Magnetic Island – Maggie, as she’s affectionately called – is a top destination on the East Coast of Australia in Tropical North Queensland. This spectacular island, off the coast of Townsville, is a popular day trip option. But there’s certainly enough to spend a few days here – or even a week or longer! One of my friends went for a week and left three months later. It’s a beautiful and unique place to visit. Here are the best things you can’t miss on a three-day trip to Magnetic Island.
How to Get to Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island is easy to access from Townsville via the SeaLink ferry at Breakwater Terminal. If you’re planning on bringing a car over, make sure you book in advance with Magnetic Island Ferries. It’s not cheap – I chose not to bring my car over to the island, as a car booking includes up to five passengers but I had no one to split the cost with. The SeaLink passenger ferry takes about 30 minutes, while the vehicle ferry takes about one hour.
How to Get Around Magnetic Island
You can bring your own car over to Magnetic Island. As noted above, just be sure to book your ferry in advance. You could also rent a car on the island while you’re there. There are a number of outlets that will rent smaller “barbie cars” to get you around faster. I used public transportation, and did my entire trip to Magnetic Island using the buses. A one-way ticket on Magnetic Island costs $2.50, while an all-day bus ticket costs $4.80. You can only pay for the buses with cash, so if you are planning on using the buses on Magnetic Island be sure to get cash out beforehand!!
The Best Places to See on Magnetic Island
Being a tropical island, most of the top things to do on Magnetic Island are beaches, for swimming, snorkeling, and other water activities. If you’re only visiting for three days, I recommend spending one day at the northern beaches, a second day at Alma and Geoffrey Bays (and the Forts hike), and a third day in the southern areas.
Horseshoe Bay
This is a large beach at the northern part of Magnetic Island. The sunrises here are meant to be stunning! There are quite a few restaurants, bars, cafes, and businesses here – so it’s a great option to relax and spend the day with amenities close by.
Balding Bay
This is the nudist beach on Magnetic Island! Which I did not know before I went, haha. It’s only accessible by foot, on the trail between Horseshoe Bay and Florence Bay. It’s a bit of a climb down to get to the actual water, but your reward is a quiet and pristine beach.
Radical Bay
Another one of the stunning beaches on the northern part of Magnetic Island, Radical Bay is larger than Balding Bay. Note that you can’t drive here anymore – the road is not suitable for any vehicles, and is closed to all traffic.
Florence Bay
This is a top beach for snorkeling and relaxing. It’s a great spot to spend the day as there are toilets here! I just loved the big rocks surrounding the bay – so much of Magnetic Island reminded me of Northern Minnesota. I didn’t snorkel here due to the weather, but it’s recommended! There is no vehicle access here either – you’ll need to park near Arthur’s Bay and walk.
Arthur’s Bay
This was my favorite beach on Magnetic Island! The view from Arthur’s Bay Lookout, looking down over the sand, is perfect. The reefs here are great for snorkeling – and you don’t have to swim too far out to get there! I spent almost an entire day here and just loved it. Note that there are no toilets here.
Geoffrey Bay and Rock Wallabies
This is meant to be a top spot for snorkeling – there are shipwrecks here! – but it is dependent on the tide, and you’ll likely need to swim quite a ways out. But be sure to walk around the Old Arcadia Barge Jetty and spot the rock wallabies! These unique little creatures are pretty used to humans, so it’s fairly likely you’ll spot one. They are wild animals, however, and there is a sign asking visitors to not feed them. SO many people were feeding them when I went, and it made me uncomfortable. Please respect local wildlife by not feeding them.
Alma Bay
This is a great place to relax for the day, as it’s close to the resort and shops. I didn’t think the snorkeling here was all that great, but I didn’t have the best weather – so I might have just been unlucky. There are toilets here, and the beach is patrolled by lifeguards.
The Forts Hike (and Koalas!)
