Top 10 Things to do in Bowen, Queensland

Introduction to Bowen

Bowen is a small coastal town in northern Queensland, part of the Whitsundays region. Known as the ‘top of the Whitsundays’, it is located north of the region’s unofficial hub, Airlie Beach. It is a much quieter, laidback town than bustling Airlie Beach. Bowen is a popular stop for grey nomads on their east coast road trip. But sadly it is often overlooked by other visitors to Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays.

🚘 It takes about one hour to drive from Airlie Beach to Bowen. If you need to hire a car in Airlie Beach, search for one here

Like Airlie Beach and the entire Whitsundays region, Bowen is blessed with beautiful weather year-round. This is perfect, as the town is known for its beautiful bays and fringing reef. However, you should be aware that the locals often refer to Bowen as ‘blowen Bowen’, so expect some winds!

We visited Bowen on a day trip from Airlie Beach, and as soon as we arrived we wished we had planned to stay here longer. It is the perfect place to have a ‘holiday from your holiday’. The vibe was much slower and relaxed, and we could have easily spent a few days chilling out on the beautiful beaches.

1. Visit the Big Mango

No list of things to do in Bowen is complete without mention of the Big Mango! One of Australia’s random ‘big things’, the Big Mango is worthy of a photo stop on your way into Bowen. Bowen is considered the mango capital of Australia. The mangoes grown in Bowen are more commonly known as Kensington Pride (AKA the best mangoes ever!). Besides getting a selfie in front of the large fruit, you can buy a 100% pure mango sorbet from the Visitor Information Centre. This has got to be the most delicious sorbet we’ve ever had, worth every cent of the $6 it cost.

2. Swim and snorkel at Horseshoe Bay

Bowen is home to eight different bays and beaches, but I think Horseshoe Bay takes out the prize for the first spot! We’re not the only ones who think so, as Horseshoe Bay has been voted as one of Australia’s best beaches.

Sheltered between two rocky outcrops, this small beach is lined with palm trees and the water was so blue and clear. This was definitely the most beautiful beach we visited in the Whitsundays. You can snorkel right off the beach here on the fringing reef. Top tip: bring your own snorkels with you. Horseshoe Bay Resort, just behind the beach, used to rent out masks and fins, but due to COVID, they have stopped doing that.

3. Cape Edgecumbe walking trail

This trail is 2.5 km one way, and it connects Horsehoe Bay, Murray Bay and Rose Bay. You can enter the trail from any of the bays, and choose to walk the entire circuit or just part of it. The trail passes beautiful lookouts, stunning bays, and local landmark Mother Beddock. This enormous boulder is balanced precariously on a rocky outcrop and can be seen from many spots throughout Bowen.

4. Fish and chips at Bird’s Fish Bar

No visit to Bowen is complete without fish and chips at Bird’s Fish Bar! Nestled waterfront in the Bowen Marina, seafood doesn’t get much fresher than this! From the outside, this place looks like an unassuming fish and chip shop. But once you get onto the outdoor patio, it is gorgeous! Colourful flowers, murals painted on the walls and a funky neon sign create a great atmosphere to enjoy some delicious seafood with an ocean view! We went for a fisherman’s basket to share between the two of us, which completely filled us for just $32.

5. Flagstaff Hill lookout

For 360-degree views of Bowen, head up Flagstaff Hill! You can drive all the way to the top of this lookout (no hard walk required!), with a large car park at the top. In 2017, Cyclone Debbie sadly destroyed a cafe that used to be on top of the hill. However, construction is currently underway on a new building, which will contain a cafe, tourist information, and floor to ceiling glass windows. This is expected to be complete in late October 2021.

🏝️ Looking for things to do in Airlie Beach? Check out our complete guide on things to do, day tours and where to stay here

6. Explore the other bays and beaches

Okay, I know I have already mentioned a few of Bowen’s bays and beaches, but there are a total of eight around the area. And all are worth exploring! Each beach is good for different things, and in different conditions, so below is a quick rundown of them all, from south to north.

