Providence Whitehaven Beach Sailing and Snorkeling Cruise
Overview
Available languages
9 hours
Mobile ticket
Experience the Whitsundays aboard a 62-ft gaff-rigged schooner, one of the few tall ships to regularly visit Whitehaven Beach. Get involved with handling the sails or simply relax on deck as you sail towards the iconic Whitehaven Beach. Upon arrival, disembark at Tongue Bay and enjoy a short 10-minute walk to the Hill Inlet lookout for stunning views and photo opportunities of the world’s most photographed beach. After taking in the scenery, spend an hour and a half soaking up the sun and the soft, white sand of Whitehaven Beach.
Return to the schooner for lunch as you continue your journey to a beautiful snorkelling spot. Here, you'll have the chance to explore vibrant coral reefs and swim among a variety of colourful fish. As the day winds down, sail back to Coral Sea Marina North, with the sails—wind permitting—guiding you home.
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Hotel pick-up times and location will be listed in your voucher
If your pickup address is not on our drop down list, please CALL US as we will need to give you a time for that pickup location. NOTE we only pickup from Airlie Beach or nearby surrounds so please check. If you are making your own way, PLEASE MEET US AT CORAL SEA MARINA NORTH. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU ARE NOT AT CORAL MARINA SEA MARINA SOUTH WHICH IS FIVE MINUTES WALK FROM US. Also you will need to park there as it offers longterm parking. Coral Sea Marina North does not offer longterm parking. If you are staying at Coral Sea Marina Resort we are only a five minute walk down the boardwalk.
CHECKIN IS AT 7 AM. THE BOAT DEPARTS AT 7.30 AM.
We reserve the right to change the route or destination if necessary e.g. weather conditions
Our minimum numbers are fifteen people in order to sail. You will be offered an opportunity to transfer to another day or can ask for a full refund.
If you lose or damage snorkelling gear or stinger suits you will be charged for the replacement of lost goods via EFTPOS on the boat.
The Master's directions are to be always obeyed.
We have a WAIVER that must be signed by all guests (including children via parent/guardian). This will be sent to you at the time your booking is confirmed.
All departures and itineraries are subject to weather and maybe changed or cancelled at the discretion of the Master.
Please note we operate sailing vessels. We do endeavour to use our sails but that depends upon winds and weather conditions. Please also note that it takes 3 hours to reach Whitehaven Beach which is some distance from Airlie Beach. The journey is part of the day. Also, as we have sailing vessels, please also note you may get wet from waves, depending on the conditions. We are inside the Great Barrier Reef which means we are more sheltered than in the open ocean but if you have not experienced a sailing vessel, it is quite different for e.g. from a ferry. If you have any questions at all about this, please contact us.
Prior to boarding should you be suffering from COVID symptoms (or are in close contact with someone who is) please inform us immediately.
What To Expect
Providence Whitsunday Sailing
Meet us under the umbrellas at the roundabout at Meeting Point B at Coral Sea Marina where we checkin. We do offer pickups. Please make sure you have told us where you want to be picked up from. If you have not informed us by 5pm the day before you will need to meet us at 7 am at the marina.
Whitehaven Beach
Spend an hour or more on this world famous beach. Paddle in the shallows and see if you can say baby mantarays. Or splash in the turquoise waters. Lie on the silicate sand that never gets hot.
Options
BYO food
Pickup included
All food inclusive Day Sail
Picnic morning tea/Lunch/fruit: Yoghurt, cookie, tea/coffee, Chicken or Falafel avocado mayonnaise salad wrap & spinach sun dried tomato feta quiche & fruit Pickup included
What‘s Included
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Local guide
All Fees and Taxes
Use of Snorkelling equipment
Picnic lunch is available(extra cost). Please advise if you are vegetarian. BYO lunch available but must be packed in lunchbox and placed in our esky. *No personal eskies/platters due to limited room.
Please bring your own drink bottle to refill from our water station on board.
Coffee and/or Tea
Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
222 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
The experience was...
Daria R,Jun 6, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00The experience was beautiful! I found more unique travelling with the sailing boat, the weather was perfect. The atmosphere was really relaxed and everyone was enjoying the trip. The capitains explained interesting things about the islands and they were really nice and available! We first stopped at whiteheaven beach and than at the snorkeling spot (really worth it, never seen so many colorful fishes and corals). I would definitely recommend if you like the sailing boat
The guides were amazing,...
Radoslava K,May 28, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00The guides were amazing, I learned so much about the nature, the beach, but also about being on the sea. They made sure everyone was comfortable and enjoyed their time. Equipment was provided. Thank you!
a great day
Lyndal S,Apr 21, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00The most amazing day sailing--and the boys (bosun) were CUTE! Fantastic crew, great lunch, absolutely beautiful island
Taken out in a storm
Ronald H,Mar 30, 2026
- Review from Viator
1.00Make sure that you check the weather for yourself beforehand. The tour operators apparently are more interested in profit over safety. We were taken out in a gail storm. Waves crashig over the bow made it impossible at times to see. Due to being drenched with sea water. Some wore their goggles on the ship to protect their eyes. People were tossed around the ship. Several passengers were bruised and battererd. My friend and I both sustained sore backs from being skammed around the ship. Captain Harry decided after two hours of brutal seas to return to port. Stopping in choppy waters that the Captain said were unfavorable for the snorkeling portion of our trip. He was correct. We wasted more time stopping to get into the water. Never making the Whitsundays or any other stops on our trip. Not a single passenger was in anyway satisfied or happy. We have asked for a full refund and requested where to send or medical bills. After 20 hours we have yet to hear from the tour operaters. Extremely unhappy.
