Seven kilometres of almost pure silica sand, so white it squeaks underfoot and never gets hot. Whitehaven is reachable only by boat, seaplane or helicopter from Airlie Beach or Hamilton Island, and the swirling sandbanks of Hill Inlet at its northern end are one of the planet's great aerial views. Visit between June and October for dry-season sunshine and stinger-free swimming.
Featured in Ten far-flung beaches worth the long-haul flight · Beach