Everything you need to know about camping on Whitehaven Beach!

Whitehaven Beach is probably one of the most famous beaches in the world. With its perfect combination of pure white silica sand and turquoise blue ocean, it is hard to find a more idyllic beach. It is a bucket list destination for all travellers in Australia, but most people don’t get to experience it to its full potential. Day trips and sailing tours take you to Whitehaven Beach for a couple of hours, but those few hours don’t do it justice. The best way to experience this destination is to stay overnight. Although with no accommodation available, you’ll have to camp! Find out everything you can do while camping on Whitehaven beach in this travel guide about Whitehaven Beach.

How to get to Whitehaven Beach:

While plenty of day trips and sailing tours take you to Whitehaven Beach for a couple of hours, the best way to experience this beach is to camp here. Now, we know if you don’t have a boat, that sounds pretty hard, but it isn’t, thanks to a company named Scamper! Scamper is the only transfer company currently operating in the Whitsundays, connecting Shute Harbour to the Whitsunday Islands in an affordable way. Check out our complete guide about camping on the Whitsundays to learn about available options.

The ultimate guide to camping on the Whitsundays!

Best things to do on Whitehaven Beach:

Snorkle and swim:

Nothing is more inviting than that stunning blue ocean, especially when the sun glows down. Moreover, being in the Great Barrier Reef area, the marine life around the beach is incredible, especially down at Chance Bay, just a short walk away. Close to offshore from Chance Bay is a fringing reef, a water adventure paradise. Although also on Whitehaven beach, close to the rocks at the campsite, you’ll find some amazing marine life in the shallow waters.

Walk to Hill Inlet at low tide:

Hill Inlet is synonymous with Whitehaven Beach, meaning you cannot visit Whitehaven Beach without seeing the inlet. The 7km walk along the beach from the campsite is well worth it, as long as you go at low tide. You cannot cross to the other side with the lookout unless it is low tide, so check before you head out!

Yentl walking on Whitehaven — Shell on Whitehaven beach

South Whitehaven Beach Lookout:

The South Whitehaven Beach Lookout is the perfect photo opportunity to capture some of the majesties of the Whitsundays. It is approximately 1km from the campsite and is a moderate trail with some stairs. Trust me; the views are well worth the effort! The route takes you through native Australian bushland and local rainforest and opens up to one of the most breathtaking views you will ever experience. You can also get one reception bar here, so if you have an emergency while camping on the island, you can make emergency phone calls if you do not have a PLB (personal location broadcaster) or satellite phone.

South Whithaven Lookout — South Whitehaven Lookout

Chance Bay hike:

Only 2.6km from Whitehaven beach, Chance Bay is highly underrated. The hike itself to the bay is pretty easy, although, in some parts, some extra signage would have been helpful. Walk through gorgeous native bushlands on the trail, and watch for some wildlife! As stated above, accessible straight off the coast is a beautiful fringing reef, so make sure to bring your snorkel on the walk!

Sit, relax and enjoy the sunset:

The best thing about camping on Whitehaven Beach is the evening. Once all the day tours and sailing boat leaves, this beach is all yours. With no people crowding the beach, you will have the best position to sit and watch the sunset. It feels surreal and very calming after such a busy day. Ensure to bring some wine and snacks down to get into your relaxing mode!

Our experience camping on Whitehaven Beach

On our trip up the Australian East Coast, from Melbourne to Darwin and everywhere in between, we didn’t have anything planned. Although, since it was Yentl’s second time on the east coast, he said he wanted to do everything better than the first time. So, when I started to look for day trips to the Whitsundays, Yentl said he had already done that. When I asked how else we would go, he said by camping. That’s where we gathered all the information needed for an unforgettable trip. It was a super exciting experience and did live up to our expectations!

After two nights on South Molle Island, we went to Whitehaven Beach for three nights of camping. Arriving around 10 am, we arrived just before all the day tours came, and it was spectacular. Seeing the blinding white sand in real life was like nothing I had seen before. However, not long after we had set up, all the tours rolled in, and the beach got pretty crowded. It didn’t deter us, though, as we explored everything around the beach! Once 5 pm came, all the tours had left, and it was just us and ten other campers on the most famous beach in the world. Yentl has previously done a day tour to Whitehaven and Hill Inlet, but 100% agree that camping is the best way to experience Whitehaven Beach and the Whitsundays. We cannot recommend camping here enough just for that feeling.

Our three days here were filled with swimming, snorkelling, hiking and book reading, and we would not have had it any other way.