Sailing around the magical Whitsundays has been in the top three of my Australian bucket list forever. Ever since I set foot in the land Down Under I’ve wanted to explore this very special part of Australia. Last October I traveled through Tropical North Queensland and finally got my chance. I sailed through the Whitsundays for three days/two nights, which was a truly magical experience. And here’s why.
Ship ahoy!
There are many companies offering different sailing trips in the Whitsundays. We decided to travel with Sailing Whitsundays via Mr Travel, a company that offers a wide range of Whitsunday trips. Because we were looking for a relaxed, no-party trip we opted for the Powerplay, a catamaran with a maximum of 18 passengers. Should you be looking for a little bit more action then a trip on the Atlantic Clipper – the biggest party boat in the Whitsundays – might be perfect for you.
Three days of pure bliss
I couldn’t help it: as soon as I set foot on the Powerplay and sailed away I felt this absolute feeling of freedom take over. There’s just something magical about being on the water, and when sailing around in one of the most beautiful parts of the world things just can’t get any better. And the trip had just started!
UNESCO World Heritage – The Great Barrier Reef
A trip on the Powerplay includes going to three different snorkeling spots. Now if snorkeling in itself doesn’t already make your heart beat faster, the fact that you’re snorkeling in the famous Great Barrier Reef probably will. I saw lots of beautiful fishies, gorgeous coral (also a lot of bleached coral sadly), jellyfishies and a turtle.
Make sure you always wear your stinger suit when you go snorkeling in these waters because you never know – there might be some evil jellyfish eager to put their tentacles on you 😉
Is this heaven? It’s Whitehaven Beach
The biggest highlight of this trip is, without a doubt, visiting the magical Whitehaven beach. I’ve seen hundreds – no – perhaps thousands of photos of the iconic “Whitsundays swirl”, the blinding white sand and the crazy crystal clear blue waters. But seeing this in real life and actually swimming in the waters and feeling the sand under my feet was an indescribable feeling.
Some practical tips
- If there’s a chance you might get seasick then take the necessary precautions. I always get sick on boats but I took TravaCalm which worked like a charm – I did not get sick at all! 🙂
- You’re not allowed to bring any bottled drinks or red wine. Make sure you bring enough alcohol for the entire trip but don’t take too much with you either. The trip back to Airlie Beach can be quite rough and trust me – a rocky ocean with a hangover is NOT fun 😉
- If you suffer from claustrophobia the downstairs cabins on the Powerplay might not be suitable for you. To be honest, I found the cabin where we were sleeping a little suffocating as well, and don’t think it’s worth spending extra money on. I spent the first part of my second night sleeping on the deck which was lovely.
After three days on the water we sailed back to Airlie Beach. Although it was good to set foot on land again I would’ve wanted this trip to last much longer. Who knows – maybe I’ll be back in the Whitsundays sooner than I think 😉
All pictures in this article are edited with Eef’s Presets – get yours here.
❤ Eef
Disclaimer: this article is part of a collaboration with Sailing Whitsundays. I received a discounted trip in return for this collaboration. All opinions expressed in this article are 100% genuine and 100% mine.
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