Whitsundays Overnight Sailing Trips from Airlie Beach, Compared

Hours, prices and access verified by the Airlie Beach Tours team — last checked 2026-09-21.

The short answer. Whitsundays overnight sailing from Airlie Beach means two nights at anchor among the islands, with your bunk and meals in the fare and your drinks brought yourself. Fares run from $434 on the trimaran Avatar to $506 on Prosail's Hammer and Condor. Pick Prosail if you want the Hill Inlet lookout walk promised, and Avatar if you need to cancel up to 24 hours before.

Whitsundays overnight sailing trips compared

Every two-night boat leaves from Meeting Point C at Coral Sea Marina, sails the same waters and comes back on the morning of day three. So the choice is not where you go. It is who can come, whether the lookout walk is promised, how you sleep and whether you can cancel. Here they are side by side.

Whitsundays overnight sailing from Airlie Beach: the two-night boats side by side
Boat	Fare from	Leaves / back	Guests	Sleeping	Hill Inlet lookout	Ages	Cancellation	Rating
Hammer (Prosail)	$506	2pm; back about 11am, day three	Up to 23	Beds with linen, open dorm sections	Walk on day two	Normally 18+	Non-refundable	4.9 (202)
Condor (Prosail)	$506	2pm; back about 11am, day three	Up to 30	Beds with linen, open dorm sections	Walk on day two	Normally 18+	Non-refundable	4.9 (349)
Avatar (OzSail)	$434	11am; back about 9:30am	Up to 26	Share singles and doubles	Named, not promised	16 to 80	Free up to 24 hours before	4.7 (811)
'Spank Me' (OzSail)	$471	10:30am; back about 8:30am	Up to 27	Bunks below deck	Named, not promised	16 to 80	Full refund 3+ full days before	4.8 (782)

Fares are per person and cover two nights on board. If you are weighing a sail against the rest of the trip, Airlie Beach tour prices sets every fare in the region side by side, from the jet boat up.

Useful tip. If your dates might move, start with Avatar's two-night sail. It is the lowest fare of the group and the only one you can cancel up to a day before.

Hammer: Prosail's smaller maxi yacht

Hammer is the smaller of Prosail's two maxi yachts, and it takes up to 23 guests. You meet at 1:30pm at Meeting Point C, at the southern end of the marina under the white umbrellas, and sail at 2pm. You are back in Airlie Beach at about 11am on day three.

You sleep below deck in a single or double bed with linen, in open dormitory sections shared with other guests. Hammer has hot showers, USB charging and hammocks on deck. The fare covers two breakfasts, one lunch and two dinners, with morning tea, snacks and dessert, plus tea, coffee, filtered water, snorkel gear with a snorkel suit, three crew and all fees and taxes.

On day two you have breakfast on the way to Tongue Bay, walk up to the Hill Inlet lookout and then go down to Whitehaven Beach. Day three brings a last snorkel or an island walk. You bring your own drinks, with no glass and no red wine. Hammer is rated 4.9 from 202 reviews, and at $506 it is non-refundable.

Condor: the same trip for up to 30

Condor is Prosail's other yacht. It runs the same itinerary from the same meeting point at the same 2pm start, and the fare is the same $506. What changes is the group: up to 30 guests, against Hammer's 23. Snorkel gear comes with a suit for colder weather.

Condor is rated 4.9 from 349 reviews, the most reviews of the two Prosail yachts. It is non-refundable and cannot be changed, like Hammer. So the choice between them comes down to two things: how many people you want to share the boat with, and which one sails on your date.

Avatar: the trimaran with the lowest fare

Avatar costs $434, and it takes up to 26 guests. You meet at 11am at Meeting Point C in the South Village. OzSail runs it on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, back at about 9:30am two days later. You get about three hours on Whitehaven Beach.

All meals and activities are in the fare, with the national park fees and the Environmental Management Charge, a tour host and a toilet on board. Drinks and hotel pickup are extra. Avatar is rated 4.7 from 811 reviews, and you can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before.

Did you know? OzSail calls Avatar the only commercial sailing trimaran in the Whitsunday Islands: a boat with three hulls instead of one.

Two conditions apply. Guests must have no heart problems or other serious medical conditions. OzSail also asks you to ring within 72 hours of the trip to reconfirm your booking.

