Ocean Rafting, Airlie Beach: High speed Whitsundays tours

Ocean Rafting offers Whitsundays tours in fast, semi-rigid inflatable vessels. Both go to Hill Inlet and Whitehaven Beach, but one offers more Whitsunday Islands beach time, the other more snorkelling.

Cruises around the Whitsunday Islands in northern Queensland generally fall into two categories. They’re either mass market day trips on sizable catamarans, or two to three day sailing cruises on yachts.

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Whitehaven Beach day cruise – with plenty of snorkelling thrown in.
Glass bottom boat tour – see coral and marine life without getting wet.
Heart Reef flight – see the islands and Great Barrier Reef from above before flying over Australia’s famous heart-shaped island.
Proserpine River crocodile safari – see the big crocs from a boat.
Whitsundays sunset cruise – with free snacks and sparkling wine.
Sailing on the Camira – glide around the Whitsunday Islands under sail.
Whizz around the islands on a guided jetski tour.
Waterfall explorer day tour – with swimming in Hinterland rock pools.
Enjoy high speed thrills on a jet boat ride.

Each has its merits. The multi-day Whitsundays sailing cruises are a backpacker staple, while the catamaran day trips offer good facilities for anyone just wanting to go snorkelling and visiting white sand beaches.

Ocean Rafting Whitsundays tours

Ocean Rafting offers something a little bit different. This Whitsundays cruise operator strips back the frippery, heading for the Whitsunday Islands in custom built semi-rigid inflatable vessels. The Ocean Rafting boats are small, travelling at speeds of up to 30 knots. In truth, it’s not the speed that matters – it’s the exhilaration of travelling pretty fast while close to the water.

Which Whitsundays cruise should I choose?

For those with limited time: Whitehaven Beach half day tour.
For the highlights reel: Whitehaven Beach and Hamilton Island day trip.
To see the reef two ways: High speed Whitsundays cruise plus scenic reef flight combo.
For romance, sparkling wine and sunset under sail: Multi-beach and reef Lady Enid cruise.
To see several islands: Sailing and snorkelling adventure.
For an overnight sailing adventure: Matador two day yacht cruise.

Ocean Rafting offers two different Whitsundays tours, both of which go to Hill Inlet and Whitehaven Beach. Whitehaven is famous for its white sand, although it isn’t the whitest sand in Australia. That honour goes to Lucky Bay near Esperance, Western Australia.

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Hill Inlet beaches on Whitsunday Island

Ocean Rafting boasts that it’s the only tour with direct access to the Hill Inlet beaches. But the Northern Exposure tour is really about the snorkelling. It makes two snorkelling stops, usually at Maureens Cove and Mantaray Bay on Hook Island. Snorkelling gear is provided and the Northern Exposure tour costs $169.

Snorkellers on an Ocean Rafting Whitsundays tour. Photo courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland.

Ocean Rafting’s Southern Lights tour is more beach-focused. It offers around two hours at the southern end of Whitehaven Beach, then a guided bushwalk to the Hill Inlet Lookout. The photos of the swirling white sand from the Hill Inlet Lookout are frequently spectacular.

The Southern Lights tour also has around an hour’s snorkelling – usually at Border Island or Dumbell Island. It also costs $169.

Ocean Rafting departure point

Ocean Rafting departs from Airlie Beach, but also offers pick-ups at Daydream Island. Free pick-ups from Airlie Beach accommodation are offered. If you’re driving yourself, check-in and departure are from the Coral Sea Marina in Airlie Beach.

Other things to do in Airlie Beach include helicopter rides, glass bottom boat cruises, swimming in the Airlie Beach Lagoon and Whitsundays kayaking tours.