• Front Beach / Bowen Foreshore – this area is best for its grassy foreshore area, and not the beach as such. It can be windy here, and is a good spot for kite surfing and other water sports.
• Kings Beach – long open, sandy beach. Is a dog-friendly beach, can be quite windy but usually very quiet.
• Rose Bay – a beautiful sandy beach, great for swimming and snorkelling. Stunning views of Mother Beddock and Gloucester Island in the distance. Best in northerly winds.
• Murray Bay – one of the more secluded and quiet bays. Access is down a narrow track, and it has a very tropical feel. Sheltered from most winds, a great spot for swimming and snorkelling.
• Horeshoe Bay – as mentioned, one of the most picturesque beaches, great for swimming and snorkelling. Best in northerly winds.
• Coral Bay – a very hidden little bay, this is Bowen’s only nudist beach.
• Grays Bay – there is a boat ramp here, popular for jet skis, SUPS and other watersports. Best in south-east winds.
• Queens Beach – the longest stretch of sand in Bowen, with 5 km of beachfront. There are BBQs dotted along the foreshore, and walking and cycling tracks. Best in south-east winds.

7. Relax on the foreshore

Also referred to as Front Beach, the foreshore area is the perfect spot for a picnic or BBQ. There are plenty of sheltered areas, tables, BBQs, toilets, a playground and waterpark, and beautiful lawns shaded by palm trees. This would be the perfect spot to pull up your van or caravan and have a cuppa or cook up some lunch. You will also find a smaller replica of Big Mango here. The 800 m long Bowen Jetty is just up the road, where you can walk out and look for marine life in the waters below.

8. Find the murals around town

There are 28 murals adorning buildings around Bowen, telling the story of the town and its history, culture, wildlife and community. Tourism Bowen has a handy map of the paintings you can pick up from the Visitor Information Centre at the Big Mango. Another artwork you are unlikely to miss is the two huge water tanks sitting on a hill above the town. Decorated with whales, turtles, cockatoos and more, you can drive up Tynwald Avenue to get a closer look.

9. Sunset from Grays Bay

There aren’t too many places on Australia’s east coast where you can watch the sunset over the water. But Grays Bay is one of them! Orientated west, this is the perfect spot to pull up a chair or lay down a rug and enjoy the sun’s daily show.

10. Walk to the Lighthouse

A couple of times a year, during the winter months (June – August), the tides in Bowen are so low that it is possible to walk out to the Bowen Lighthouse on North Head Island. Each year in Bowen, there is a formal Walk to the Lighthouse event, held when the tide is lowest.

The event draws Groups of walkers head into the bay and walk through shallow waters leading to a sandbar all the way to the island. The highlight of the experience is spotting marine life in the shallows.

Bowen is home to giant red starfish, which you can spot all over the bay. Keep your eyes peeled for turtles, sea cucumbers and urchins too. Back on dry land, there is plenty of festivities post-walk. To check the dates of the annual Walk to the Lighthouse event, head to the Tourism Bowen website here.

Where to stay in Bowen

Although we didn’t stay in Bowen, we wish that we did! There were a few spots we came across around the area that we would have loved to spend a night or two at here. When we go back, here’s where we would stay!

NRMA Bowen Beachfront Holiday Park

If you have a van, caravan or tent, I don’t think you could choose a better spot to park up! Beachfront sites overlooking the beautiful Queens Bay. It doesn’t get much more relaxing than that.

🏩 Check Prices and Book NRMA Bowen Here

Horseshoe Bay Resort

Part caravan park, part laidback beach resort, this little gem is right on the shores of the beautiful Horseshoe Bay. They have the funkiest little beach huts, each painted a bright colour with views over the bay. There is also the Horseshoe Bay Cafe right next door, which looked great for a meal.

🏩 Check Prices and Book Horseshoe Bay Resort Here

Rose Bay Resort

This beautiful, boutique resort is located right on the shores of Rose Bay, and looked like a beautiful place to stay for a special treat! Their one and two-bedroom apartments feature private balconies, with ocean views. I can definitely picture us enjoying a sunset drink and cheese platter here!

🏩 Check Prices and Book Rose Bay Resort Here

Coral Cove Apartments

For a real splurge, Coral Cove Apartments offer modern, luxury apartments overlooking Grays Bay. There is a restaurant on-site, as well as a pool and all apartments have private ocean view balconies. Probably out of our usual price range, but this looks worth the splurge!

🏩 Check Prices and Book Coral Cove Apartments Here

Things to do in Bowen: Complete!

I hope this post was helpful in planning your adventure to Bowen! We were seriously impressed with this sleepy little coastal town, and couldn’t believe how much it had to offer! We will definitely be coming back to Bowen in the future to spend a few days here, staying beachfront and relaxing. Let me know in the comments if you’ve been to Bowen, and what your highlights were!