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Airlie Beach is one of those stunning destinations that you’ll want to come back and visit time and time again—but that won’t stop you from wanting to see only the best locations it has to offer!

These Airlie Beach cruise destinations are absolute must-visits for any first-time travellers to The Whitsundays—and we’re certain you’ll want to come again and bring all your friends as well!

Guide To Airlie Beach: Cruise Locations Every Traveller Must See

1) Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island

This is the most visited beach in The Whitsundays (and offers travellers the most Instagramable photos you can imagine).

Step onto feather-soft, pure white sand and marvel at the pristine, aquamarine waters lulling at your feet. You definitely don’t want to miss this once-in-a-lifetime location—which lays isolated from the bustling mainland and blissfully natural as a result. If you’ve ever wondered what heaven on Earth looks like—this incredible beach with it’s stunning, swirling sands and shifting ocean hues could very well be it.

All of the Red Cat Adventures tours visit Whitehaven Beach—to book a tour, head to https://redcatadventures.com.au/

2) Butterfly Bay, Hook Island

Being one of the nicest snorkelling locations, Butterfly Bay is a fantastic destination to visit if you’re keen to jump into the refreshing Whitsunday waters and meet the friendly marine life.

This particular spot has wind protection due to its location, and it also treats travellers to a sight of butterfly habitants that visit the bay’s beach at certain times of the year. So you’ll get to see all kinds of native wildlife while visiting this gorgeous location!

3) Heart Reef, Hardy Reef

Beautiful and romantic—Heart Reef is unlike any other reef formation you’ll ever witness. It’s a composition of coral that has naturally formed into a shape of a heart—and you can see it clearly from the air when doing a scenic seaplane tour over the Great Barrier Reef.

Travellers are unable to snorkel at Heart Reef due to its protected status, but many make a romantic date out of witnessing it from the air—and some even propose during the tours!

If you’d like to book a scenic flight to Heart Reef, you can do so via Air Whitsunday Seaplane Tours: https://www.airwhitsunday.com.au/

4) Chalkie’s Beach, Haslewood Island

Much like Whitehaven Beach, Chalkie’s has similar, white silica sand. It’s located directly opposite Whitehaven Beach—and this is good for two reasons:

• Whitehaven Beach can get very busy, so this location is a little more peaceful and reserved.
• It’s nearby vicinity to Whitehaven Beach means less travel time and more exploration time for you on your Airlie Beach cruise!

Travellers who visit Chalkie’s Beach go there for excellent photography, snorkelling, fishing and native birdlife.

5) Langford Island, The Whitsundays

Last on the list is this amazing jewel of the Whitsundays—located near luxurious Hayman Island, this gorgeous island is less of an island and more of a sandbar. It’s a long, narrow stretch of sand with a split that disappears at high tide—and it’s completely surrounded by a fringing coral reef that is perfect for snorkelling!

Travellers love visiting this location to picnic, sunbathe, swim in the gorgeous waters and snorkel along the sides of the beach.

So, now that you’ve seen all the best places on offer, which Airlie Beach cruise location are you dying to visit most?