Your ultimate wellness guide to the Whitsundays
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With its iconic white-sand beaches and turquoise water, a holiday in the Whitsundays is synonymous with flopping and dropping. But there’s more to this idyllic island cluster than swim-up bars and sunset cocktails.
Where to sweat:
Hamilton Island
Good fitness news: island life doesn’t have to mean missing your weekend trot. On Hamilton Island, lace up and join both locals and tourists on one of Australia’s most picturesque Parkruns, a fun five-kilometre route you can tackle every Saturday morning. There’s no cost and everyone is welcome; just register and show up at Shady Creek Lawn by 7am.
South Molle Island
Up for adventure? Hitch a water taxi from Shute Harbour to South Molle Island for a morning of adrenaline-fuelled mountain biking. Explore rainforest-clad hills along easy and intermediate shared cycle and walking trails. There are only campsites on the island, so take food, water, your preferred choice of wheels and a decent first-aid kit.
Where to relax:
Dent Island
Forget trying to do aeroplane pose in a tiny hotel gym; instead, stretch your limbs with yoga on Dent Island. This hidden gem is known for its golf course, but on the first Sunday of every month you can catch a ferry from Hamilton for a 7am class. The 45-minute session is booked through Hamilton Island Sports Club and mats are included.
Hayman Island
Whether you like being wrapped in clay or unwind with the scent of spices, the spa at InterContinental Hayman Great Barrier Reef is one of the most luxurious locations in the Whitsundays. With 11 treatment rooms, including a cabana, plus a plunge pool and sauna, it’s the ideal place for a wellness weekend. For the ultimate indulgence, book the private Bamboo Loft, where you can soak in a milk bath before your treatment. There’s also a guided hike and snorkel tour for those who like to workout before they chill out.
Blue Pearl Bay
The Whitsundays is famous for its expansive white-sand beaches. But it also boasts plenty of great coral coves for snorkelling, and one of the best is Blue Pearl Bay on the north-western end of Hayman Island. Exploring the underwater world is always a mental health win, and on Hayman’s Blue Pearl Bay North Escapade excursion you’ll have two hours to enjoy it. Keep your eyes out for Maori wrasse, and reef booties are recommended as the bay is a coral rubble beach.
Where to eat:
Hamilton Island
It’s hard to beat Hamilton when it comes to Whitsundays dining, and Pebble Beach at qualia is, in short, foodie heaven. With views of the Coral Sea, this restaurant is no secret but it’s too good to miss. Diners are treated to local seafood and produce sourced from an island kitchen garden and ethical farms. Seasonality and sustainability are a key focus. We’ll cheers to that.
Proserpine
On the mainland, Proserpine isn’t your typical foodie choice, but the postcode offers an easy stop on your way from Whitsunday Coast Airport to Airlie Beach. Need to stock up? Healthy Haven is a health-food cafe and organic grocer, and a great place to duck in for green papaya and crab salad, or an orange and ginger smoothie.
Where to stay:
Daydream Island
With lagoon-style pools, coves of white coral and a marine encounter for every day of your stay, Daydream Island Resort & Living Reef is the ideal place to both adventure and unwind. Snorkel with rays in the morning, relax by the pools at lunch, kayak around the island in the afternoon, and watch the sun set beyond the palms before dinner. Then press repeat the next day.
Long Island
For an extra-special stay, book a few nights at Elysian Luxury Eco Island Retreat, a five-star, solar-powered resort on Long Island. The epitome of ‘barefoot luxury’, with 10 villas mere steps from the sea, this all-inclusive, adults-only property features a magnesium infinity pool and luxe day spa. You can also indulge in stretch classes and paddleboarding. A word of warning, though: you may never want to leave.
Originally published as Your ultimate wellness guide to the Whitsundays
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