Best Time For A Whitsundays Holiday
Looking to visit the Whitsundays for an end of year holiday?
November is the best time to come up—not only is the weather perfect (not quite summer, so not too hot), but it’s also the month of the incredible, Airlie Beach Music Festival. This makes it a perfect time to come enjoy one of Australia’s most popular boutique festivals, and experience the beautiful Great Barrier Reef at the same time.
This year’s festival looks incredible with an impressive line-up of bands and plenty of events happening around the area. We recommend rocking up the day before the festival (8th November) and staying for a week, or arriving a couple of days beforehand. Either way, you’ll have plenty of time to explore Airlie Beach and all the Whitsunday Islands.
Taking place over a weekend, you can look forward to three days of open mic jam sessions, acoustic sessions, and live music from worldwide artists at multiple venues throughout Airlie Beach. The main marquee edges onto the stunning Coral Sea at Whitsunday Sailing Club, but various restaurants, cafes and bars will be hosting events as well.
There are so many things to do, no matter whether you want to chill in lovely cafes and listen to talented artists, or have some drinks at a bar and enjoy the live music. Some of the artists lined up for 2018 include famous Smash Mouth, Marcia Hines, country singer Kasey Chambers, Electrik Lemonade, Rav Thomas (whose debut single ranked at #2 on the ARIA charts) and The Wayward Sons. (Plus, many more!)
Enjoy a wine or drink by the beach fire
Looking to visit the Whitsundays for an end of year holiday?
November is the best time to come up—not only is the weather perfect (not quite summer, so not too hot), but it’s also the month of the incredible, Airlie Beach Music Festival. This makes it a perfect time to come enjoy one of Australia’s most popular boutique festivals, and experience the beautiful Great Barrier Reef at the same time.
This year’s festival looks incredible with an impressive line-up of bands and plenty of events happening around the area. We recommend rocking up the day before the festival (8th November) and staying for a week, or arriving a couple of days beforehand. Either way, you’ll have plenty of time to explore Airlie Beach and all the Whitsunday Islands.
Taking place over a weekend, you can look forward to three days of open mic jam sessions, acoustic sessions, and live music from worldwide artists at multiple venues throughout Airlie Beach. The main marquee edges onto the stunning Coral Sea at Whitsunday Sailing Club, but various restaurants, cafes and bars will be hosting events as well.
Why November Is A Great Time To Holiday In The Whitsundays
There are so many things to do, no matter whether you want to chill in lovely cafes and listen to talented artists, or have some drinks at a bar and enjoy the live music. Some of the artists lined up for 2018 include famous Smash Mouth, Marcia Hines, country singer Kasey Chambers, Electrik Lemonade, Rav Thomas (whose debut single ranked at #2 on the ARIA charts) and The Wayward Sons. (Plus, many more!)
There’s plenty of accommodation options too, including waterfront hotels where you can have cocktails by the pool, ‘glamping’ locations for an adventurous-yet-luxurious getaway, gorgeous, private guest houses and so much more!
Either before or after enjoying a week of music, drinks and partying at the Airlie Beach Music Festival, we highly recommend you take a trip out to the reef as well. It’s a once in a lifetime experience and the weather will be just perfect for it! (Think boating in the breeze, snorkelling among the reef and marine life, and kicking back on some of the most beautiful beaches you’ll ever see!)
Depending on how much time you have, we recommend a day trip or an overnight stay—and as it happens, we have you covered on both fronts.
One of our most popular trips include the incredible Ride To Paradise—which features a two day, two night stay at a luxurious, secluded resort. This trip departs every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday—so you can be assured that your time in the Whitsundays will be well spent relaxing and exploring in the leadup (or winddown) from the festival.
Arrive at a private resort and enjoy all the luxurious features it has to offer—the pool and spa, the private, outdoor baths, the fire pit—there’s so much to do! You can even go kayaking, or kick back in a hammock. Then, set out for a day on the reef—visiting beaches, sightseeing, and swimming in the refreshing ocean water among our friendly turtles and fish!
The other trip is our Thundercat adventure, which is a little more fast paced and departs every single day. This is a great option if you’re short on time, but still want to experience the very best the Whitsundays has to offer. You’ll set out in the early morning and return late afternoon.
Both trips allow you to visit famous, Whitehaven Beach, and snorkel in the very best spots on the reef (local knowledge has it perks). You’ll receive delicious lunches, stinger suit hire (when necessary) and an unforgettable day out to cherish forever.
If you’d like to book a trip on your way up to visit the Airlie Beach Music Festival, you can do so at: