Bowen to Airlie Beach: Distance, driving time & road trip stops

The Bowen to Airlie Beach drive covers an 80km distance, with a driving time of around 1h3m. The main stop to consider adding to a road trip itinerary is Cape Gloucester.

The Bowen to Airlie Beach drive connects two of the main towns in the Whitsundays region of Queensland. It’s not a long drive by Australian standards, but there are a few road trip attractions you can stop at along the way.

Get the best Whitsundays cruise deals

Airlie Beach brings Whitsunday Islands sailing and snorkelling cruises, coral and marine life viewing from a glass-bottom boat and day cruises to the staggering white sands of Whitehaven Beach. To explore the full range of Airlie Beach tours and experiences, investigate here. For Airlie Beach accommodation bargains, look here.

9 memory-making Airlie Beach experiences to add to your visit

Whitehaven Beach day cruise – with plenty of snorkelling thrown in.
Glass bottom boat tour – see coral and marine life without getting wet.
Heart Reef flight – see the islands and Great Barrier Reef from above before flying over Australia’s famous heart-shaped island.
Proserpine River crocodile safari – see the big crocs from a boat.
Whitsundays sunset cruise – with free snacks and sparkling wine.
Sailing on the Camira – glide around the Whitsunday Islands under sail.
Whizz around the islands on a guided jetski tour.
Waterfall explorer day tour – with swimming in Hinterland rock pools.
Enjoy high speed thrills on a jet boat ride.

Bowen to Airlie Beach distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Bowen to Airlie Beach is 80km. You can expect a driving time of around one hour and three minutes.

Where to stay in Bowen

The best Bowen accommodation choices are:

For families: Queens Beach Tourist Village.
For great value apartments with kitchens: Palm View Holiday Apartments.
For Horseshoe Bay beachside location: Horseshoe Bay Resort.
For central location, free parking and kitchenettes: Port Denison Motor Inn.

Leaving Bowen, the drive to Airlie Beach passes the Big Mango – one of Australia’s roadside Big Things. After that, the drive down the Bruce Highway is pretty rural, and the main potential road trip detour comes just north of Myrtlevale.

Bowen to Airlie Beach road trip: Cape Gloucester

Cape Gloucester is essentially what the Whitsunday Coast was like before Airlie Beach exploded in popularity. The neighbouring villages of Dingo Beach and Hideaway Bay don’t offer an awful lot besides a beach, but that’s precisely the point. These are laid-back, quiet beach getaways.

Which Whitsundays cruise should I choose?

For those with limited time: Whitehaven Beach half day tour.
For the highlights reel: Whitehaven Beach and Hamilton Island day trip.
To see the reef two ways: High speed Whitsundays cruise plus scenic reef flight combo.
For romance, sparkling wine and sunset under sail: Multi-beach and reef Lady Enid cruise.
To see several islands: Sailing and snorkelling adventure.
For an overnight sailing adventure: Matador two day yacht cruise.

Bowen to Airlie Beach drive: Leaving the Bruce Highway

Whether you want to go to Cape Gloucester or not, you’ll come off the Bruce Highway just north of Myrtlevale on Gregory Cannon Valley Road. This cuts across to Shute Harbour Road, which enters Airlie Beach through Cannonvale.

Things to do in Airlie Beach include a Whitsundays kayaking tour, glass bottom boat cruises, swimming in the Airlie Beach Lagoon, helicopter tours and getting the ferry to Hamilton Island or Daydream Island.