What it is, and where you leave from
The Whitsunday Islands, off the coast of Queensland, are best discovered by boat. We left from Airlie Beach, the town most cruises depart from, on board a sailing boat run by Matador, for two days and one night at sea.
It was one stop on my three week road trip along the east coast, and one of the two moments most worth the detour of the whole trip.
The price and what is included
430 Australian dollars per person, for two full days: leaving on Saturday at 8:30 am, back on Sunday at 4 pm.
Meals are included: lunch and dinner on Saturday, then breakfast and lunch on Sunday. You do not need to bring anything to eat on board.
Snorkelling gear is included, wetsuit too, and we had nothing extra to pay on the spot.
No special drinks are included on top of the meals, but you can bring your own food and drinks on board.
The two day programme
Whitehaven Beach. The first big stop, and we climbed up to the Hill Inlet lookout to see what is often called the most beautiful beach in the world. Unfortunately, the weather was not on our side that day: be ready for it to work against you, that is the lottery of every cruise.
Three snorkelling spots on the Great Barrier Reef, one after another on Sunday morning. This is the heart of the cruise: we saw a Napoleon wrasse, turtles and a huge amount of coral. They are among the most beautiful snorkelling spots I have ever done, and one of the most memorable moments of my road trip. We had a wetsuit to get in the water. In October, the jellyfish in the Whitsundays are not dangerous, but check with the crew if you go at another time of year.
Saturday evening is nothing special: a bit of music on deck, time to get to know each other, and everyone goes to bed fairly early. It is very simple, and that is also the charm of a night at sea.
Life on board
We were a group of about twenty passengers, with three or four crew members. The atmosphere is friendly, and it is easy to get to know people when you share the same deck for two days.
If you get seasick, be warned. A sailing boat moves a lot more than a big motor boat, and at one point the sea got rough and it really rocked. Bring something to help if you are sensitive to it.
At night, everyone sleeps together in the hold of the boat. As for facilities, there are two toilets and two showers for about twenty people: showers are very quick.
On Sunday, everyone wakes up together, then the morning of snorkelling before heading back to Airlie Beach.
The meals are good quality, but simple. Do not expect fine dining, rather generous, well made dishes for a day at sea.
One or two nights, and how to book
I would do it again without hesitation. If I could, I would go for two nights, even if the budget is inevitably higher.
To compare boats and trip lengths before booking, I used the BookMe app.
We booked only a few days before departure, and that was enough in October. In high season, book a little further ahead: boats can fill up quickly.
Mistakes to avoid
À compléter : ce que tu ferais autrement si tu repartais.
Shall we plan your trip together?
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The links and gear mentioned
The booking platforms, eSIMs, banks and insurance I use when I travel are all on one page, with my referral codes.
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