The 15 Island Hopping Sailing Trips in Australia We Would Step Aboard

1.2-Night Whitsunday Islands Sailing Adventure on Trimaran Avatar

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 771 reviews · from $466Our pick

Spend two nights aboard Avatar, the Whitsundays’ commercial sailing trimaran, with up to 26 people. You’ll visit Whitehaven Beach, snorkel calm reef waters, eat all meals onboard, and sleep at sea. Crew members such as Alex, Ella, Sammy, Dave, Tyler, and Casper have been praised for their warm service, but cabins are compact and comfort is basic.

“Great trip all round! Awesome welcome from Skipper Sammy and Ella. Nice food, cool snorkel spots and great visit to Whitehaven Beach!”

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2.Whitsunday Islands 2-Day Sailing Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 452 reviews · 2 days · from $350

Spend two days and one night sailing from Airlie Beach aboard Matador, a racing yacht with an English-speaking crew. You will snorkel coral reefs, reach Whitehaven Beach early, eat fresh meals, watch the sunset, and sleep onboard beneath the stars. Crew members such as Tony, Chris, Dave, Ruby, and Fi have earned praise for their friendly care and local knowledge.

“I had an amazing time on the Matador with Kate, Ash and Arron!! Literally would not change a thing. The boat was really nice and I slept pretty well. I usually get sea sick but didn't feel sick at all on this trip. We were the first on Whitehaven Beach which was really nice before all the other tour companies came in. We saw sharks, sting rays, turtles and dolphins, went snorkelling twice and swimming which was so much fun. We event we on a little sunset walk which was so pretty. Everything is exactly like the pictures so would definitely recommend.”

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3.Camira Sailing Adventure through Whitsunday Islands

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 452 reviews · from $185

Sail from Airlie Beach aboard the spacious Camira catamaran for a full day around the Whitsundays. Walk to Hill Inlet Lookout with a guide, swim at Whitehaven Beach, snorkel a fringing reef, and enjoy barbecue lunch, snacks, soft drinks, and alcohol after snorkeling. The crew, including team members such as Alison, keeps the day social and well organized.

“Had a fabulous day. Crew were great, food was great, location for snorkelling was great. Couldn't fault the experience.”

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4.Cairns: Green Island & Great Barrier Reef Sailing Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 398 reviews · 9 hours · from $183

Spend nine hours aboard a 16-meter sailing boat with a small group, visiting a reef site reserved for this operator and Green Island. You can snorkel with marine naturalists, arrange a small-group scuba session, enjoy a smorgasbord lunch, and sail home with wine, fruit, cheese, crackers, and cake. Crew members including Blair, Anne, Ollie, Dan, and Marie are praised for their care and humor.

“It was perfect. An incredible experience - i recommend to everyone visiting Cairns!”

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5.2 Day & 2 Night Whitsunday Islands Sailing Adventure on Condor

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 302 reviews · from $501Top rated

Set sail from Coral Sea Marina at 2pm for two nights aboard Condor. You’ll sleep onboard, eat all meals, snorkel with supplied gear, walk to Hill Inlet Lookout, and return to Airlie Beach around 11am on day three. The social, active format suits adults aged 18 to 45, solo adventurers, couples, and friends.

“The passengers and crew were amazing and as a solo traveler I felt so embraced and comfortable sooner than I would’ve ever expected. I had a lovely time even though we didn’t catch the best conditions. Everyone’s attitude and williRead more”

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6.Magnetic Island Sip and Sail Sunset Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 240 reviews · from $99

Join Pilgrim Magnetic Island for a 90-minute sunset sail from Nelly Bay. A small group of up to 12 people shares a sailing yacht, local cheese, pumpkin chutney, and unlimited beer, wine, and soft drinks while the crew provides commentary and handles the evening sail around Cleveland Bay.

“Great trip with attentive staff and excellent food and wine! The sunset view was beautiful ! My husband and I had a great time.”

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7.Fraser Island 4-Hour Eco-Sailing Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 216 reviews · 4 hours · from $77Best value

Spend four hours aboard Blue Dolphin Marine Tours’ small sailing vessel with guides such as Peter and Cassie. Cruise the Great Sandy Strait, watch for bottlenose and humpback dolphins, dugongs, turtles, and whales, then swim near Fraser Island or Pelican Bank. Morning tea, hotel transfers, an AquaMat, boom net, shaded seating, and WiFi are included.

“A great experience, highly recommended! Away from the main tourism, the skipper Pete and Annika were lovely and K‘gari Island is simply stunning where they brought us.”

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8.2-Day Whitsunday Islands Sailing Snorkel Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 215 reviews · 60 hours · from $488

Join OzSail Whitsunday aboard Avatar, a fast trimaran sailing from Coral Sea Marina. Over about 60 hours, you’ll snorkel reef sites, visit Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet, watch for turtles and rays, sleep under the stars, and share fresh meals with the crew. Guides vary, with Max, Meg, Hannah, and others regularly leading trips.