'Spank Me': the 82-foot maxi from 10:30am

'Spank Me' is an 82-foot sailboat for up to 27 guests, and it costs $471. You meet at 10:30am at Coral Sea Marina's South Village, Meeting Point C. It sails on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays and is back at about 8:30am two days later, the earliest start and finish of the group.

You sleep below deck on bunks. Breakfast, lunch and dinner, snorkel gear, the national park fees and the Environmental Management Charge are in the fare, and stinger suits and wetsuits are on board. Drinks and transport to the marina are extra.

The route can include Whitehaven Beach, Hook Island, Hayman Island, Border Island and Whitsunday Island. Snorkel stops can include Luncheon Bay, Caves Cove and Blue Pearl Bay, depending on the weather. More fringing-reef days are on Airlie Beach snorkeling tours. 'Spank Me' is rated 4.8 from 782 reviews. If access matters to you, ask the operator before you book.

Which boats walk up to the Hill Inlet lookout?

Only Prosail puts the walk in writing. On Hammer and Condor, day two starts with breakfast on the way to Tongue Bay, then the bush walk to the lookout, then Whitehaven Beach.

OzSail's own pages name the lookout, but the Avatar and 'Spank Me' booking pages do not promise it. Tourism Whitsundays says the route on those boats is decided each trip, and snorkel stops can change with the weather and conditions. If the view over the swirling sand is the reason you are going, pick a Prosail yacht.

Useful tip. The Hill Inlet lookout track at Tongue Point is 1.3 km return, takes about 40 minutes and is graded moderate. You can reach it from mid to high tide, so the timing depends on the water. Wear shoes you can walk in.

If you only want the view and the beach, you can do both in a day. Every day boat that lands there is on Airlie Beach tours to Whitehaven Beach.

Useful tip. For the promised lookout with the larger group, check Condor's sailing dates. It takes up to 30, so it is the Prosail yacht to try for a bigger party.

Where do you sleep, and what can you bring on board?

Beds and bathrooms

Prosail: single and double beds in mixed open dormitory sections below deck, with linen. Hammer adds hot showers.
OzSail: share singles and doubles; on 'Spank Me' that means bunks below deck. Avatar lists a toilet on board.

Either way you share the space. If you want a cabin of your own, none of these fares promises one.

Bags and what to pack

A small soft bag only, carry-on size, with no wheels. Suitcases and big backpacks stay ashore.
OzSail has no bag storage at the marina, but most hostels and hotels in Airlie Beach will store your luggage. Leave it where you slept the night before.
Swimwear, a towel, sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat and light shoes.
A sweater and a spray jacket: winter nights sit near 18°C on deck.
Toiletries, and a refillable bottle for the filtered water.

Prosail also asks that you are fit and able to move about a boat on your own. Your meeting point is on the map of marinas and departure points.

Who are the overnight boats for?

Mostly young adults. OzSail sells adult places on its two boats to ages 16 to 80, and the drinking age on board is 18. Prosail's yachts are normally 18 and over, and they take some under-18s case by case if you ask when you book.

Prosail aims its trips at groups normally aged 18 to 39, and Condor's overview says 18 to 45. These are social trips with shared sleeping. If you are travelling with younger children, a day boat suits you better: see Airlie Beach with kids.

What does the fare cover, and what costs extra?

Every fare covers two nights on board, your meals and snorkel gear. After that, the details differ.

Fees: OzSail's fares name the national park fees and the Environmental Management Charge. Prosail's say all fees and taxes.
Drinks: extra on every boat. On Prosail, bring your own, with no glass or red wine.
OzSail's drinks limit: 24 cans of beer, or 4 litres of cask wine, or 1 litre of spirits per guest, with no glass.
Getting to the marina: not in any fare, so plan how you get there.

So your real cost is the fare, plus your drinks, plus the trip to the marina. For what the other tours in the region cost by the hour, see what every fare buys.

Which fares can you cancel?

Avatar: a full refund up to 24 hours before.
'Spank Me': a full refund if you cancel at least three full days before the start. The booking page shows it as four days, so count from there to be safe.
Hammer and Condor: non-refundable, and the date cannot be changed.

Book the non-refundable boats last, once your flights and dates are fixed. The Airlie Beach itinerary shows where two nights at sea fit around the rest of your stay.

When is the best time for an overnight sail?

Any time of year. Tourism Whitsundays says nothing on the classic Whitsundays list closes for a season. September has the most settled skies and the lightest average winds at Hamilton Island, with August close behind, and August books out earliest.

