Hamilton Island holiday: where to stay and what to do

A Hamilton Island holiday is easy to plan once you pick three things. Choose how you get there, which kind of stay suits your group, and how you will get around. Then add a day trip or two. Hamilton Island is one of the Whitsunday Islands, off the Queensland coast. It has its own airport, with direct flights from four mainland cities.

Sources for this section: Hamilton Island, Airports and flights; Wikipedia, Hamilton Island (Queensland).

Getting there

You can fly straight to the island. The island's site lists direct flights daily from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Cairns, with Jetstar, Virgin Australia and Qantas. The airport is south of the marina, about a five minute trip from the resort area.

The other route is by sea. Passenger ferries leave Port of Airlie Marina and Shute Harbour, near Airlie Beach, with more than a dozen services through the day. The island's site gives the direct trip from Shute Harbour as 30 minutes. Another page puts the ferry trip from Airlie Beach at 60 minutes, leaving from either Port of Airlie Marina or Shute Harbour. The two pages differ, so check the Cruise Whitsundays timetable for your sailing.

Coaches from Brisbane, Townsville and Cairns run to Airlie Beach. They stop at the Port of Airlie terminal, right at the ferry departure point. The drive from Brisbane to Shute Harbour is 1,100 km, about 12 hours non-stop.

Most accommodation packages include airport or marina transfers, so give the island your travel details before you arrive.

Sources for this section: Hamilton Island, Airports and flights, Getting Here and Before you arrive.

Where to stay

The island offers stays from an adults-only resort to family homes. The best choice depends on who is travelling and how much you want to cook for yourself.

• Reef View Hotel: A hotel directly opposite Catseye Beach, with a 35 metre pool and family rooms.
• Palm Bungalows: Freestanding bungalows in tropical gardens, listed for couples or small families, each with a kitchenette and a private balcony.
• Beach Club: An adults-only resort on Catseye Beach for ages 18 and over, with an infinity-edge pool and a free breakfast each morning.
• Holiday Homes: Homes and apartments, from one bedroom to five, each with its own kitchen and laundry, so you can cook your own meals.
• Yacht Club Villas: Four-bedroom villas on the Dent Passage waterfront, with a gourmet kitchen, for families or groups of friends.
• qualia: A luxury resort on the northern tip of the island. The island's comparison chart calls it perfect for couples and lists guests aged 16 and over.

Age rules and what is included differ, so check the official site before you book. The island's comparison chart shows daily housekeeping at qualia, Beach Club, the Reef View Hotel and Palm Bungalows, but not at Holiday Homes. As a rule of thumb, a room or bungalow suits a short break. A home or villa suits a group or a longer stay.

Sources for this section: Hamilton Island, Compare all accommodation, Reef View Hotel, Palm Bungalows, Beach Club, Holiday Homes, Yacht Club Villas and qualia.

Getting around the island

Hamilton Island is car-free, and its site says that gives the island a relaxed, tranquil feel. The site lists three ways to get around.

• Walk. The site calls walking one of the best ways to explore the island.
• Ride the Island Shuttle. It is free for all island visitors and guests, and needs no booking.
• Hire a golf buggy. Buggies are self-drive, and you need to book.

The shuttle runs daily from 7am to 11pm (subject to change) on three routes, every 15 to 40 minutes. Buggies come in two-seater and four-seater sizes. No training is needed, but bring a valid driver's licence and a credit card for the bond. The hire page lists prices from $46 for one hour to $87 per 24 hours, and says they can change at any time.

Some stays include a buggy. The island's chart lists a four-seater with Holiday Homes, except the Whitsunday Holiday Apartments, and free use of a golf buggy at qualia. Each Yacht Club Villa has a private four-seater buggy, says its page. Check before you hire.

Sources for this section: Hamilton Island, Getting Around, Shuttle Bus, Buggy Hire, Compare all accommodation and Yacht Club Villas.

Things to do

• Great Barrier Reef trips: The site lists snorkel and dive day trips, sail, cruise and glass-bottom boat tours, and a family-friendly day trip to Reefworld on Hardy Reef.
• Scenic flights: The site lists flights over Heart Reef and Whitehaven Beach by helicopter, aeroplane and seaplane.
• Whitehaven Beach: This seven kilometre beach on Whitsunday Island is a 30 minute trip by high-speed catamaran, the site says.
• Wildlife: WILD LIFE Hamilton Island, near the Resort Centre, has animals including koalas, kangaroos and a crocodile.
• Views: A bushwalk to the top of Passage Peak has some of the best views in the Whitsundays, the site says.
• Golf: The Hamilton Island Golf Club has an 18-hole championship course on Dent Island. The course opened in August 2009.

Each round of golf includes a return ferry transfer and a two-seater buggy. Pick one or two big day trips and leave the other days free. Plan your main trip for one of your first days, which leaves a spare day if plans change.

Sources for this section: Hamilton Island, Great Barrier Reef, Scenic Flights, Whitehaven Beach, Nature and wildlife and Golf Club; Wikipedia, Hamilton Island (Queensland).

Planning your trip

Start with dates and group size, then choose the stay. The island's site highly recommends pre-booking as much as you can, such as tours, restaurants and buggy hire, so you do not miss out.

• Plan three nights for a short break, or five to seven for a reef day, a beach day and quiet days between.
• Think seaside and outdoors: the site suggests swimwear, a sunhat, sunscreen, sandals and comfortable walking shoes, plus a light jacket or cardigan for cool evenings.
• The weather page calls the weather mild all year, with average temperatures from 23C (July to September) to 30C (January to March).

Sources for this section: Hamilton Island, Before you arrive and Weather.