Whitehaven Beach is a beautiful 7 km stretch along Whitsunday Island in Queensland, Australia. The island is accessible by boat from the mainland tourist ports of Airlie Beach and Shute Harbour, as well as Hamilton Island. World renowned for its white sand beach, the sand consists of 98% pure silica which gives it its bright white color.

At the northern end of Whitehaven Beach is Hill Inlet (pictured above), a stunning cove where the tide shifts the sand and water to create a beautiful fusion of colours. As the tide shifts, the white silica sand and turquoise shades of the inlet blend seamlessly to create a breathtaking view of swirling Whitsunday colours.

According to the official Tourism Board for Whitsunday Island:

For the best view, journey to the lookout at Tongue Point on Whitsunday Island. Time your lookout experience on low tide to fully experience the beautiful fusion of colours that surface. For bareboats, the best spot to anchor is in Tongue Bay, and tender into the beach to commence the short walk up the hill to the lookout across Hill Inlet and Whitehaven Beach and back down the other side to secluded Betty’s Beach, at the tip of Hill Inlet.

 

The beach has been widely recognized and awarded. A few notable honours include:

– TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Beaches Awards 2013, No. 1 in Australia and No. 3 in the world (Source)
– CNN.com named world’s top eco-friendly beach – 2010
– Australian winner – Resource Recovery Award – 2009 National Clean Beach Awards
– North Queensland’s Cleanest Beach 2009
– Queensland’s Friendliest Beach 2009
– Queensland’s Cleanest Beach 2008
– Australia’s 20 Best Experiences – Island Experience – Whitsunday Islands