One of the best & most BEA-UT locations on the East Coast >>> Just a 20-minute ferry ride over from the city of Townsville is the magical Magnetic Island and it’s definitely a spot you don’t want to miss! If full moon parties, wild koalas and 4×4 driving sounds right up your street then make sure you include Magnetic Island on your East Coast adventure!
- How to get there
- Where to stay
- What to do on the island
- AND of course… how to be cash savyy with our discounts.
Maggie Island tips INCOMING….
Click images to see more.
How do I get there?
It couldn’t be easier to get to Magnetic Island (Maggie Island) – both the Greyhound and Premier buses drop you right outside the ferry port in Townsville – from there it’s just a 20 minute ferry over to the Island.
Once at the ferry port you go into reception simply show your Base Maggie Island Travel Voucher. Simply show them an E-Copy of your voucher that we will send you directly to your email / FB messenger. Ferries run roughly every hour and take a swift 20 minutes to reach the island.
Once arrived, the easiest way to get to your accommodation is by bus, there is no need to pre-book and most rides won’t cost more than $2-$3 (TOP TIP: it’s handy to have some change on you!). I told you this was easy! If you’re not sure what bus to get just ask the driver they’ll be more than happy to help.
Where to stay?
There are two main hostels on the Island – Base and Bungalow Bay. Base is our favourite and we can’t recommend it highly enough. Forget all your standard Base hostels because this one is on a whole new level. The beach is literally on your doorstep there are hammocks to chill in and it hosts a Full Moon Party once a month. This is possibly the best hostel you’ll stay at on the East Coast.
The hostel is EPIC so we have struck up a deal with Base that actually makes it cheaper for you to book with us rather than booking the ferry and then the hostel separately…
The voucher is $118 and includes 2 nights accommodation, return ferry, 1 x dinner, 1 x breakfast & a cocktail on arrival… or if you fancy an extra night the same deal with an extra nights accomodation is $143.
NOTE: this is not a tour like Fraser or The Whitsundays it’s simply the cheapest way to book the hostel accomodation with the return ferry transfer included plus the extras listed above…
Super good value!
What can I do on the island?
So the big question, what can you do on the island and what are the best spots?
Rent a topless 4×4 and explore the island – This is EPIC fun and allows you to go off-road to places the buses can’t. If you’re a solo traveller try and find others to pair up with, so you can split the cost of the car and take turns driving. NOTE: You do not need to pre book this and you can do this when you are on the island. Prices range from $60 in low season (May – August) to $90 in peak season (September – April).
Girls you’re probably thinking but what about the classic Barbie car? Yes they’re great to look at, but just take note the you can not take these little bad boi’s off road >>> If thats more your style though – GO FOR IT… If you can’t find others to share a car with or if it’s out of your price range, then the bus is your best option. You can get an all-day pass for just over $7… the bus covers the main highlights.
Fort’s walk – If you’re eager to see wild koalas then this is the walk to do. Roughly an hour return this walk is suitable for anyone and is only up-hill near the end. Keep your eyes peeled and you should come across numerous koalas chilling out in the tree tops. Go right to the top and you’ll get some beautiful views of the island and bay’s.
Meet the wildlife…
Feed the Wild Wallabies at Alma Bay – Park up or get off at Arcadia and feed the wild wallabies at Alma Bay. The best times to go are early morning or late afternoon when it’s slightly cooler. You’ll be able to get an epic selfie and they’ll happily feed from your hand (note: they love banana skin!) This is also a good spot to watch the sunset.
Another great sunset lookout is at West Point – You will need a 4×4 to do this so if you do, make sure you time it right. Unfortunately, when I went the sunset was quite cloudy but it’s still a beautiful spot to visit. If you don’t have a car another great spot to watch the sunset is Hawkings Point which is about a 15-20 min walk from Base hostel.
Bungalow Bay Koala Sanctuary – There are three tours a day at 10am, 12pm and 2.30pm and I would highly recommend you pre-book as these are very popular! The tour lasts about two hours where you can hold numerous animals such as snakes, lizards, small salt-water crocodiles and of course the koala! You can also feed the lorikeets at 4pm free of charge!
Snorkelling – Take advantage of the cheap snorkel hire at Base. Then get yourself down to one of the many bay’s and take in the clear-blue oceans. One of the best spots to snorkel is Geoffrey Bay where a ship wreck called ‘the Moltke’ can be found. Other good spots are Arthur Bay and Florence Bay.
How many days should I stay?
It is possible to do Magnetic island in day, but we always recommend 2 to 3 nights to really get a full taste of this beautiful island. There are activities to do and places to see so 2-3 days will give you the time you need to see it all.
Some more EPIC tips for yaa….
- You catch the ferry over from Townsville
- The ferry terminal is right by the ferry port
- Make the most of our epic accommodation and transport backpacker deal….
- Get a crew together to rent one of the 4wd’s on the island!
About the Author: Sammy
with RatPack Travel?
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