Whales: humpbacks use these waters from around May to September, peaking in August. Boats keep at least 300 metres away.
Stingers: they can be in the sea in any month, with the higher risk from October to May. Wear the suit the boat gives you.
Nights: near 18°C in winter, so pack a light layer for the deck.

Important. Queensland's park rangers say never swim or wade at dawn, dusk or night. At anchor that rule matters most, so keep your swims to the daytime. The rest of the water-safety advice is on what to expect on the water.

For the month by month picture, read the best time to visit Airlie Beach, and for the town itself, what to expect in Airlie Beach.

Two nights at sea or a day sail?

A day sail gives you most of the same islands for far less. Camira takes you out for ten hours with lunch and drinks in the fare, and about three hours at the northern end of Whitehaven Beach, for $187. You are back in town the same evening, and you can cancel up to three days before.

Two nights cost about two and a half times as much. What you buy is mornings at anchor, and quiet coves and fringing reefs that Tourism Whitsundays says day-trippers cannot reach. If you are unsure about sleeping on a boat, go for the day.

If you are still deciding between sail and engine, read sailing or a fast boat. Every day and overnight sail is on Airlie Beach sailing tours.

Which overnight boat should you book?

You want the lookout walk promised: Hammer or Condor. Pick Hammer if you prefer fewer guests.
Your dates may change: Avatar, which refunds up to 24 hours before.
You are 16 or 17: an OzSail boat, Avatar or 'Spank Me'.
You want the earliest start: 'Spank Me', at 10:30am.
You are unsure about a night on a boat: a day sail instead.

Whichever you choose, pack light, bring your drinks and be at the marina on time. The boats below cover the promised lookout, the flexible fare and the early start.

Frequently asked questions

How long is an overnight sailing trip in the Whitsundays?

Two nights. Prosail's Hammer and Condor start at 2pm and are back about 11am on day three. OzSail's 'Spank Me' leaves at 10:30am and Avatar at 11am, and both are back on the third morning, at about 8:30am and 9:30am.

Which overnight sailing trip goes to the Hill Inlet lookout?

Prosail's Hammer and Condor walk up on day two, from Tongue Bay, before Whitehaven Beach. OzSail names the lookout, but its booking pages do not promise it, and the route is decided each trip. The track is 1.3 km return, about 40 minutes, and open from mid to high tide.

Can I bring a suitcase on a Whitsundays sailing trip?

No. Prosail takes a small soft bag with no wheels, and OzSail takes bags the size of an airline carry-on, with no big backpacks or suitcases and no storage at the marina. Most accommodation in Airlie Beach will store the rest.

Are drinks included on the overnight boats?

Tea, coffee and filtered water are in Prosail's fare, but alcohol is bring-your-own on every boat, with no glass. OzSail limits each guest to 24 cans of beer, or 4 litres of cask wine, or 1 litre of spirits, and the drinking age on board is 18.

Can under-18s go on a Whitsundays overnight sail?

OzSail's two boats sell places from age 16 to 80. Prosail's yachts are normally 18 and over, and under-18s are accepted case by case if you ask when you book.

Can I cancel a two-night sailing trip?

Avatar refunds in full up to 24 hours before. 'Spank Me' refunds in full if you cancel at least three full days before the start. Hammer and Condor are non-refundable and cannot be changed.

Do I pay national park fees or the reef charge on top?

No. OzSail's fares include national park fees and the Environmental Management Charge, and Prosail's include all fees and taxes. Transfers to the marina are not included on any of them.

Two-night sails to book

2 Day/2 Night Prosail Whitsundays Sailing Adventure on Hammer

Three days and two nights on a maxi yacht for up to 23, in a bed with linen, with hot showers and hammocks on board. The lookout walk and the beach come on day two; bring your own drinks. Non-refundable.

From $506 per person

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2-Night Whitsunday Islands Sailing Adventure on Trimaran Avatar

Two nights on a three-hulled sailing boat for up to 26, with every meal, the park fees and about three hours on the beach. The cheapest way to sleep among the islands, and it refunds up to a day before.

From $434 per person

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2-Night Whitsundays Sailing Cruise incl. Whitehaven Beach & Great Barrier Reef

Two nights on an 82-foot maxi for up to 27, sleeping in bunks below deck, with three meals a day and snorkel gear. It sails at 10:30am and refunds in full up to three full days before.

From $471 per person

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Next: Fitting the sail into a longer stay? Read an Airlie Beach itinerary. Every fare sits side by side on Airlie Beach Tours.