Perfect for Creating your own Soft Adventure 

This island paradise has somehow found the balance between being a popular tourist destination with adventure around every corner, and a quiet relaxing oasis where you can unwind.  To put it simply, you could do as much or as little as you like.  We arrived at the airport and picked up our golfcart that came with the apartment we booked for our weeklong stay.  The unique Hamilton Island vibe could be felt immediately as we took off towards our accommodation.  The apartment was a little dated, but it was more than big enough for us and had everything we needed, including our own lagoon pool where you could escape for some peace and tranquility.  After unpacking our bags and exploring our immediate surrounds we jumped back in the golf cart and went to the Islands IGA to stock the fridge with food so we could start to unwind.  Hamilton Islands iconic golf buggies are a convenient and fun way to get around.  If your accommodation does not include inclusive use of a buggy, you can hire one on an hourly or daily basis to use on this car-free island, otherwise pack a comfortable pair of shoes.  

Hamilton Island has a variety of high-end restaurants, relaxed bistro-style eateries and takeaway options such as a bakery, fish n chips, pizza and ice cream shop.  A majority of places to eat are centered around the island’s beautiful marina.   You will also find a small row of resort style shops in this area including Trader Pete’s, which is a general store with a bit of everything.   

After a couple of days relaxing and unwinding, not surprisingly I was looking for something to do so I booked tickets for a half day Whitehaven beach cruise.  I had seen the photos and heard the stories about this being the most pristine beach in the Whitsunday’s and they weren’t lying.  The beach extends over 7km, with sand made up of 98% pure, tiny silica beads, making it a stunning white colour and is luxuriously fine to walk on.  The crystal clear idyllic deep turquoise waters are breathtaking, so it is no wonder it is one of the most photographed destinations on the planet. 

Exploring Hamilton Island on foot is a great way to see its natural beauty at your own pace.  There are a range of trails available depending on your fitness levels and how far you want to walk.  We decided on Coral Cove which is 3.1km’s, rated moderate and approximately an hour one way.  We started early to beat the heat and still arrived at this peaceful secluded beach with glowing bright red faces.  The powdery golden sand, uninterrupted views out to Linderman island and lure of the turquoise ocean was worth the sometimes-challenging trek to this little piece of paradise.  The giant swing is one of four iconic landmarks on the island and is picture perfect with the crystal-clear water backdrop. 

After a couple of busy days exploring, it was time to indulge in another lazy day, this time we decided to spend the day at one of the three pools open to all visitors.  The main pool is surrounded by lush tropical gardens and beautiful landscaping.  The large freeform shape has plenty of space for everyone to enjoy a peaceful relaxing dip and no resort pool is complete without a swim up bar so you can enjoy a drink without leaving the water.   

When it was time to stretch the legs, we took a walk down Catseye beach located just in front of the main pool area.  This popular beach can get busy, but it never felt crammed.  Families were splashing safely with their young ones while others grabbed a snorkel and fins from the beaches sport hut and ventured out to the multiple snorkelling spots right off this beach.  Sea turtles are known to drop by extremely close to the coastline.  

After a day recharging the batteries, it was time for another adventure and no trip to the Whitsundays would be complete without a day at the Great Barrier Reef.  The boat ride to the reef pontoon was not for the faint hearted, but we arrived and equipped ourselves with all the necessary gear to explore the coral reef.  It was not a cheap day and unfortunately have to say what we saw was completely underwhelming.  Whenever we travel if there is an opportunity to snorkel it will be on the itinerary, so we have been blessed to witness some amazing underwater destinations in every corner of the globe.  Perhaps we have been spoilt, maybe we needed to do more research about the reef we were taken to, after all the Great Barrier Reef is composed of 2900 individual reefs stretching across 2,300kms. 

Our trip was coming to an end, and I felt like we hadn’t even scratched the surface on what this island had to offer, so we arranged to go on an offroad adventure.  The guide lead us through scenic trails and to the resort lookout where we experienced incredible 360-degree views of the Whitsundays.  The tour also makes a stop at Coral Cove, so we had a moment of reflecting on how hot and exhausted we were doing this on foot, and kind of wishing we had planned this better!   

We had great fun on this tour, it was the most noisy, uncomfortable rides I had ever experienced in something on four wheels, but it was all part of the adventure and would highly recommend anyone going to Hamilton Island to give it a go.  We stopped at various other points of interest including Flat Top Hill and Resort Lookout.  The guide talked about the history of the island and provide fun facts including celebrities who had stayed on the island.   

With so many places to visit on this amazing planet it’s not often I say I want to come back somewhere, but Hamilton Island is one of those rare places.  This small island 5kms from North to South and 3.5kms wide from East to West is jam packed with beauty, tranquillity and adventure all wrapped into one.  This is the perfect holiday destination for couples, families and groups who want to combine some down time with fun activities and tours.  Yes, it comes with the typical price tag of all Australian tourist destinations, but you choose if you want high end accommodation or the budget option, similarly there are choices to shop at the IGA and self-cater or eat at an expensive restaurant and everything in-between. 

There were so many ways to explore and embrace new and exciting experiences on this trip, it was filled with so many thrilling possibilities!  Exploring new places, trying different activities, and embracing unfamiliar experiences provided so many ways to ignite that Sense of Adventure in me!