Skip to content
LarkTours

Routes · Oceania

Irkutsk to Queensland: Airlie Beach and the Whitsunday Islands

Irkutsk → Airlie Beach → Whitsunday Islands

Airlie Beach
"Airlie_Beach_is_a_departure_point_for_the_Great_Barrier_Reef.jpg" by Richard N Horne, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence
ProserpineAerialAug2017 (Proserpine)
Photo: Daryl Jones Corporate Photographer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Reef, islands & white sand Best season (general guide): May–Oct

The Whitsunday Islands lie off the Queensland coast inside the Great Barrier Reef, which UNESCO lists. This route spends three nights in Airlie Beach and two on a sailing trip through the islands. From Irkutsk you'll connect through Asia and Brisbane.

How to pace it: Spend days one to three in Airlie Beach: day one, the lagoon; day two, reef day trip; day three, free day or scenic flight over Heart Reef. Then spend days four and five in the Whitsunday Islands: day four, sail into the islands, then Whitehaven Beach; day five, Hill Inlet and snorkelling.

Airlie Beach is the main gateway to the islands. It has a free swimming lagoon by the sea and a busy harbour. Day trips go to the outer reef for snorkelling, and scenic flights pass over Heart Reef, a heart-shaped coral formation.

Most of the islands are national park. Whitehaven Beach is famous for its very fine, white silica sand. At Hill Inlet, at the northern end of the beach, the tide swirls sand and water into patterns best seen from the lookout.

Sailing trips with a night or two on board allow you to explore quieter bays and snorkel on fringing reefs.

May to October is the most comfortable time. Stinger season, when dangerous jellyfish are present, usually runs from November to May, so wear a stinger suit when swimming.

Airlie Beach has plenty of restaurants and bars along the main street, and evening markets on some days sell local food and crafts. Bushwalks in Conway National Park, behind the town, offer views over the islands. On a sailing trip, nights are spent at anchor in sheltered bays, with clear skies for stargazing. Day trips by fast catamaran are an alternative if you prefer to sleep on land.

Good to know: Book sailing trips ahead in school holidays, choose an operator with eco-certification, and use reef-safe sunscreen.

Pack a hat, a rash vest and plenty of water for days on deck.

Check the forecast before booking, as strong winds can cancel trips.

Suggested outline

  1. Irkutsk

    Start

  2. Airlie Beach

    By air · 3 nights suggested

    Gateway to the Whitsundays, with a lagoon pool and harbour.

  3. Whitsunday Islands

    By boat · 2 nights suggested

    Whitehaven Beach, Hill Inlet and reef snorkelling on a sailing trip.

    Whitehaven Beach
    "Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island, Queensland.jpg" by Slug69, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence

Day by day

  1. Day 1 · Airlie Beach — Arrive; the lagoon· Irkutsk → Proserpine (by air) — long-haul; may arrive the next calendar day, then Proserpine → Airlie Beach (overland)
  2. Day 2 · Airlie Beach — Reef day trip
  3. Day 3 · Airlie Beach — Free day or scenic flight over Heart Reef
  4. Day 4 · Whitsunday Islands — Sail into the islands; Whitehaven Beach· Airlie Beach → Whitsunday Islands (by boat)
  5. Day 5 · Whitsunday Islands — Hill Inlet and snorkelling
  6. Day 6 · Whitsunday Islands — Travel home from Whitsunday Islands· Whitsunday Islands → Proserpine (by boat), then Proserpine → Irkutsk (by air)

A suggested pace only; expedition days are set by the operator.

Flights, leg by leg

Each button opens a live, dated search. We don't show stored fares here: check today's price on the booking site.

Showing dates about a month ahead — change them when you search.

Airlie Beach

Nearest airport: Proserpine Search fares · Proserpine ↗

Partner links may earn LarkTours a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, availability and terms are set by each partner.