Hamilton Island’s Most Insta-worthy Sunrise 10 June 2016 Put simply, Passage Peak lookout is the ultimate location to see sunrise on Hamilton Island. To get up there you need to commit to a hike but the reward waiting for you is an awe-inspiring view of the Whitsundays, from the highest vantage point on the Island. When combined with sunrise, the only way to describe the moment is soul-stirring. We sent our Social Media Editor, Alice to complete the hike so she could share her experience with you. Read her helpful tips and find out how to take on the challenge: I was really excited to go to Passage Peak lookout and got to researching straight away. I quickly discovered the hike was a 5.3 km round trip that would take me approximately 200m above sea level. That didn’t sound too hard to me, until I realised that the starting point was close to sea level and as such, the trail was essentially a climb to the top. Always looking for an upside, I figured that at least this meant it was downhill for the return. Since the trails are safest during daylight hours we decided to approach the hike at first light. It was still fairly dark so we had to use our iPhones as torches for extra visibility. If you do the hike this way you are forced to push yourself to get to the top, as you will miss the overall sunrise if you don’t keep the pace up. The time it takes depends on your personal level of fitness and how hard you want to push yourself. If you are super fit, it’s possible to do the whole thing in under 90 mins. If you'd prefer to take your time or have children with you, it could take up to four hours. The advantage of not hiking in complete darkness was that we were able to enjoy our surroundings as we made our way to the top. The trail winds through completely undeveloped bushland and for us city dwellers it was nice to be in nature for a change and take it all in. In this stillness we enjoyed an encounter with a Kangaroo, which hopped along the path ahead of us and we spied a lizard relaxing in the sun beside the trail. I’ve since learnt that interactions with wild life are quite common on the Passage Peak hike and if you keep your eyes peeled you should be lucky enough to spot one of these locals. The scenery kept us more then entertained and before we knew it we’d reached the last 200m of the hike. Unfortunately the trail ends in a climb up stairs that tests you one last time. We were a little out of breath when we got to the top but excitement took over as we knew we had reached our destination. We had made it! As I moved to the edge of the lookout I was greeted with unparalleled views of the Whitsundays and could instantly see that a stunning sunrise was unfolding before my eyes. It was such a peaceful moment that we decided to sit down on one of the boulders and watch on as nature’s light show manifested into a new day. It was truly magical. The way that the sun peaks out from the horizon across the ocean and throws a lightshow of colours through the clouds is breathtaking. We sat, absolutely captivated, till the new day had well and truly broken. We took lots of pictures and enjoyed a break from the hiking. When we felt ready we made our way back down the trail to the hotel, where a shower and a well-earned breakfast awaited us. If you plan to do the hike, here are my top tips to get the most out of the experience: As mentioned you need to have a reasonable level of fitness and be in good health. There are lots of stairs that will test you. Get the bushwalking & hiking guide from the tour desk and carry this with you. It has a map of the trails and is handy for navigation. Download the Hamilton Island App to your phone. It has a Passage Peak audio tour, which you can listen to along the hike. You can learn all about the history of Hamilton Island and more about the unique flora and fauna by listening to it along your walk. Only consider doing the hike in favourable weather conditions and ideally not alone. This isn’t a stroll in the park, so sandals and thongs will not be suitable. I would recommend running/sneakers/hiking shoes, as there are parts of the track that are gravel and you need to have good grip. Take a camera. We would love to see any photos you take. Be sure to share them on social media with the hashtag #HamiltonIsland A water bottle as there is no access to water on the trail. Be sure to make a bathroom stop before you begin, as there are no toilets on the trail either. So, who else is up for joining the Hamilton Island sunrise club? Share your adventures like these guests did from the Passage Peak lookout with the #HamiltonIsland and #PassagePeak hashtags on Instagram. Check out our live panel below for the latest images from Passage Peak.