Airlie Beach is the usually the stepping off point for the Whitsunday Islands and is the perfect base for exploring the region if you are not planning a stay on an island. Apart from its attraction as gateway to the Whitsundays, Airlie Beach is itself a cosmopolitan resort, with a palm fringed beach, relaxed tropical ambience, and the stinger free Airlie Lagoon. There is a huge range of accommodation, including luxurious resorts on the beach, apartments, bed and breakfasts, motels and campsites. Equally wide is the range of dining options, from award-winning restaurants to al fresco cafes and bars.

From Airlie Beach, there are numerous reef excursions as well as fishing, rainforest walks, scenic flights over the reef and much more. Although it is easy to think that the Whitsunday Coast is all about the reef, there is so much more to discover – the rainforest, one of the world’s oldest continually surviving, includes the Conway and Dryander National Parks, home to some unique flora and fauna, such as the Proserpine Rock Wallaby, orchids and enormous hardwoods.