About

Backpackers By the Bay is Airlie's secret little paradise! We are situated just a short walk away from the main street (400 meters, 5 minute walk) and were the closest hostel to the Premiere & Greyhound drop off. This makes us a perfect location as you can enjoy Airlie's famous nightlife without having to listen to it whilst trying to sleep, the best of both worlds! We are renowned for our chilled, relaxed vibes with friendly staff and a clean environment, just check out our reviews!

Airlie town centre is a hub for cafes, bars, restaurants and shopping, you'll find everything including souvenirs, art galleries and swimwear. The Airlie Beach markets are held every Saturday morning on the esplanade for locally made jewellery, clothes and crafts. The Airlie Beach Lagoon is situated right in the centre of Airlie Beach and has become the focal point of the area.

More like a large, international, environmentally-friendly house, the hostel is fully equipped with kitchen, laundry, pool, hammocks, outdoor exercise station area, BBQ, library etc. All rooms – double and four-share – are serviced daily. We also get guests into their rooms ASAP without waiting for a 2pm checkin time so you can get showered, refreshed and out there exploring. Movies can be viewed anytime.

Free WiFi and tea and coffee available all day. Take advantage of our tour booking services with some great local standby rates including free accommodation and storage deals, or come and hand feed the wild cockatoos every day around our pool area. Peter and Carolyn have been the onsite owners for over 20 years and look forward to showing you some true aussie hospitality - come and say g'day.
~WINNER OF MULTIPLE WHITSUNDAY TOURISIM AWARDS~

*All guests must be 18 years old and over
PLEASE NOTE: NO check in or out on Christmas day (25 December) or New Years day (1 January)

House Rules

Check In

12:00 - 23:00

Check Out

until 10:00

  • Taxes Included
View House Rules

Facilities

  • Free Parking
  • Free WiFi
  • Jobs Board
  • Luggage Storage
  • Tours/Travel Desk
  • Parking
  • Card Phones
  • Reception (limited hours)
View all facilities

Reviews

7.3Very Good(1898)
  • Value for Money
    7.5
  • Security
    6.7
  • Atmosphere
    7.4
  • Cleanliness
    6.1
  • Staff
    8.3
  • Location
    7.9
  • Facilities
    6.9
Stayed in Nov 2025
9.4
J
Jamie
Female, 25-30, Canada
Great hostel, very clean bathrooms and showers. The double room was really comfortable. The staff were so nice and helpful as well! Only negatives : noise level was a bit loud but if you want to party this is the place. Also, location is a bit inconvenient and you need to climb a large hill to get there which sucked with our luggage but not too bad.
Stayed in Oct 2025
6.9
Y
Yasmin
Couple, 25-30, England
The hostel location is great, can get into town and ports very quickly. The staff are nice, always there to help and provide information. Whilst they do have cleaners on site, the general standard of cleanliness drops due to hostel guests treating the amenities poorly, leaving food pans out and hair on the bathroom walls. At points it was like trying to sleep in a nightclub, with people blasting base music down the corridors or talking loudly outside rooms.
Stayed in Oct 2025
9.1
M
Mia
Female, 25-30, Canada
My favourite hostel in Australia so far. This is what a hostel should be like. A lot of places try to create this atmosphere artificially but it’s places like Backpackers by the Bay that still have the magic. An abundance of board games and cockatoos, lots of catan enthusiasts. You will come here and make friends to enjoy the area with. On top of this, the kitchen is well stocked and despite other reviews, very clean. The bedrooms are very well air conditioned, you will sleep soundly.
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Location

12 Hermitage Drive, Airlie Beach, Airlie Beach, Australia
1km from city centre