Cruising the Whitsundays in Style (Sample 5 Day Itinerary)
Once you have arrived in Airlie Beach, completed your bareboat briefing, arranged your provisioning and organized your crew it's time to set off for a memorable holiday on your luxury bareboat or crewed charter. If you have decided to let someone else captain the vessel, your experienced and local helmsman will take you to the best snorkelling and anchorage spots suitable to the prevailing wind and sea conditions allowing you to sit back and relax into holiday mode. If you have decided to be the master of your own destiny and skipper the boat yourself, your bareboat briefer will give you a suggested itinerary which may look a little like this: (Itinerary based on 10-15kts South Easterly Conditions)
Day 1
Depart Coral Sea Marina and head to Nara Inlet, a fjord-like inlet located on the south-east side of Hook Island. Surrounded either side by towering pines that juxtapose the hard rock meeting the turquoise water, the holding ground for anchors are excellent in this scenic inlet. Discover the ancient Ngaro Aboriginal Cultural Site found at the far end of the inlet. Learn about the Ngaro people from the interpretive signage along the well marked and easy track to the caves.
Nara Inlet, Hook Island Whitsundays
Day 2
After a delectable breakfast on the aft deck of your luxury vessel, make your way back out of Nara Inlet, through Hook Passage and follow the eastern side of Whitsunday Island south to Tongue Bay. A large bay with 14 moorings, it's the perfect place to pack a light bag and take the tender ashore. Follow the short well-marked track to the Hill Inlet lookout where the champagne sands and aqua blue shift and swirl with the changing tide. Follow the path back down to the inlet side of Tongue Point and frolic in the azure waters of Whitehaven Beach. Spend the night in Tongue Bay or make your way to the southern end of Whitehaven Beach for an equally impressive overnight anchor.
Hill Inlet, Whitsunday Island
Day 3
See a different perspective of Whitehaven Beach and take the Solway Circuit walk climbing through grass trees and cycads to the lookout. Arriving back on board, navigate the boat making your way north towards Hook Island. You could easily spend a whole day exploring the many bays that sit side by side starting at Mantaray Bay, then Luncheon Bay, Maureen Cove and finally Butterfly Bay. Each bay is unique in its own way, offering snorkelling spots and coral beaches to explore.
Butterfly Bay, Hook Island Whitsundays
Day 4
Make the most of your time at Hook Island and take the morning at a leisurely pace. Enjoy some time out on deck reading a book and enjoy a late breakfast or, if lucky, understand why Butterfly Bay got its name as you watch hundreds of butterflies flutter by. Then, drop your mooring and make your way around to Langford Reef - a sandspit with a small rocky island at one end with another short bushwalk to another impressive lookout overlooking the length of the spit. Enjoy a BBQ lunch on the back deck before moving back across to the eastern side of Hook Island to Stonehaven for the night.
Langford Island, Whitsundays
Day 5
Relax on the last day and take in the surrounds on the last morning of your memorable holiday. You need to arrive back into Coral Sea Marina by 10am so give yourself approximately 2 hours from this point to get back in time for your debrief and departure from the boat. Luxury Yachts Whitsundays can book and arrange your airport transfers or perhaps a nice meal at either Sorrento Restaurant & Bar or The Garden Bar Bisto at Coral Sea Marina.
*Luxury Yachts Whitsundays offer 3 night minimum charters but recommend 5+ night charters to really experience the true essence of a unique bareboating and Whitsunday holiday. Ask our friendly staff for other suggested anchorages for an extended charter period.
Abell Point Marina, Airlie Beach
