#beachsidemarket

[travelbugjourney-blog]

For those of you familiar with Australia and the route I have been taking since leaving Sydney, this next destination will come as a surprise. It actually happened just as fast in real life. One day I’m researching cheap ways to visit some islands on gumtree, and the next I’m booking a flight to Airlie Beach. I stumbled upon a sailing trip from Airlie down to Brisbane that cost $50 per day, all inclusive. With a rough timeframe of 2 weeks it would cost only double compared to just two day trips to different islands. Not only would I have food and accommodation, but also see more sites with less people around to ruin it. The experience of sailing for a longer time would also be priceless.

The town of Airlie Beach is a conglomeration of backpackers, tours, and yachties all waiting to head out to the Whitsundays. With this information in mind, you can imagine the layout of the town. There is very little besides accommodation, restaurants, bars, and travel agents with touts working the corners. It is nice to arrange your trip and then party, but there isn’t much else to do. The beach is mostly gravel, there are stingers in the water most of the year, and the lagoon is quaint. The two real attractions besides lounging in the sun, perhaps with a drink, are the beachside market and random camel rides along the beach. I guess you can’t expect more when the real highlights in the region lay just off shore.