“Awesome experience and great way to visit Whitsunday! The OZ Sail crew (Max, Meg and Hannah) made it a safe, enjoyable and fun experience. It was a pretty chill atmosphere on the boat, good meals and great activities with snorkeling and island experiences. We also got to see an amazing sunrise and it was possible to sleep outside on the boat falling asleep while looking at the stars on a clear sky. All in all really great value and would recommend this to everyone else looking to experience Whitsunday in the best possible way!”

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9.Fraser Island & Dolphin Sailing Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 203 reviews · from $78

Join Blue Dolphin Marine Tours at 8:30 am for a four-hour cruise from Hervey Bay into the Great Sandy Strait and toward K’gari. Look for bottlenose and Australian humpback dolphins, then swim, walk the beach, or try the boom net when conditions allow. The 38-foot boat carries up to 24 people, with morning tea, national park fees, and hotel transfers included.

“It was a great half-day tour, that I would most definitely recommend. We were lucky that the weather had just cleared after a few days of rain and were able to go out. We were also lucky to see both species of dolphins, and have a good swim and a walk on a perfect white sandy beach.”

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10.Magnetic Island Lunchtime Sailing Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 178 reviews · from $171

Set out from Nelly Bay at 8:30 am with a small crew, sailing along Magnetic Island to a quiet anchorage such as Radical Bay. Swim, relax on deck, and enjoy a local prawn and antipasto lunch with baguette, beer, wine, and soft drinks. Hosts including Paul, Clayton, and Briony help create an easygoing four-hour cruise.

“Wow, what a day. Wonderful weather and fantastic lunch. Extremely organised. Crew were experienced and fun to talk to. Cruise couldn't have been any better. Total enjoyment. Thank you.”

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11.Whitsunday Islands Sailing, SUP & Snorkel Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 90 reviews · 6 hours · from $162

Spend six hours aboard the air-conditioned Wings III, a 60-foot sailing catamaran carrying up to 29 people. Sail near Hook and Hayman islands, snorkel a fringing reef, visit Langford Island, and try SUP or a clear-bottom kayak. Crew members such as Mike, Mon, Maddy and Sarah provide calm guidance. Bring your own drinks, since nothing alcoholic or soft is sold onboard.

“This was an excellent trip! The team were fun & professional. Great range of activities to suit everyone. Would recommend this trip”

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12.Whitsunday Islands Sail, SUP & Snorkel Tour- Small group

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 64 reviews · from $156

Sail from Coral Sea Marina on a spacious, air-conditioned 60-foot catamaran with low guest numbers. You’ll visit a weather-chosen Whitsunday anchorage, snorkel near Hayman Island, and try a SUP or clear-bottom kayak. Fresh morning tea and lunch are included. Crew members such as Mon, Stew, and Maggie May are known for friendly, safety-minded hosting.

“Perfect, relaxing way to spend a day on a boat at the reef. It’s about a 2 hour sail out to your snorkel spot and it is a beautiful sail. The reef they took us to was incredible. It felt like swimming in am aquarium. The best part about this boat is that it was overly packed. We saw the other catamarans going out and they were just packed in like sardines. No thank you. It was very leisurely and our family of 4 had plenty of room to spread out. This is completely byob. They don’t even provide soft drinks so load up before you get there. The lunch…”

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13.Magnetic Island: Lunchtime Sailing Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 37 reviews · 4 - 6 hours · from $169

Spend four to six hours sailing Magnetic Island aboard a luxury 58-foot boat with Captain Clayton and crew. Anchor in a quiet bay for swimming, beach time and a seafood and antipasto lunch, then enjoy unlimited organic wine or local beer on the sail home. Stinger suits are supplied from November to April.

“the boat was fantastic, we would have loved to have sailed for a bit longer. Lunch was amazing, and my dietry requirements was catered for 100%. yummy and fresh 😋 Only suggestion would be to have a hose down facility for after the swim.”

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14.Lady Enid Sailing to Hook Island Cultural Site & Snorkelling

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 14 reviews · from $182

Spend about eight hours aboard the adults-only 72-foot yacht Lady Enid, sailing from Airlie Beach to Nara Inlet and Hook Island. You’ll take a short, steep walk to the Ngaro Cultural Site, enjoy lunch on board, snorkel for about 40 minutes, and finish with sparkling wine and antipasto. Hotel transfers, equipment, and park fees are included.

“This was my third trip around the reef over the past two years and by far the best! The staff were so kind and helpful! Everything was so professional and unlimited amount of food! Would highly recommend to anyone that is interested in a Read more”

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15.Hook Island Cultural Tour, Sail & Snorkel

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 10 reviews · 8 hours · from $180

Spend eight hours aboard Lady Enid, a classic Australian-built timber yacht, sailing from Airlie Beach to Hook Island. You’ll visit the Ngaro Cultural Site at Nara Inlet, enjoy lunch onboard, snorkel for about 40 minutes, and return with sparkling wine and antipasto. The steep walk, boat ladder, and adults-only format suit mobile adults seeking a calm, polished day at sea.

“Wenig Platz unter Deck, kann sein man sitzt auf beiden Strecken in der prallen Sonne. Crew super nett, gut eingespielt. Essen und Snack sehr lecker, ausreichend Getränke an Bord. Käptn erklärt viel, echt gut.”

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