Whitsundays Day Tours - One Day in Paradise!

You’re in Airlie Beach – you have one day – what are you going to do?

Don’t worry - the Whitsundays offer literally dozens of day tours and some half-day tours too - with something for everyone including families, couples and groups of friends. Here’s our handy guide to what’s on offer, so you can plan your trip. But remember, always speak with a Whitsundays Holiday Specialist when it comes to booking. Not sure what you are after? See Whitsundays Day Tours for all day trips in the Whitsundays!

Sensational sailing…

If you only have one day in the Whitsundays – and plenty of people change their minds and stay longer than they’d planned! – you would have to spend it sailing amongst the world famous Whitsunday Islands. Known around the globe for their calm waters, spectacular scenery and abundant sea life, the cruising grounds of the Whitsunday Islands are a holidaymaker’s dream as you sail, swim and snorkel in the crystal clear Coral Sea.

The choices are endless – skim across the water in a sailing maxi-yacht, glide effortlessly along in a traditional, timber tallship, or take the sleek and modern approach and cut a swathe through the water in a wave-piercer. One-day sailing tours vary in length, with the majority offering snorkelling and a visit to Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet Lookout – check the details with one of our friendly team if you would prefer a Sailing Day Tour of the Whitsunday Islands

Speed-freaks welcome

If you feel the need for speed, you can enjoy an exhilarating ride around the Whitsunday Islands all in one day including world famous Whitehaven Beach, Hill Inlet lookout and two snorkelling opportunities, on a super-fast catamaran designed for stability as well as speed. Or how about a fun ride in a semi-rigid inflatable vessel, which is also super-fast and takes in Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet Lookout, and offers an educational adventure amongst the natural beauty of the Whitsundays with snorkelling and a guided Whitsunday Island National Parks walk. Whatever style of boat you choose – and there are certainly lots – cruising in the Whitsundays is a once-in-a-lifetime experience you will never forget. Want to know what your options are? Take a look at our Speed Boat Whitsunday Day Tours for more information.

Family fun

You can’t be James Bond every day…so for those quieter days, there are some great one-day and half-day trips available where you can soak up the Whitsunday region. One great way to get away from it all, is with a half-day segway tour. Choose between an exhilarating forage into the rainforest or a relaxing cruise along the boardwalk – both options include interesting and informative commentary, as well as a stop for refreshments. And for a really relaxing day out on the water – or half-day – how about some kayaking?

Everything’s included and you’ll be given a briefing on what to look out for in the water – the Whitsundays boast fascinating marine life. And did you know you can see crocodiles in the wild in the Whitsundays – true! Take a tour along the Proserpine River and see these amazing animals up close as they laze languorously on the muddy banks. If that’s doesn’t put you in touch with nature, nothing will! And last but not least, you can’t go past a sunset cruise around Pioneer Bay, just off Airlie Beach. Watch the shoreline come alive with a million twinkling lights as you cruise leisurely along the Airlie Beach coastline in the twilight. Stunning sunset photos are a bonus! Check out our Day Tour Activities and Airlie Beach Mainland Day Trips for more information.

Here fish, fishy…!

Another iconic Whitsundays experience you can do in a day – or half-a-day if you are cramming a lot into your holiday – is fishing. There is a good choice of fishing charters departing the mainland and all offer a great day’s fishing out on the water amongst the beautiful Whitsunday Islands. There are plenty of fish including coral trout, red emperor, Spanish mackerel, trevally, tuna, black marlin and sailfish, to name just a few! If you have a full-day, you will be able to go to the ‘Outer’ Great Barrier Reef, while half-day tours offer fishing in ‘fringing’ reefs, closer to the mainland. Enjoy a comfortable ride with nothing to worry about, as everything is provided including rods, reels, handlines, tackle and bait.
Look no further for information on Whitsunday Fishing Charters from Airlie Beach.

Adrenalin plus

If you like some action on your holiday, there are plenty of options on the Whitsunday mainland that can be fitted into one day. And some tours only take a few hours - so you can do more than one if you’re game! Jetskis are a great way to explore the region’s flora and fauna and have some fun at the same time. Tours of between 1-hour and 2.5 hours are offered, departing the marina, so there is an option to suit all itineraries. Or how about a spin in one of the region’s speed boats – a fast and furious ride is the order of the day with plenty of wheeling and whooping! If that’s got your blood pumping, then you could finish off the day with a real heart-racer! You can skydive in Airlie Beach and tick off a bucket-list item while floating down over some of the most stunning scenery you will see anywhere in the world. Or you can choose an adventure flight experience and do aerial acrobatics over the Coral Sea in a Russian Yak Fighter Pilot, as your loved ones look on from below. Are you brave enough…?