Airlie Beach Tours to Whitehaven Beach
Hours, prices and access verified by the Airlie Beach Tours team — last checked 2026-09-21.
Airlie Beach tours to Whitehaven Beach cross the Whitsunday Passage by raft, catamaran, speedboat or sail, or fly you there by helicopter. Most walk you up to the lookout over the inlet, and every boat day puts lunch in the fare.
Tours to Whitehaven Beach
BEST SELLER
★★★★★ 4.9 (4,997 reviews · 7 hours)
Lands on Whitehaven BeachOcean raftHill Inlet lookout walkSnorkel gear in the fare
The most-booked way to the beach: a fast, open raft, the guided walk up to the lookout, a reef snorkel in a sunsuit or wetsuit and a tropical lunch on the sand. You get about two hours on the beach.
From $180 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
★★★★★ 4.9 (174 reviews · 8 hours)
Lands on Whitehaven BeachCatamaranHill Inlet lookout walk
The steady day with no swim: a big catamaran with a toilet, three meals on board, the guided lookout walk and about two hours on the beach. A free bus runs you from town to the harbour.
From $172 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
★★★★★ 4.9 (1,101 reviews · 8 hours)
Whitehaven, southern endCatamaranNo Hill InletSnorkel on one ticket
An 80-seat catamaran that skips the inlet and gives you up to four hours at the southern end instead, with water taxis to the sand and a buffet that caters for vegan, gluten-free and lactose-free diets.
From $173 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
★★★★★ 4.8 (293 reviews · 7 hours)
Lands on Whitehaven BeachSpeedboatStops at Hill InletSnorkel gear in the fare
A speedboat day with a stop at the inlet, a buffet picnic on the sand and a snorkel with a lesson if you want one. It sails at ten, and children from three can come.
From $174 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
TOP RATED
★★★★★ 4.9 (3,153 reviews · 8 hours)
Lands on Whitehaven BeachCatamaranHill Inlet lookout walkSnorkel gear in the fare
A high-speed catamaran with a driver-guide, two snorkel stops and a short walk to the lookout, then about an hour on the sand. Lunch is a buffet on board; bring your own fins.
From $181 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
★★★★★ 4.6 (489 reviews · 10 hours)
Lands on Whitehaven BeachUnder sailHill Inlet walk, tide allowingSnorkel stop
Ten hours under sail, with about three hours at the northern end and the inlet walk when the tide allows. Lunch and drinks are in the fare. Cancel at least three days out for a refund.
From $187 per person
Free cancellation up to 3 days in advance
★★★★★ 4.9 (355 reviews · 8 hours)
Lands on Whitehaven BeachFlight, then raftHill Inlet lookout walkSnorkel gear in the fare
Fly first, then raft: an hour in the air with a window seat, then the full raft day with the lookout walk, a snorkel, lunch and about two hours on the sand. The seat limit is 120 kg.
From $401 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
★★★★★ 5.0 (14 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes)
Over Heart ReefHelicopter, lands on the sandHill Inlet from the airYour group only
The one way onto the sand without a boat. A private helicopter for two or three flies over the reef, then lands on the beach for about 90 minutes with snacks and drinks.
From $1,112 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
The most-booked Whitehaven Beach day, by ocean raft
Seven hours on a fast, open raft, with the guided walk to the lookout, a snorkel, a tropical lunch on the sand and about two hours on the beach.
See this tour
What a tour to Whitehaven Beach is
Whitehaven Beach is 7 km of white silica sand on Whitsunday Island. It sits about 40 km
by sea from Shute Harbour, and no road reaches it. You cannot drive to Whitehaven Beach: the
park lists access by boat, canoe or kayak only. So a tour is how most people get there, and
the ride is part of what you choose.
You pick a boat, and the boat decides the day. A raft is fast and open. A catamaran is
big and steady, with seats inside. A speedboat sits between the two, and a sailing catamaran
takes longest. Every one of them lands you on the sand, and most also stop for the walk up
to the lookout over Hill Inlet.
Every boat day puts lunch in the fare. What changes is how long you get on the sand,
which end of the beach you land on, and whether you swim. If you would rather skip the
crossing, the helicopter lands on the beach for about 90 minutes.
Why choose a Whitehaven Beach tour
You get the lookout and the sand in one day
Most days stop at Tongue Point for the walk to the lookout. The park grades it moderate,
1.3 km return and about 40 minutes, and boats reach it from mid to high tide. From the top
you see the white sand swirling through blue channels, the picture people come for.
Lunch is in the fare
On every boat day, lunch comes with the fare. Ocean Rafting serves it on the sand, Big Fury lays out a picnic there, and Red Cat and
ZigZag serve a buffet. You bring a
hat and water, and the crew does the rest.
You can add a reef swim
Most of these days stop to snorkel a fringing reef, with gear in the fare. Red Cat stops
twice. If you would rather stay dry, the full-day cruise from the harbour has no swim at
all.
