Brilliant Coastal Hot Spots within the northern region of the Whitsundays

 

 

Bowen is probably best known for its mangoes, and, in particular, the notable tourist attraction of the ‘Big Mango’. However, while most tourists stop there for the obligatory photograph, many are seemingly oblivious to the beautiful Bowen Beaches they can also check out.

This fabulous region, on the north-eastern coast in North Queensland, is part of The Whitsundays and has an inviting coastline, which you can fully appreciate at six different destinations.

At all of them, you’ll find pristine and isolated sandy beaches, the shimmering, crystal clear waters of the Coral Sea, and fringing Coral reefs that lie tantalisingly offshore.

What makes these Bowen beaches so appealing is that they have all the charm of the other Whitsunday Island coastal areas, but with the convenience of being on the mainland. It also boasts a uniqueness in that between them, at least one faces to the north, east, south and west.

Here is some more information about them all.

 

Best Bowen Beaches

If you are planning a visit to the northern Whitsunday region, you’ll find most of the best Bowen beaches are situated around Cape Edgecumbe.

This area is just a 5 minute drive from the CBD and defined by its massive granite boulders and stunning landscape.

It also accommodates the Cape Edgecumbe Walking Trail which starts at Horseshoe Bay and connects all the bays and beaches on a 2.5 km track. This makes it one of Queensland’s best coastal walks.

Here are the Bowen beaches you will see whilst traversing it.

 

Horseshoe Bay Beach

As well as being the start of the Cape Edgecumbe Walking Trail, beautiful Horseshoe Bay is also one of the most well known of all Bowen Beaches.

Thanks to the fringing coral gardens that reside just off shore, this beach is a great one to go swimming, snorkelling or diving because not only will you see lots of stunning brightly coloured fish, but also the superb Bywa underwater sculpture. This is now considered a major highlight on the Whitsundays Ngaro underwater marine sculpture trail.

At only 100 metres in length, the beach might be small, but it is a terrific spot for kayaking and SUP. You can also enjoy a fabulous meal at the Horseshoe Bay Cafe, which is open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner and is situated directly on the sand.

Consider staying overnight at the Whitsundays Sands Resort or the Horseshoe Bay Resort and Caravan Park. Both of which offer a wide range of holiday accommodation options to suit all budgets and preferences and close proximity to all Bowen beaches.

 

 

Grays Bay

Situated adjacent to Horseshoe Bay is the stunning Grays Bay. What you’ll immediately notice about this most idyllic of Bowen beaches is the vivid colour of the Coral Sea, which seems a particularly comely shade of blue.

As it is well protected, the water here is quite calm, which makes for good conditions to enjoy SUP and kayaking. It is also notable for being a fantastic place to watch the sunset, and one of the few destinations on Australia’s east coast where you can actually watch the sun setting over the sea.

If this is something you want to witness, head over to the grassy lawns that flank the entrance to the Whitsunday Sands Resort or perch yourself on top of the brace of massive granite boulders that are situated outside the front of the Coral Cove apartments.

Both are excellent places to stay at during your time at the beach, but if you make a reservation at The Whitsundays Sands Resort, you’ll be able to hire kayaks and venture out into the bay where there is a distinct possibility of spotting a turtle. There is also the fabulous Spice and Pepper Authentic Indian Restaurant which not only serves up delicious food, but also delivers it straight to your room!

For those who are staying there but want to visit the beach, there are several car parking spaces on offer at the Grays Bay boat ramp.

 

Murrays Bay

There is a good chance you might be the only person at Murrays Bay on account of it being one of the most secluded Bowen beaches in the area.

To get to it, you can either walk there directly from Horseshoe Bay via the Cape Edgecumbe Walking Trail, which should take you about 20-minutes to complete, although maybe longer if you stop to take in the fantastic views of the islands and Bay. Alternatively, you can drive to a fairly concealed track where you can make your way down to it.

One of the first things you will notice when you get to the beach is its stunning mountainside backdrop, which features massive granite boulders that contrast perfectly with the palm tree lined sand. It is such an impressive site that you will want to take lots of photos.

Directly overlooking Murrays Bay from the Cape Edgecumbe Walking Trail is the fascinating lookout for the World War II radar site, which is well worth checking out. If you drove to the beach, you can do this by walking to the northern end of it and ascend the staircase that comprises part of the Cape Edgecumbe Walking Trail.

However, if you would prefer to explore the fringing reef, you can choose instead to snorkel around the bay.

 

Rose Bay

All the Bowen beaches make good destinations to watch the sunrise, but arguably east facing Rose Bay is the best of them.

There is no better way to start the day than sitting on the sand and observing its gently ascent, other than maybe from your own private balcony at the resort which is situated directly off the sand. You’ll get great photos from either.

For those wanting to visit all the beaches around Cape Edgecumbe, you’ll find plenty of parking spaces available here, which is handy if you are bringing a cabana or other beach equipment with you.

Whilst a Rose Bay, you should take the opportunity to see the view from the Mother Beddock lookout. Best tackled during the early morning or late afternoon, it will take you about one kilometre walk to the top.

However, once there, you’ll see a gigantic balancing boulder – referred to as Mother Beddock – which will certainly pique your interest.

 

Kings Beach

After you have visited Rose Bay, the next of the Bowen beaches you will get to is Kings Beach. Given the size of the other beaches on the trail, you might be quite surprised at how long this one extends for – leading all the way to Flagstaff Hill.

While you can access the beach from several points, most people get to it from Rose Bay Road, which is the first one you come to at its northern end. However, if you are driving a 4WD, you should take the second one, which is a dirt track that runs just off Queens Road.

For those who enjoy fishing, make your way over to the third one, which is a bitumen road that runs off far from Flagstaff Hill at Peter Wyche Drive. It is a top spot among all Bowen beaches for fishing and you’ll find several parking spaces here.

 

Queens Beach

At 5 km, Queens Beach is the longest of all Bowen beaches and it is also one of the most lively.

Near it you will find a golf course, Sunday markets, a children’s playground and numerous caravan parks, including the NRMA Bowen Beachfront Holiday Park. So, as you can imagine it is a very popular and family-friendly spot.

The white sand is very attractive to walk on, and swimming is also quite enjoyable here.