Hamilton Island, playground of the rich and famous, is purely and unashamedly, a holiday destination. If sunshine, tropical beaches, cocktails at the pool bar and an afternoon spa treatment sounds like your idea of a great holiday, then Hamilton Island is the place for you.
You can’t help but enjoy Hamilton Island – it simply oozes fun and relaxation with its vibrant holiday atmosphere.
It is the largest inhabited island within the Whitsundays and quite well developed so there is even a commercial airport (it is the only Whitsunday island that you can fly directly to from various Australian cities).
With all the holidaymakers flying in regularly, there are plenty of houses and accommodation options as well as restaurants, bars, attractions and activities.
So while it is the kind of place where you can go for a relaxing break, there is also enough to keep everyone occupied if you’re travelling as a group or with your family.
Here’s our top 10 list of things to do on Hamilton Island:
1. Explore the island by golf buggy
It wouldn’t be a trip to Hamilton Island without at least one day with a golf buggy at your disposal so make sure you rent one and drive around the island.
2. Get active with watersports
The focus of all the watersport activities on Hamilton Island is on Catseye Beach in front of the Reefview Hotel.
You can hire sea kayaks and stand up paddle boards, take a guided jetski tour around the island (great fun and definitely worth doing) or just snorkel off the beach.
3. Walk up to Passage Peak
Get up early in the morning and walk up to Passage Peak for some beautiful views. Make sure you take water and sunscreen with you.
4. Have sunset cocktails
Sunset is pretty magical on Hamilton Island and there are two ways you can soak it in. Either head up to One Tree Hill for cocktails with a view (highly recommended) or take a sunset cruise.
5. Hang out at the marina
Hamilton Island is a mecca for people who love sailing so the marina is always full of enormous big white boats, especially around the time of the Hamilton Island Race Week in September.
Take a walk around the jetties, ogle the boats and then go for lunch or a drink at the swanky new yacht club.
6. Treat yourself to a spa treatment
Hamilton Island is definitely the kind of place where you should indulge in a spa treatment. Qualia has its own spa for guests but there is also another one on the island if you’re not lucky enough to be staying at this top end luxury resort.
7. Enjoy the beach
While there are many fantastic pools on Hamilton Island, you can’t beat squishing your toes through sand in the early morning or late afternoon.
8. Go bowling or go-karting
If you’re travelling as a family there are a few activities on Hamilton Island to keep the restless amused, including ten pin bowling, golf and go-karting. Children can join in with the go-karting since they have double-seated karts available. There is also a small zoo on the island.
9. Take a trip to the reef
The Great Barrier Reef is right on the door step so at least one of your days on Hamilton Island should include a trip out to the reef for snorkelling or scuba diving. This is probably one of the must-do things to do on Hamilton Island.
10. Go Sailing
Since Hamilton Island is a sailing mecca there are obviously plenty of opportunities to have fun on the water and explore some of the other Whitsunday Islands.
travel nq fast facts:
- You can fly directly to Hamilton Island or travel by boat from Shute Harbour near Airlie Beach
- It is located within the Great Barrier Reef