You choose your time on the sand
Time on the beach runs from about an hour to up to four hours. If lying on the sand is
the point, pick your boat by that number first.
Whitehaven Beach tours vs island days without it
Some boats skip the famous beach and head for the reefs and bays of the northern islands
instead. Here are the two side by side, from the listings' own figures.
| A Whitehaven Beach day | An island day without it |
|---|
| How long | 7 to 10 hours | 6 hours 15 minutes to 8 hours 30 minutes |
| Time on the sand | About 1 to 4 hours | A sandbar or a small beach |
| The lookout over the inlet | On most | No |
| Snorkelling | On most | Yes, the main event |
| Lunch in the fare | Yes | Yes |
| Fare, per person | $172 to $401 | $142 to $174 |
| Free cancellation | 24 hours on most; Camira needs 3 days | 24 hours |
Check availability from $180
If the reef matters more than the beach, the Airlie Beach snorkeling tours page sorts every swim. If you
want to sail rather than motor, compare the Airlie Beach sailing tours.
What you get, and what you don't
- In every boat fare: the crossing, the crew, lunch and time on the
beach.
- The lookout walk: on Ocean Rafting, Red Cat, the full-day cruise and
the fly-raft day. Camira's walk depends on the tide, Big Fury stops at the inlet, and ZigZag
walks you to the southern lookout instead.
- A suit for the water: Ocean Rafting puts a sunsuit or wetsuit in the
fare, and ZigZag a wetsuit or stinger suit.
- Getting to the boat: Ocean Rafting, Red Cat and the full-day cruise
pick you up in town. ZigZag, Big Fury and Camira meet you at the marina.
- Not in the fare: drinks on most boats, fins on Red Cat, and a
prescription mask on the raft, at $25 to hire.
- A surcharge: Ocean Rafting adds $20 per adult on Queensland public
holidays.
A big, steady catamaran with no swim
Eight hours with a toilet and three meals on board, the guided lookout walk and about two hours on the beach, with a free bus from town.
Check availability
Planning a Whitehaven Beach tour
- Budget: $172 to $401 a person for a day on the water. The
helicopter costs $1,112 a person.
- Start early: most boats leave between 7:30am and 10am, and your
pickup comes before that.
- Know your marina: most leave from Coral Sea Marina, Camira from the
Port of Airlie, and the full-day cruise from Shute Harbour. Check your meeting point.
- Book early: most fares refund in full up to 24 hours before, so an
early booking costs you little if plans change.
- Keep a spare day: wind can change the route or the end of the beach,
so leave room to move your day.
For what each fare buys, read our guide to tour prices.
Who should choose something else
- If you arrive by cruise ship. Ocean Rafting, ZigZag and Big Fury say
their times do not suit ship passengers. Our cruise-ship day guide lists what fits.
- If you are pregnant or have a bad back. The raft and Big Fury advise
against it. A big catamaran is the gentler ride; ask your doctor first.
- If you want a night on the water. A day tour brings you back each
evening. The Airlie Beach sailing tours include two nights at sea.
- If you only want the view. The swirl at the inlet is best from above,
and the Airlie Beach flight tours give you the whole pattern in an hour.
- If you have only a morning. The Airlie Beach half-day tours leave the rest of your day
free.
Still unsure which boat to book? Our guide to choosing a tour works through it question by
question.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you get on Whitehaven Beach?
It depends on the boat. Red Cat's snorkel cruise gives you about an hour, most days about two, Camira about three and ZigZag's beach ticket up to four. The helicopter lands for about 90 minutes.
Which tours go to Hill Inlet?
Ocean Rafting, Red Cat, the full-day cruise from Shute Harbour and the fly-raft package walk up to the lookout, and Big Fury stops there. Camira's walk depends on the tide, ZigZag does not go, and the flights pass over it.
What time do the Whitehaven Beach days leave?
Most in the morning. ZigZag meets at 8:20am and Red Cat at 8:30am, Camira checks in at 7:30am, and Big Fury sails at 10am. Check the time on your booking, because pickups run earlier.
Which end of the beach will I land on?
Most boats reach the northern end near the inlet. ZigZag lands at the southern end and walks you to the southern lookout instead. Camira moors at the northern end for about three hours.
Can you drive to Whitehaven Beach?
No. It is on Whitsunday Island, reached by boat, canoe or kayak, so nobody can drive to Whitehaven Beach. You go by boat from the marinas or land on it by helicopter.
Is lunch included?
On every Whitehaven Beach boat day and on Tongarra and Wings III, yes; the helicopter serves snacks and drinks. The half-day trips serve snacks or nothing, the hinterland bus stops at a diner at your cost, and the charters charge $30 a head for catering.
Can cruise-ship passengers do a tour?
Yes, with care. The hinterland bus and the Cedar Creek bus are built around port schedules, and Wings III needs your tender ashore before 3:45pm. Big Fury, Ocean Rafting and ZigZag say their times do not suit ships.
Want the reef, the air or the bay instead? Every kind of trip is compared on Airlie Beach Tours.