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Australia is known for its otherworldly pristine beaches, and Whitehaven Beach may be the best of them all. Located in the center of the Great Barrier Reef, Whitehaven Beach stretches 7 km (4.3 miles) along Whitsunday Island, the largest of the 74 Whitsundays. Whitehaven beach has been awarded for being Queensland's cleanest beach, and the top eco-friendly beach by CNN. Smoking and dogs are prohibited on the beach, and its isolated location means that it is far from pollution and habitation.
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Whitehaven Beach exists the way god intended beaches to exist - that is, with impossibly white sand and crystal clear turquoise water. Its sand is made from 98.9% pure silica, which is formed from eroded quartz and is incredibly fine to touch. Its texture is so fine it actually polishes your jewelry, and it doesn't retain any heat, so you won't have trouble walking on it in the hottest days of summer (and it's always summer in Northern Queensland with an average all-year temperature of 27.4 degrees Celsius or 81 degrees Fahrenheit).
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Getting to Whitehaven Beach is as much of an adventure as spending time there is. The closest mainland town is Airlie Beach, and from there you have a number of options for getting to Whitehaven Beach.
You can rent (and drive) your own boat, hop on a luxurious crewed yacht and enjoy fine dining and a comfortable sleep aboard, take one of many guided day tours, or take a scenic helicopter, sea plane or light aircraft to the beach and the surrounding islands. If camping is your thing, there are a few designated camping areas on Whitehaven Beach which you'll have to plan in advance (as the area is a national park, in which camping is usually prohibited).
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The best activity to do on the beach (other than swimming and lying on the pristine sand) is to explore the bush (the Australian word for forest) on the island. There are a number of scenic walks which will take you to lookout points, giving you an unbelievable view of the beach and surrounding islands. Make your way to Hill Inlet Lookout on one end of the beach, and Chance Bay on the other end. Don't forget to take in the flora and fauna native to Australia, including wallabies (miniature kangaroos), goannas, humpback whales, green sea turtles and tropical birds (including the famous laughing kookaburra).
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Grab your bathing suit and book a ticket to Australia, because if you're looking for a truly secluded beach getaway, Whitehaven Beach is as good as it gets.
Secluded Beaches Around the World: Whitehaven Beach, Australia
Picture this scenario: you're on a vacation and want to have a peaceful day on a beautiful, deserted beach. Just you, the book you're reading and the water. You pack your bag and make the journey to the beach, only to find that there's barely a square of free sand between the loud families and tourists who had the same idea as you. If you're tired of being the last to find out that your beach destination is far from being secluded or quiet, we've found the best beaches in the world that really are isolated. So isolated that they're only accessible by water or air.
Next, check out Brazil's most stunning secluded beach, Baia do Sancho. Or just go ahead and check out the twelve best remote beaches in the world.
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