontaneous and last minute! Our family had the best time! We look forward to working with Ingrid and Goway again!Vilja Breiling
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