Gap Year in the Whitsundays
Want to spend your gap year somewhere entirely unique? How about an island chain best known for luxury resorts, crystal blue waters, sunny beaches, and miles and miles of uninhabited national park land? Sounds like the Whitsundays might be the perfect place to consider, in that case.
Here, we’re going to look at what you can look forward to during your stay at the Whitsundays, 74 islands off the Queensland Coast dotted across the Great Barrier Reef.
Don’t skip Whitehaven
The most popular beach in all the Whitsundays, and one of the famous beaches in all of Australia. As the name suggests, the sand here is a brilliant, pure white that stays cool even on the hottest days. At 7 km long, it’s rarely too crowded so you hang with the crowds if you like or find a nice, secluded spot to sunbathe.
Take in the green at Hill Inlet
An amazing display of Whitehaven’s turquoise waters mixing over shelves of white sand creates Hill Inlet, a place that has to be seen to be believed. The mix creates bright jade waters with waves of white dotted throughout that will simply mesmerise you. Bring the cameras for this one, folks.
Chillax at the Lagoon
Not every water park has to be some gated off luxury community. When the people of the Whitsundays need to cool off, it’s the Airlie Beach Lagoon that they flock to. Enjoy the sun on the dewy grassy hills overlooking the park, hop into the swimming pool, or grab a plate and enjoy some BBQ on the weekends. As the social heart of Airlie Beach, it’s the perfect place to meet gappers, tourists, and locals alike to swap stories.
Check out the falls
If you’re looking for a water park a little more on the natural side, then the Cedar Creek Falls might just be the place to hang out. Tucked away amongst a natural rock amphitheatre, there’s an almost mystical echo ever present in the air, with the lulling rush of the waterfall easily making it one of the most zen places to chill. Bring a pair of swimmers and closed-in shoes and you can even go swimming beneath the falls.
Set sail for adventure
You might think that sailing is solely the providence of those who have the budget to afford it but the Whitsundays Sailing Club shows that’s not necessarily true. The Twilight Yacht Racing takes place every Wednesday and is completely free to try out. Just don’t expect a pleasure cruise, you’ll be taking orders from the captain and helping out on deck just like everyone else!
Check out the Great Barrier Reef
Given that the Whitsundays are right in the middle of one of the most treasured natural sites in the world, we couldn’t help but mention it, right? There are a lot of different areas to explore the reef from, many of them costing little to see the best parts up close and a few free areas to overlook it from, too. Preserving the Reef has become a major focus for the locals of the Whitsundays, so if you want to do your part, consider volunteering some of your free time to help them clean it up, as well.
Say g’day at the beach markets
Want to live like the locals? You’ll find them all at the Airlie Beach Markets, very much a heart of the Airlie Beach community. Not only is a great place to stock up on fresh local product and fish, but you might even pick up a souvenir from the crafts, flowers, and gifts present every week.
Take a hike at Hamilton Island
If you can find the time and bring the pocket money for an island excursion, then Hamilton Island is perfect the most beautiful of all the tourist-friendly islands in the chain. Not only does it offer much closer views of the reef than Airlie Beach, but it’s full of lush, tropical life. If you’re looking for something that gets your blood pumping, then challenge Passage Peak, a tough, but rather short 45-minute climb that offers a view of the islands that’s hard to find anywhere else.
When you take a gap year at the Whitsundays, expect to play just as hard as you hard. The islands never stop offering new things to explore, so your time is never going to be wasted here. At Letz Live, we offer post school options that put you in the best place to work to your strengths and to enjoy the beauties of Australia while you’re at it.
