Tips For First-Time Travellers to Hamilton Island
There is a free island shuttle
The shuttle operates between 6:50am and 11pm and makes a full loop around Hamilton Island. The shuttle is also available from Hamilton Island Airport (HTI) every 20 minutes during peak times.
Book your Great Barrier Reef tour early
Snorkelling and scuba diving trips on the reef can fill up in advance, particularly during high season. To avoid disappointment, plan to book your reef tour a couple of weeks before your flights to Hamilton Island.
Travel Hamilton Island in style by hiring a golf buggy
There are almost no motorised vehicles on the island, but visitors with flights to Hamilton Island are able to rent golf buggies to get around. Buggies can be rented to guests with return flights to Hamilton Island by the hour or by the day. Some Hamilton Island accommodations include use of a buggy in the rate.
Charge restaurant and bar bills back to your hotel
If you’ll be spending the day at the beach, you may not want to carry cash or bank cards with you. Instead, all of the restaurants and bars on Hamilton Island are able to charge your bill to your hotel, so you can pay when you are checking out after your return flights to Hamilton Island.
Top Experiences for Visitors with Flights to Hamilton Island
Snorkel or Dive
Most visitors book tickets to Hamilton Island to experience the Great Barrier Reef. Located in the heart of the Whitsundays, Hamilton Island offers direct access to the reef. You could book onto a tour or even snorkel off one of the island’s beaches, such as Cateye Beach. Top snorkel and dive spots to experience when you book cheap flights to Hamilton Island are Fairey Reef, Bait Reef, and Hook Island.
Whitehaven Beach
Whitehaven Beach is one of the most popular attractions to visit after arriving on cheap flights to Hamilton Island. The beach is located on Whitsunday Island, which is just beside Hamilton Island. Whitehaven Beach is stunning with vibrant white sand alongside turquoise coloured ocean. Tours to Whitehaven Beach are available from Hamilton Island.
Take a Scenic Flight
Between the islands and the Great Barrier Reef, the Whitsundays are stunning to see from above. Scenic flights are available to guests with return flights to Hamilton Island. If you take a flight over the Whitsundays, keep an eye out for Heart Reef; it’s become popular among tourists and can only be seen from above.
Go for a Hike
After spending some time at the beach and in the water, experience another side to Hamilton Island. There are some gorgeous hiking trails and coastal walks to enjoy when you book cheap flights to Hamilton Island. The different walks can provide you with views over the ocean and the neighbouring islands in the distance. Coastal walks on Hamilton Island are known to be especially scenic at sunset. Some hikes to enjoy when you book flights to Hamilton Island are Passage Peak, the South East Head Trail, Hideaway Bay, and Resort Lookout.
The Best Time to Visit with Flights to Hamilton Island
When booking your airfare to Hamilton Island, be aware if you’ll be visiting during stinger season. Between October and May each year, jellyfish become much more common in the water around the Whitsundays. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t go in the water. If you book flights to Hamilton Island during stinger season, make sure you wear a stinger suit while snorkelling or taking part in any water activities.
The summer months are the wet season in Hamilton Island. While you may experience some rain showers if you book tickets to Hamilton Island during this time of the year, you’ll still be able to get out in the water to enjoy your time in the Whitsundays. The summer is hot and humid with daytime temperatures of about 29°C. Alternatively, winter is the driest season to book an airfare to Hamilton Island. Winter can get busy with tourists, but the weather is perfect with low humidity and temperatures of about 23 to 25°C.
Many people who know the Whitsundays well consider September as the best time to visit. September is during the shoulder season, so tourist numbers aren’t too high and hotel prices are affordable. September also experiences beautiful weather and is outside of Hamilton Island’s stinger season.