Airlie Beach

"Airlie Beach is small but mighty and similar to Rainbow Beach, it acts as the gateway to bigger and better things. In this case, it’s the gateway to the Whitsundays which is home to Whitehaven beach (but more about that in my Whitsundays section). Airlie honestly just has a good vibe to it. There’s not a whole lot to do there but I spent my days there catching up on some sleep after a crazy few days on Fraser and preparing for my Whitsundays trip. One big thing to note about Airlie and northern Queensland is stinger season. During the summer months, you cannot swim in the ocean without a stinger suit on because of jellyfish. Because of this, Airlie has a lagoon that overlooks the beach and is a great alternative to the beach. I stayed in Airlie for 2 nights before and 1 night after my Whitsunday tour and I thought that was the perfect time. While there, I stayed at Nomads x Base Hostel and don’t have many strong opinions about it. It’s absolutely massive and is a great location but Airlie is so small I don’t think you could have a bad location. The rooms were a good size but the general vibe of the hostel was just a little dingy and dirty. I know people that stayed at the YHA and had good things to say about it. "

"Airlie Beach downtown is basically one street, so it is a small town to visit. It is a typical place for backpackers to stopover, do activities and keep going, you'll find a lively atmosphere specially during Summer months. "

"As the gateway to the Whitsunday Islands and the Great Barrier Reef, Airlie Beach is the perfect base from which to explore. You can also snorkel, dive, beach hop, hike or chase waterfalls. "