The Hangover is a dramatic wall dive and snorkel site perched on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef off Airlie Beach, Whitsundays. Here the seafloor drops away into deep indigo, with a vertical coral wall cloaked in a vivid tapestry of hard and soft corals — massive gorgonian fans, brain corals, and colourful bommies. The wall attracts pelagic action: giant trevally, barramundi cod, mackerel, and schools of batfish cruise the drop-off. With excellent year-round visibility and easy access from Airlie Beach, this site offers a thrilling mix of reef-edge topography and abundant marine life for snorkelers comfortable with open-water conditions.
The Hangover
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Showing last known conditions
Wave Height 0.4 mSwell Period 5.5 sWind Speed 8.4 knPrecipitation 3.7 mmTidal Phase flood
Last evaluated
The spot
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Community contribution: submitted by Daniel
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Moderate risk: Oceanic current along the wall
The site is a wall drop-off adjacent to open ocean. Strong currents can sweep along the wall, especially on outgoing tides.
Moderate risk: Marine stingers (jellyfish)
Stinger season brings potentially dangerous marine stingers (box jellyfish, Irukandji) into Queensland waters.
Moderate risk: Tidal currents
Strong tidal flows can develop around the reef walls and tunnels, especially during outgoing tide.
Moderate risk: Overhead swim-through tunnels
The site features dark swim-through tunnels and caverns that can disorient snorkellers not trained for overhead environments.
Low risk: Boat traffic
Boat traffic from dive and snorkel charters operating in the area requires awareness at the surface.
Low risk: Deep drop-off walls
The reef drop-off edges descend to 25 metres, requiring good buoyancy control to avoid accidental descent.
Wildlife Guide
No wildlife notes for this spot yet.
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Getting in
Boat
Entry
Located off Airlie Beach in the Whitsunday Islands, Queensland. Accessed by boat — numerous charter operators and dive shops in Airlie Beach run trips to the site daily.
Parking & facilities
Paid parking available at Abel Point Marina and along Shute Harbour Road in Airlie Beach. Arrive early for best spots.
Varies by operator — typically $120–$200 AUD per person for a half-day or full-day snorkel/dive charter.
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About this data
- Conditions last evaluated
- Spot data last updated
- Data sources
- Open-Meteo (marine & weather conditions), tide predictions via UTide, community contributors (descriptions, hazards, marine life).
- License
- Spot content licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. How's the Spot is open source.
Weather & swell ┬╖ Open-Meteo marine & weather APIs Tides ┬╖ UTide harmonic analysis Sea & safety ┬╖ community reports