Choosing A Whitsundays Tour
So, you're planning to visit the beautiful Whitsunday Islands? Congratulations! You're about to embark on the trip of a lifetime. Once you've picked your travel dates, it's time to consider what sort of tour you should book while you're here.
From overnight sailing tours around the islands and day tours to the world-renowned Whitehaven Beach to scenic flights and high-adrenaline activities, there's almost too much to choose from! It can be tough to know where to begin, but that's where we come in.
Not only do we have an exceptional team of local travel experts who are always on-hand to help you plan the perfect Whitsunday vacation, but we've created this handy guide to the different Whitsunday tours to help you determine what's right for you.
Choosing a Whitsundays tour
If you've already taken a look around our website, or done some research into the Whitsundays, you'll already know are a whole lot of tours to choose between. To make the process a little easier, here's a simple breakdown of the different styles of Whitsunday tours.
Day Boat Tours
There are lots of day boat tours that depart from Airlie Beach. Each one has something unique about it, but most offer the same style of itinerary: a trip to the famous Whitehaven Beach and a snorkel stop in the fringing reefs among the Whitsundays Islands.
Perfect for: Tourists short on time, last-minute bookings, family days out
Here are a handful of our most popular Whitehaven Beach tours!
Overnight Sailing Tours
Generally, overnight sailing tours either take place on a steady, comfortable catamaran, or an authentic sailing vessel. Taking a few days to cruise around the islands and explore the reef, these tours give guests more time to enjoy the dreamy Whitsundays and dedicate more time to relaxing in the sun. Overnight sailing tours are a great option for visitors who have a longer holiday planned. Plus, it spares you a few nights of food and accommodation costs, since you'll be eating and sleeping on board!
The types of accommodation on board, the number of passengers per trip, and the exact itinerary can vary, but all will offer snorkelling and a visit to Whitehaven Beach. If you'd rather a little bit more personal, it's a good idea to look into small group sailing tours, which take groups of 16 people or less.
Perfect for: Couples, groups of friends, travellers with more time on their hands
Overnight Backpacker Tours
These budget-friendly tours take backpackers and young tourists to the must-see spots around the Whitsunday islands. They're fun, social boat trips for likeminded travellers that often include exciting additions like scuba diving, waterslides, stand-up paddleboarding, or authentic sailing.
Perfect for: Groups of friends, solo travellers, budget backpackers
Family-Friendly Overnight Tours
A lot of the overnight boat trips that sail through the Whitsundays are adult-only due to the nature of the tour or the itinerary. However, there are plenty of tours to choose from that can cater to families. Swim and snorkel with your loved ones, enjoy well-deserved chill time on the sunny deck, and let the kids run wild on the beach! Just be sure to double check each individual tour's age restrictions before booking.
Perfect for: Families
Scenic Flights
Are you more interested in taking to the skies and seeing the Whitsunday Islands from a whole new perspective? A scenic flight is the tour for you. Spend an hour soaring over the beautiful Barrier Reef, taking in some of the most exquisite sites in Australia in either a plane or a helicopter. This is one of the most spectacular activities on offer from Airlie Beach in the Whitsundays.
Perfect for: Breathtaking views of the islands and the Great Barrier Reef, non-swimmers, travellers short on time, once-in-a-lifetime experiences
Other Activities
Looking to fill a day in Airlie Beach between your boat tour? There are lots of exciting activities you can book to fill your time, from jet ski tours around the islands to skydives above the tropical scenery. If you're keen to get your blood pumping, there's plenty to keep you busy here!
Perfect for: Thrill-seekers, tourists spending the day in Airlie Beach
Tips for booking your Whitsundays tours
As tour-booking experts, we know a thing or two about choosing the perfect Whitsundays trip. Here are some key things to consider when deciding what experience is right for you.
- Give your self as much time as possible to book: While some tours can often be booked just a day or two ahead of departure, others can sell out weeks, even months ahead of time. Take a look at our specialised guide to determine how far in advance you should book your tour.
- Book your overnight tour first: If you're interested in doing an overnight sailing tour around the Whitsundays (we'd highly recommend it!), it's a good idea to book this first, since this is the tour that will take up the most space in your itinerary and sell out first. Afterwards, you can look into other day tours and activities that you might like to include.
- Decide how much time you have to spend in the Whitsundays: When you know how many days you'll be visiting this tropical corner of Queensland for, it'll be a lot easier to determine what sort of experiences you'll be able to fit into your holiday itinerary and which yours you should be looking at.
- Consult with travel experts who know the Whitsundays best: Our team of travel experts are based locally and have first-hand knowledge of the tours in the area, so they'll be able to tell you everything you need to know about your Whitsundays visit.
