When my best friend and I spent a week exploring Queensland‘s beautiful tropics, Hamilton Island was a firm must-see destination on our list. One of the few inhabited islands in the Whitsundays archipelago, Hamilton Island was a little out of our price range to stay on, so we stayed in a backpackers in Airlie Beach on the mainland. We visited Hamilton Island & Whitsunday Island on a day trip with Cruise Whitsundays.

I acknowledge the Ngaro people as the First Nations owners of the lands now recognised as The Whitsundays. I pay respect to their Elders, lores, customs and creation spirits. I recognise that these lands have always been places of great natural beauty, culture and community. 

Read more: Itinerary for one week in northern Queensland

Hamilton is popular with day-trippers and overnight guests alike, including the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Miranda Kerr and other A-listers who have stayed at Qualia Resort.

We hung around at the marina for lunch, where we were joined by a few inquisitive rainbow lorikeets.

The marina is cute but feels a little like Disneyland. I much preferred chilling out in the crystal clear, calm waters of Catseye Beach!

We spent most of our time in the calm, shallow waters at Catseye Beach. It is honestly one of my favourite beaches in the world, because of it’s unique setting surrounded by mountains blanketed in rainforest.

After losing my bikini bottoms in the surf earlier this year (yes, really, ugh), I also am super appreciative of the calm water at Catseye.

We ended our day back at the marina, with an included lunch at the tavern. Once again, we were joined by birdlife – but we had to keep a closer eye on this cheeky cockatoo, which was pinching food from unattended tables in the blink of an eye.

Have you been to Hamilton Island? What is your favourite island?