Butterfly Bay
Best for. Sailors and charter guests who want a sheltered northern Hook Island anchorage with snorkelling on hand, and a quiet, protected night at the mooring.
Best spot. The coral bommies in the centre of the bay, easier to find on a lower tide, where the small reef fish gather.
Know this. The snorkelling here is uneven and can disappoint when the water is murky. For a surer reef, Cateran Bay or Chalkies are the better bet.
Butterfly Bay is a sailor's bay before it is a snorkeller's, and that distinction is the honest heart of the place. It sits on the northern side of Hook Island, tucked under steep, tree clad slopes that knock the gusts down and give good shelter from the prevailing south easterly wind, which is exactly why charters and bareboats love it as a calm overnight mooring. Drop onto a free mooring here, watch the light fade over the ridge, and you understand its reputation as one of the most restful anchorages in the northern islands. As a place to be on the water rather than beside it, it earns its following.
The snorkelling is where you should keep your expectations honest. The good coral lives on bommies out in the centre of the bay, and on a clear day with a lower tide they reward the swim, with soft corals and small reef fish to find. On other days the water is murkier and the coral feels patchy, and more than a few visitors come away wondering what the fuss was, since the bay does not always match its glossier descriptions. It is a perfectly nice snorkel when conditions line up and an underwhelming one when they do not, so we would not send you to the Whitsundays for Butterfly Bay alone. The bay is also exposed from the north, so its shelter is real only while the wind stays in the usual quarter.
So treat Butterfly Bay for what it genuinely is, a sheltered, characterful anchorage with snorkelling as a bonus rather than the headline. If you are sailing the northern islands it is a lovely, protected night and a pleasant morning swim when the water is kind. If your day is built around the best underwater life, point the bow at Cateran Bay on Border Island or Chalkies across from Whitehaven, both surer reefs. Come for the calm and the quiet, take the bommies on a good tide if the water is clear, and you will not be disappointed, as long as the snorkel was never the only reason you came.
No club, just the mooring
Butterfly Bay is protected national park with no venue ashore, and we never invent one. The luxury here is a well found boat on a quiet mooring, so we base you nearby and arrange the charter that sails the northern islands well.
There is no beach club at Butterfly Bay and there should not be, since the bay is uninhabited Hook Island inside the national park. We do not invent venues, prices or opening hours, so we will be plain that the comfort here is your boat on a free mooring beneath the slopes. What you are really paying for is shelter and quiet, a skipper who knows the northern Hook Island anchorages and the snorkelling tides, a protected night at anchor, and a calm morning swim when the water is clear. For that we base you on Hamilton Island, at Airlie Beach or aboard a charter, and arrange the private or small group day or overnight that takes in Butterfly Bay and the better reefs nearby. Tell us your dates and party size and we will set it up. The serviced beach clubs of the region sit elsewhere, and our Whitsundays guide covers them.
Hook Island, by boat
Butterfly Bay is reached only by water, on the northern side of Hook Island. Charters and bareboats from Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island use the northern bays, and some day and overnight tours include it, with free moorings provided. There is no public ferry or road to the bay, so your boat is your access and your base.
Aim for a lower tide and clear water for the bommies in the centre of the bay, and check the forecast, since the shelter holds while the wind stays in the south east but the bay is open to the north. Bring water, reef safe sun cover and a stinger suit in the warmer months. Heed any marine stinger advice and judge the sea yourself, as there is no lifeguard.
Photo: Alexey Lapkis via GoogleBook a beach club
Tell us your dates and party size and we will arrange the charter that sails the northern Hook Island anchorages, with a base on Hamilton Island or at Airlie Beach. We reply by email.
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Common questions about Butterfly Bay
Where is Butterfly Bay?
Butterfly Bay is a sheltered bay on the northern side of Hook Island in the Whitsundays, reached only by boat. It is a popular anchorage for charters and bareboats, with free moorings provided to protect the reef. Its steep, tree clad slopes give good shelter from the prevailing south easterly wind, which is much of why boats favour it.
Is Butterfly Bay good for snorkelling?
It can be, but it is uneven, so set expectations. The best coral sits on bommies in the centre of the bay, which are easier to find on a lower tide, and you will see small reef fish around them. On a good day with clear water it is rewarding, yet some visitors find the coral patchy and the visibility poor, so it does not always live up to its billing. Cateran Bay and Chalkies are usually the surer snorkels.
Why is it called Butterfly Bay?
The bay takes its name from the butterflies that can gather there at certain times of the year, which sometimes appear on the beach and around the slopes. Sightings depend on the season and conditions rather than being guaranteed, so treat them as a charming possibility rather than a certainty. The name suits the bay's quiet, sheltered character.
Can you anchor at Butterfly Bay?
Yes, it is one of the favoured northern Hook Island anchorages, with free moorings and a seabed of sand patches among coral. The steep slopes reduce gusts and give moderate shelter in south easterlies, though the bay is exposed from the north. Skippers choose it for protection and the snorkelling, and conditions are typical rather than guaranteed, so check the forecast for your dates.
How do you get to Butterfly Bay?
By boat only. Charters and bareboats from Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island reach the northern bays of Hook Island, and some day and overnight tours include it. There is no public ferry or road to the bay, so your vessel is your access and your base. A skipper who knows the northern anchorages makes the visit and the snorkelling timing straightforward.
