Whitsundays boat rental
Whitsunday Islands is one of the most popular locations for boat rentals in Australia. The Whitsundays is a group of 74 beautiful islands in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef. With a bevy of stunning secluded and unspoiled beaches, turquoise blue waters with several meters of visibility, and resort towns, as well as rainbow-colored reefs, the Whitsundays is best explored on a boat rental. With perfect sailing conditions all-year-round, thanks to the fringing reefs of the Great Barrier Reef that surround it, the waters around the 74 islands are calm and sheltered. Whatever type of traveler you are, whether you're traveling as a group, a family, a couple on a honeymoon, or a solo traveler, there's a Whitsundays island that meets your interest and curiosity. Whitsundays is the perfect jumping point to discover the beautiful world of the Great Barrier Reef, but aside from that, it's also home to countless uninhabited islands and marine parks that are definitely worth a visit.
Why rent a boat in the Whitsundays?
The Whitsunday Islands are located off the coast of Queensland and situated in the very heart of the Great Barrier Reef. It's sheltered and protected, with islands that total to 74, offering calm waters that are perfect for sailing all-year-round. As one of the top spots for boat rentals in Australia, you'll find plenty boat operators ready to island hop, whether you want to explore the islands on a day trip, an overnight excursion, or a full-week Whitsunday Islands escapade. There are also three main marinas in Whitsundays, each offering amenities and facilities that allow for a wide range of yachts to dock.
How much is boat rental in the Whitsundays?
Whitsundays boat rental prices vary on a number of factors, including the size of the boat, the rental duration, and the number of people on board. A 36-foot power vessel for a group of 4 adults can cost around USD 700 each day for a minimum of 5 nights rental. A 45-foot power boat for 8 adults can go for $1,600 per night, and a 40-foot catamaran can go for about $1,300. Whether you want a sailboat, a catamaran, a power boat, or a simple motor yacht for a group of 4, there's plenty of boat rentals to choose from in the Whitsundays. Water transfers are also ideal in the Whitsundays. Speedboats are perfect for exploring the archipelago if you are short on time or want to maximize the time that you have. If you're heading from Airlie Beach and want to enjoy a speedboat transfer to and from Whitehaven Beach, it can cost around $850.
How much is catamaran rental in Whitsundays?
A catamaran below 51-feet can cost around $10,000 to $15,000 for a full week in the Whitsundays. In contrast, a catamaran between 51' to 65' can cost about $15,000 to $30,000 for a whole week charter. Overall, renting a catamaran is a fantastic way to explore Whitsundays. Catamarans offer more space than a monohull and feature more stability and a classic cruising style.
Rent a boat for a day in Whitsundays
There are so many islands to explore in the Whitsundays that it can be difficult to choose one or two for a day's itinerary. For a boat rental in the Whitsundays, a day of swimming, snorkeling, diving, and cruising is best to get a gist of the group of islands. Langford Island and the Langford Spit are a definite visit. This pristine and uninhabited island with fringing coral reefs is teeming with marine life and perfect for snorkeling and scuba diving. It also features a long sandpit that disappears at high tide, where you can swim, sunbathe, have a picnic, and simply enjoy its soft sand. After lunch, you can head to Blue Pearl Bay, which is located on the northwestern side of Hayman Island. Blue Pearl Bay is an excellent spot for diving and snorkeling directly from your boat rental, and the west side of the Bay features sensational sunsets over Whitsundays.
Whitsunday Islands offer a world of bright white beaches and clear blue skies, vibrant coral reefs, and many bays offering safe anchorages. A perfect place to sail, you can hop on a boat at 8 in the morning, explore the beautiful beaches and snorkeling spots, and come back by 5 pm for the most beautiful sunset before you disembark in the marina. Among the most popular things to do when you rent a boat for a day in the Whitsundays is visiting Hill Inlet and Whitehaven Beach. You can hike to the peak where a lookout provides beautiful views of the swirling sands below. Then make your way down to Whitehaven Beach, where beautiful white sand and crystal blue waters await you. You can then head up to the north end of Hook Island for some quick snorkeling, before making your back to the marina.
Rent a boat for the weekend in Whitsundays
You rent a boat overnight on Whitsundays to spend the night moored in one of the bays and wake up to the beautiful sunrise in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef. A typical itinerary for an overnight boat rental includes embarking from one of the marinas at Airlie Beach, then making your way to Hook Island to explore the trails, the snorkeling spots, and the beaches. Of course, the Hill Inlet lookout and Whitehaven Beach are the must-visit spots, but for an overnight trip, you can enjoy more recreational activities compared to a day boat rental. Aside from these two spots, you can hit secret spots with fantastic snorkeling, such as the North end of Hook Island or Hayman Island. Get to sleep on board, enjoy catering prepared by your crew, and explore the islands some more in the morning before making your way back to Airlie Beach.