Waist of money
R636NDericv,Mar 10, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00This is no sailing cruise. Whole day boating on noisy motor. No sails. Sat all day in the rain without cover. Snorkeling impossible due to no visibility. Staff not motivated. Waist of my money. Never again .
Great in good weather, but fully exposed – check the forecast before booking
michael186311,Mar 6, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00I booked a family group of six to sail with Providence V Whitsunday Sailing after reading several positive reviews. Based on those, it seems this can be a very enjoyable experience when the weather is calm and sunny. One practical point that may not be obvious from the listing is that the passenger area appears to be entirely on the open deck, so guests are fully exposed to the elements throughout the trip. In calm conditions, this would likely be lovely, but rain, wind and sea conditions will be experienced directly. In the days leading up to our booking, the forecast indicated deteriorating weather associated with a tropical low. We contacted the operator to ask about cancellation options and were advised that the trip generally proceeds in most weather conditions. Conditions on the water can feel quite different from those on land, particularly on an open-deck vessel. After reviewing the conditions on the morning of departure, our group decided it was not something we personally felt comfortable undertaking that day. A couple of practical observations that may help future guests: the lunch offering appeared fairly limited, there is no flexibility for allergy or preference (it seems to be chicken wraps or chicken wraps), so the BYO option may be worth considering. The booking terms also include a waiver relating to activities on the water, and note that certain costs may be retained if the operator cancels. Tips for future travellers: 1. Check the weather forecast carefully before booking 2. If possible, consider booking closer to the sailing date when conditions are clearer 3. Keep in mind that the trip is conducted on a fully open-deck vessel, so you will experience whatever weather occurs that day. This review reflects our experience and the information we were given at the time of booking. It may well be a great experience in calm weather, as many other reviews suggest. Travellers who prefer more sheltered conditions or greater flexibility around weather may wish to take these points into account when deciding whether and when to book.
I do not recommend this company
Daliek21,Feb 14, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
2.00Unfortunately, my experience was very disappointing. The sailboat was excessively full, which made the journey uncomfortable. They didn’t offer adequate drinks; only water that was cold only one way. Lunch was served without refreshments and again only with hot water, which is unacceptable considering the climate and the length of the tour. The itinerary was absurd: about two and a half hours of going to enjoy just one hour in Whitehaven Beach. In addition, during the return they allowed only 15 minutes of snorkeling, clearly insufficient. There were also policy inconsistencies. We were told that drinks could not be brought, however, 9 Other passengers brought beers and were allowed to do so without problem. If I knew, I would have done the same. The boat, although apparently the same as the promotional photos, looks old and worn in reality, which does not match what is sold. To complete the bad experience, they didn’t provide adequate beach swimwear, limiting the ability to enjoy the water comfortably, while other tours were able to do so because they carried their own. Bottom line: little food, poor hydration, poor organization and a service that does not meet expectations. Whitehaven Beach is spectacular, but choosing this company was definitely a bad decision.
Es pec ta cu laaaaaaar
JuanSebastian S,Feb 3, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Best sailing option in Airlie Beach on a unique wooden Schooner thought the Whitsundays island towards the best beach in the whole world: WHITEHAVEN. Extremely worth it!!
Awesome day at sea
Tim S,Oct 25, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Awesome day...Skipper Jack was excellent, ably assisted by Finn who was great support. Whitehaven is spectacular, but the boat trip was also brilliant.
Thank you for the trip of a lifetime!
shivaun cara,Oct 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had the BEST day! The boat was beautiful and the stops were incredible. The crew were 10/10. Our team Laslo and Reed were fantastic (sorry if spelling is incorrect). My mum has a knee injury and they were so helpful, recommending which walks would be suitable or not, personally assisting her in and out of the smaller tender boat at Whitehaven. They were knowledgeable about the area and Reed was great fun showing us maps and telling stories about the places we were travelling to. Our 6 year old son got to have a go as Captain - steering the boat with their supervision. It was his favourite part! Laslo and Reed really made the trip. They were excellent at their jobs but they made it fun and enjoyable and went above and beyond to help us and make sure we enjoyed our adventure. Thank you so much! We did the walk up to the lookout point to see the Whitehaven beach view. Then walked down to have a swim, it was a low tide so a bit of a walk! But worth it, the water was so clear and the silica sand doesn’t get hot to walk across. The snorkelling was fantastic. Wind picked up and our original spot became too dangerous so the crew took us to another protected reef which was gorgeous. The coral and fish were beautiful. We didn’t realise the ship was motor run, which makes sense now having done it. As soon as their was enough wind the crew put a sail up which was fun to see, would have been great to do some sailing without the engine. Wish the stops were a bit longer on Whitehaven and snorkelling but still great for a one day tour. The boat is wonderful, so much fun. My parents did the lunch option and said the food was great. We were lucky to have perfect weather. Thank you for the trip of a lifetime!
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Operated by Whitsunday Sailing Ecotours