Atlantic Clipper - The Biggest Party In The Whitsundays!
Visiting the Whitsundays was one of the best decisions of my life. Like most travellers, I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I chose to visit the small town of Airlie Beach, which is found in Queensland Australia. I was told it was one of those backpacker stops that everyone visits and that it was a fun town with sailing and partying - and they were right! I made my way to the Whitsundays to go on a boat trip on board the Atlantic Clipper - a notorious party boat among the backpacking crowd. I read reviews online before choosing my tour and this seemed like the tour for me!
My trip on Atlantic Clipper was everything I wanted and more. It was a seriously fun two days and nights where I made so many new friends, got so many good photos and had so many great experiences! This is a trip for those who love fun and crave adventure!
Our first stop was the famous Hill Inlet Lookout. The Lookout was a great place to enjoy the views of the Whitsundays, where we could take a few minutes to enjoy our surroundings! We could see the swirling sands of Hill Inlet below, which change by the minute as the tides go in and out - it was pretty amazing and unlike anything I've ever seen. I grabbed some great shots here and out crew grabbed this great group photo of everyone on the Clipper, which is a great souvenir to have of our trip! I could have stayed here for hours taking it all in, but I was pretty anxious to get to the beach below, which we could see from the lookout point.
Whitehaven Beach has got to be the best beach in the world. It is huge, and made up of the softest sand you will ever feel. It's the perfect place to lay back and soak up the sun as the ocean breeze rolls over you. This famous beach was a highlight of the trip - it was a nice place to hang out with my friends from the boat, away from the rest of the crowd and just enjoy being outside and relaxing in the sand! Even though there were plenty of other people on the beach, the sheer size of it made it feel like you had a part of the beach to yourself! This is nothing like the overcrowded beaches you will find in other parts of Australia. It is an oasis in the middle of paradise!
We were told that the Atlantic Clipper is the largest boat in the Whitsundays and can take up to 53 people at a time. Having such a large crowd was nice, as it gave me the chance to meet so many cool people and enjoy the company of other travellers. It never felt too crowded and there was always plenty of space for everyone! While we made out way around, we relaxed on the decks, soaking in the sun, chatting and hanging out.
We got to see so much marine life during our trip! Because it was whale season, I also got to see some whales breaching not far off the boat. I'm told this is a treat reserved for the winter months, so it was really the cherry on top of this trip!
I also got to try paddleboarding for the first time during my trip. Clipper has plenty to do while you're at anchor, including paddleboards, a spa (hot tub), and a waterslide that brings you right into the ocean! Stand-up paddleboarding was much harder than I thought, and I actually fell off a bunch, but it was still a lot of fun. I also spent plenty of time relaxing in the on board spa, where I could sit back and relax as time slowly passed by.
The Whitsundays has some of the best reefs in Australia. They are so colourful and so full of fish that photos or words just don't do it justice! I was amazed from the minute I got in the water until the minute I got out. I saw so many things that I can't even name from huge corals to small fish, to small corals and large fish... I saw a sea turtle and a humphead Maori Wrasse, which was the friendliest fish I've ever seen! Time flew while we were in the water, and I couldn't want to get in again and again to see what else I would find below the surface! While I snorkelled, many other opted to scuba dive, too, which I heard was an unreal experience. There were specially trained crew on board to take both new scuba divers and certified divers further down into the reefs!
The night scene on board Atlantic Clipper really made this trip for me. I know most other boats snorkel and visit Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet Lookout, but I'm confident none of them can promise the night life that Atlantic Clipper has! The crew had us laughing all night, playing games and having a few drinks that led up the wee hours of the morning! This was one of the reasons I chose to go on Atlantic Clipper over other boats, and it really made it so worth it.
To finish off our trip, a few of us also decided to hop on the Pioneer Jet to go for a little spin! We could go on a jet boat or banana boat for a little extra thrill at a minimal cost, which I thought was a great option! We opted for the jet boat, which has us doing spins and drastic stops and made me feel like I was going to fly out of my seat at any minute! It was so much fun, and I'm glad I finished the trip this way. It was an amazing 2 days and 2 nights of sailing around the Whitsunday Islands. This trip will last in my memories forever and I'm so happy to have met the people I did to share my amazing experiences below and above the water!
Check out the Atlantic Clipper on Airlie Tours here!