If you've got more time on your hands, then a weekend island-hopping itinerary between the best islands in the Whitsundays is definitely a must. Here is a sample itinerary of a weekend boat rental in the Whitsundays:
Day 1: Hook Island
With multiple world-class dive spots and picturesque bays, this island offers numerous moorings and safe anchorages for an overnight stay. Nara Inlet is a secluded bay that is ideal for boat charters and is perfect for history lovers. It has stunning natural surroundings and ancient aboriginal caves, which you will enjoy exploring. The waters around Nara Inlet are also ideal for paddling, kayaking, and allow encounters with sea eagles, turtles, reef fish, and dolphins.
Day 2: Border Island
Border Island features amazing snorkeling opportunities, secluded bays, and spectacular views. It also has a beautiful spot for anchorages, perfect for boar rentals in the Whitsundays. The island is a Marine National Park Green Zone, the highest form of protective zoning in the islands. This means that marine life is abundant and the water is as pristine as it gets.
Day 3: Whitehaven Beach
And of course, a trip to the Whitsundays is never complete without a visit to Whitehaven Beach. Located on the main Whitsunday Island, it is one of the most famous spots in Queensland. It is also one of the most photographed beaches in the world and dubbed as the best beach in Australia. The sand is made of 98% pure white silica, which gives the sand a beautiful, brilliant, luminescent color. Aside from picnicking on the beach, swimming, and snorkeling, you can also head over to Tongue Point, which is a lookout that offers perfect views of Hill Inlet.
Rent a boat for diving in Whitsundays
The Whitsundays has some excellent dive sites that are best reached with a boat. Many of these spots are only a 2-hour boat ride away from Airlie Beach, and once you reach one of these islands, other dive spots are within close proximity, allowing you to visit multiple spots in one day. Here are 4 popular dive spots in the Whitsundays:
The Woodpile, Hook Island
Known as the best wall dive in the Whitsundays, this dive spot features a rock wall drop-off with scattered deep coral and a sandy bottom. It also features magnificent caves and rock ledges.
The Pinnacle, Hook Island
Considered one of the best scuba dive sites in the region, the Pinnacle features large coral bommies and huge boulder shaped porite corals. Marine towers are also visible from 3 to 18 meters, and manta ray sightings are pretty common in the winter months.
Blue Pearl Bay, Hayman Island
Visibility here is between 3 to 15 meters and the perfect spot is on Castle Rock beach with its shallow ledges that drop off to a 15-meter wall.
Cateran Bay, North Border Island
Considered to be one of the best anchorages in the Whitsundays, Cateran Bay features plenty of gullies and ledges that are perfect for advanced divers to explore.
Whitsundays boat rental for a week
Whitsunday Islands are so rich with marine life that one or two days simply isn't time to truly capture its beauty. A marine park, you'll get to discover many of the world's best dive spots, where the waters are teeming with sea creatures only found in the region, as well as uninhabited islands with beaches all to yourselves, and charming towns along the coast. Here is a sample itinerary when you decide to rent a boat for a week in the Whitsundays:
Day 1: Airlie Beach to Hook Island
Explore Nara Inlet in Hook Island with its steep hillsides and waterfalls. You can also visit caves where ancient carvings were made by the indigenous Ngaro people. A calm and secluded bay, you can anchor here for the night before making your way to another bay come morning.
Day 2: Butterfly Bay
Head to the northern coast where you will find Butterfly Bay. Colonies of blue butterflies are found on the beach, thus, the name of the bay. The beach is also home to manta rays and Maori wrasse, and other stunning wildlife. Have lunch at Blue Pearl Bay in Hayman Island, and get back to the Bay to stay the night on your boat.
Day 3: Cateran Bay on Border Island
Head up north and visit Border Island, teeming with marine life and designated as a "Green Zone." You can anchor outside the protected area, and make your way to the island where trails to the highest part of the island offer a magnificent view of the Whitsundays.
Day 4: Whitehaven Beach
And for course, a visit to the Whitsundays is never complete without a bit of Whitehaven Beach. This is by far the most popular destination for any boat rental on Whitsundays.
Day 5: Hamilton Island
An island where resorts are aplenty, you can enjoy a range of activities here such as mini-golf, go-karting, helicopter rides, and sunbathing at Catseye Bay.
Day 6: Cid Harbour
Located on the western side of the island, head to Cid Harbour's Dugong Beach for some swimming and even sightings of turtles.
Day 7: Palm Bay in Long Island
A spa is located on the island, where you can pamper yourself with their range of spa services. You can also visit the Molle Islands National Park, before making your way back to Airlie Beach.
When is the boating season in the Whitsundays?
Since Whitsundays is located in the tropics, it has two seasons: the wet and the dry season. The drier months of June to August, which is winter season in Australia coincides with whale season where humpback whales migrate to the region and take shelter in the islands. The winter boat rental season is one of the busiest in Whitsundays due to the influx of tourists, which means you'll see many boats in the waters at this time of the year. The months of December to March are the wet season, which means rain and storms are a common occurrence and not ideal for a boat rental across the islands. Between April to November is your best bet, but unless there's extremely bad weather, boat rentals still run and operate in the Whitsundays, no matter what season.
