Airlie Beach half-day tours fit into a morning, an afternoon or an evening. You choose a jet boat, a jet ski, a sunset sail, a Segway, a bus to the waterfall or the hinterland, or an hour in the air.
About two hours riding a jet ski behind a guide, solo or with a partner, on one of three routes. Pickup, riding gear and water are included; lunch comes only on the longest route.
From $93 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
An hour and a half from check-in to landing, with an hour in the air over the reef and the inlet. It does not land, and a courtesy bus runs on request.
From $253 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Three hours by small bus to a rainforest swimming hole, with about an hour and 40 minutes in the water. Water shoes, noodles, banana bread and coffee are in the fare; bring a towel.
From $68 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
The shortest trip in town: thirty minutes of spins and power stops on the bay, with rain jackets and a lock box. From age five and 120 cm; the marina charges for parking.
From $71 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Four hours by small bus through the hinterland: a coffee farm with a tasting, the waterfall, a beach turtle talk and lunch at a diner, paid on the day. Port pickup included.
From $78 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Three hours on a Segway along the whole waterfront boardwalk, with a pizza or pasta dinner at sunset. Pickup is from your accommodation; riders from 12, and 45 to 117 kg.
From $97 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
One hour in a small plane over the beach and the heart-shaped reef, with a window seat and a bus from town. It does not land; check in 45 minutes early.
From $257 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
An evening on a private yacht for up to eight, meeting at 4:30pm for two and a half hours on the bay. Champagne and canapés are poured; bring any other drinks.
From $87 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Two and a half to three and a half hours, most of it on the sand: the helicopter lands on the beach for about 90 minutes. Private for two or three.
From $1,112 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
A guide, three routes to choose from, full riding gear and pickup from your accommodation. No experience needed; drivers must be 16.
See this tourA half-day tour takes four hours or less, so the rest of your day is yours. Here that covers a lot of ground: a jet boat in the bay, a jet ski among the islands, a sail at sunset, a Segway on the waterfront, a bus to a rainforest swimming hole or the hinterland, and an hour in the air.
What they share is what they leave out. Only the jet ski's longest route includes lunch, and none of them walks you up to the lookout over Hill Inlet. You trade those for time.
Two of them stay on land. The Cedar Creek bus runs out to Cedar Creek Falls, about 30 minutes from town by sealed road. The falls are free: there is no Cedar Creek Falls entry fee, and your fare pays for the ride and the guide.
A morning on the water leaves the afternoon for the lagoon. The sunset sail meets at 4:30pm, after a day at the pool. If you only have one day, a half day leaves room for something else.
The half-day fares start at $68, less than half a Whitehaven Beach day. For a first taste of the water or the hinterland, that is a fair trade.
The hinterland bus collects you from the cruise-ship port, and the Cedar Creek bus says its three hours and flexible departure times fit port schedules. A full day on the water rarely fits a ship's hours.
The helicopter is a half day with the beach in it. It lands for about 90 minutes, private for two or three.
Here is what you keep and what you give up, from the listings' own figures.
| A half-day tour | A full day on the water | |
|---|---|---|
| How long | 30 minutes to 4 hours | 7 to 10 hours |
| Lunch in the fare | Only the jet ski's longest route | Yes |
| The lookout walk | No | On most |
| Snorkelling | No | On most |
| Fits a cruise-ship day | Some are built for it | Most say no |
| Fare, per person | $68 to $1,112 | $172 to $401 |
If the beach and the lookout are why you came, a full day is the better buy. Compare the Airlie Beach tours to Whitehaven Beach before you settle on a half day.
A small bus from town, about an hour and 40 minutes at the water, and water shoes, noodles, banana bread and coffee in the fare.
Check availabilityTwo half days can fill a free day. Our guide to the town without a tour shows what to do between them.
Would a full day suit you better? Every kind of trip is compared on Airlie Beach Tours.