The Forts Hike is the number one hike to do on Magnetic Island, and with good reason. The trail takes you up to the World War II fortifications high up in the hills. You can explore these, and soak up the unbelievable views over the island. Best of all, this is one of the best places to spot koalas in the wild! I saw three when I went! I did the Forts Hike as part of a longer hike from the northern bays, but it’s 2km in total – I’d give yourself about 1 hour to do it.
After nine months in Australia, I think this was the best wild koala sighting that I’ve had yet.
Gubul Walking Track and Sphinx Lookout
Another popular hike on the island is between the Forts and Alma Bay. Head up into the bush and you’ll pass the turn-off to Sphinx Lookout. While I think the view from the Forts is better, I still thought Sphinx Lookout was worth stopping. You then drop down to Alma Bay and Arcadia. It took me about 30 minutes from the Forts junction to Sphinx Lookout, and then another half hour to reach Alma Bay – so plan on a minimum 1-hour hike, one-way.
Hawkings Point Walk and Lookout
This hike at Picnic Bay is a short 1.2-km return walk, with great views of Nelly Bay and Picnic Bay. This was the one part of Magnetic Island that I ran out of time to visit – I spent too much time swimming and snorkeling at other beaches!
West Point
This is the best sunset spot on the island! Unfortunately, it’s another place I missed. The road there is rough, so you’ll need your own 4WD to get there – rental vehicles are prohibited on the road. If you’re up for a long hike, it’s 16km total from Picnic Bay to West Point and back. It’d make a fantastic day hike!
There are so many other tours that you can do on Magnetic Island: snorkel tours, cruises, and more. Take a look at the below options for booking!
Planning Your Trip to Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island is – shocker – an island. There are no grocery stores on the island, besides the Foodworks at Nelly Bay. If you’re cooking for yourself and not wanting to eat out, bring all the food you need with you, or plan on stocking up in Nelly Bay. The closest airport to Magnetic Island is Townsville airport, although Cairns airport will have better options for international flights. I use Skyscanner to find the best flight deals. Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.
Where to Stay on Magnetic Island: Selina
I stayed at Selina Magnetic Island in a six-bed dorm for my three-night trip. This is a really great hostel, and I loved my stay here! The only drawback is that the site is huge, so it’s easy to get lost and turned around. Despite the pictures online, my room didn’t any lockers, which was disappointing. But the beds were comfy and the bathrooms were adequate – they also have private rooms, if you’re not wanting to share a room with others.
The best thing about Selina Magnetic Island, though, is the facilities. They had a great pool, a cafe/bar on site (including a free welcome drink my first night!), a large kitchen, and co-working spaces. They also offer regular events, like yoga classes and bird feeding – some of these are free, some have an extra cost. Be sure to check the event schedule when you check in! The location, close to Horseshoe Bay and with a bus stop right outside, was super convenient. This was my first experience at a Selina hostel, and I really enjoyed it.
If you’re after other accommodation options on Magnetic Island, I like the look of these places!
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- Budget: Nomads Magnetic Island – the other main hostel on the island, located near Nelly Bay
- Mid-range: Maggie A-Frame – an iconic A-frame guesthouse, which sleeps five
- Mid-range: Peppers Blue on Blue Resort – convenient location on Nelly Bay, plus two pools
- Luxury: Dacha on Maggie – a seven-bedroom property, perfect for luxe group stays
- Luxury: Lotus House – excellent choice for a secluded getaway, sleeping six
Magnetic Island was one of my favorite islands on the East Coast of Australia. It’s a classic stop on any road trip, and with good reason. From beautiful beaches to bush walks and incredible wildlife spotting opportunities, you’ll be busy here. I hope this guide helps planning your trip to Magnetic Island!
Have you visited Magnetic Island? What were your favorite places?
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Incredible Places You Must Visit on K’gari (Fraser Island)
Paradise on Earth: A Travel Guide to Great Keppel Island, Queensland
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All of my Australia posts!
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