Airlie Beach Travel Guide

Airlie Beach has become a magnet for backpackers of all ages on their pilgrimage north. But once you sight brilliant blue as the road sweeps past the new-look Abel Point Marina, you sense that there is something different, something fresh about the place. While some visitors choose to fly directly to the offshore islands, others prefer a mainland base like Airlie where they can enjoy some of the hundreds of day tours, sailing vacations, and reef and island experiences on offer in this aquatic playground. The Whitsundays is home to 74 tropical islands dotted in the warm waters of the Coral Sea. Seven of these islands have resorts that cater for family to romantic holidays, and many others are available for camping through Queensland National Parks.  Airlie Beach is a great base for any Whitsunday holiday.

Airlie Beach is the centre of the complex of islands, villages and resort towns that is the Whitsunday group. Located between Cannonvale and Shute Harbour, and ideally situated at the bottom of the Conway Ranges beside a beautiful tropical beach, it is 1135 km north of Brisbane and 26 km east of Proserpine. The centre of the Airlie Beach township is a myriad of gift shops, eating places ranging from fast foods to quality restaurants, pubs and bars, and shops catering for the needs of holiday makers. Located only a few metres from the beach the shopping centre has a holiday feel. The whole township has a distinctly tropical flavour.  

Queensland is notorious for its bedbug problem, and Airlie Beach is by far the worst affected place. I don't think there are many bug-free places in Airlie, but one way to check is: 1- Ask the staff about it. If they reply that they don't have any but don't seem to know too much about it or, worse if they say everyone has got them, stay away. 2-  Check the mattresses for brown spots, especially around the seams. 3- Avoid rooms with wooden furniture as bedbugs actually live in wood rather than mattresses.
If you got them, make sure your bags are left in a sealed plastic bag out in the sun all day, or washed at high temperatures in order to kill them and thus avoid them spreading.