Whitsundays Swim Cruise
- Swim tour
- Whitsundays, Qld
- 4 Day, 4 Night
- 3 Couples (6 pax)
- Jun - Sept
★★★★★ 5/5
From 50+ Reviews
Swim your way around the Whitsunday Islands, cruising on a 42ft catamaran in a small boutique group of only three couples.
Slip straight off the boat into crystal clear water and enjoy five of the most scenic ocean swims you’ll ever swim in your life, including along the world-famous Whitehaven Beach and over the world heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef, teeming with marine life.
With only six swimmers onboard, you’ll enjoy a relaxed vibe, the personalised attention from your guide and crew, and the ability to customize your itinerary.
Your private accommodation is well-appointed, with each cabin boosting a double bed and its own ensuite with a shower, toilet, and basin. Elsewhere, you’ll enjoy a spacious, open foredeck, shaded back deck, and plenty of indoor seating.
When you’re taking a break between swims, you’ll explore the Whitsundays on and off the water, Snorkeling, SUP’ing, hiking, and relaxing on the beach.
This tour is BYO, so pack your favourites for sunset drinks onboard or on the beach.
Located only a short flight from Australia’s major cities, and with airport transfers included, this four-day, four-night, island-hopping boutique swim cruise is the dream hassle-free couples escape.
Included
- Fully guided, all inclusive, swim tour
- 5 ocean swims ranging from 1-5km
- Water safety ratio of 1:6
- Experienced OceanFit swim guide
- Snorkelling & SUP'ing, incl. equipment & lesson
- Guided island walks
- Air-conditioned double cabin
- Each cabin with own ensuite & towels
- Freshly prepared onboard meals
- Airport transfers
- BYO alcohol
Not Included
- Flights
- Non-airport transfers
- Alcohol / Onboard bar
Itinerary
This swim tour showcases the best of the Whitsunday Islands with a minimum of five ocean swims from the south of Whitehaven to the north of Hook Island.
The swim locations for each tour are chosen from a pool of amazing spots throughout the Islands, based on the conditions at the time. This ensures every swim is as magical as it could possibly be and every tour is unique in its own way.
You can choose to swim all the scheduled swims at their max distance, or simply pick and choose your swims and distances from 1-5km.
Interspersed between swims are an abundance of water and land-based activities that make it a truly remarkable well-rounded destination swimcation.
- Sunset sail to the Whitsunday Islands
- Visit Hill Inlet
- Whitehaven Beach experience
- Island hopping
- Snorkelling, SUP'ing & Rope Swing
- Guided island walks
- Sunset drinks on secluded beaches
- Tall ship sailing: Help set the sails
- Solway Lass history talks
- Relax in the bow net
- Swim the length of Whitehaven Beach (or choose your distance)
Location
Gallery
Swim safety
Experienced
Skilled, knowledgeable and experienced crew and a swim guide are there to support you
Water safety
A 6:1 water safety ratio is supported by crew on an inflatable support boat
Local crew
The skipper and crew know the best, and safest, places to swim in the Whitsundays
Distance choice
Choose the distance you want to complete for each swim and exit the water at any time
Marine life
Tours are conducted outside stinger season and swim locations are chosen for their safety
Close to shore
Swims are conducted in clear water, within a 20m channel between the shore and support boats
Information and FAQ's
Bookings
How to book, payments, and terms and conditions
Getting there
Flights, airport transfers and making your own way there
Onboard
Accommodation, meals, and what to expect on the boat
Swimming
Pre-requisites, safety and your personal swim experience
Bookings
Once you have purchased a spot, either by making a deposit or full payment, then you will be emailed a confirmation of your booking and an invoice. This means your spot is secured.
The balance for your tour is due 60 days before departure. You can pay your balance at any time by contacting us.
We will confirm the tour is going ahead, 60 days before scheduled departure, or when minimum numbers are met, whichever comes first.
Your 20% deposit per person is non-refundable.
You can transfer to another swim tour, that is already scheduled, up to 60 days before the departure of your originally purchased tour.
You cannot hold your booking to be transferred to a future swim tour that is not already scheduled and taking bookings.
You can find the full Tour Terms & Conditions here.
The minimum age for this swim tour is 18 years unless otherwise specified (i.e. a family designated tour).
We have scheduled our tours to the Whitsunday Islands in the driest, most predictable, time for weather. However, if the weather isn’t ideal, we will be able to find suitable swim locations on sheltered sides of the islands, and there is plenty of room inside the tall ship and under cover on the deck.
The maximum group size for this tour is six participants, usually made up of three couples.
Getting there
Virgin & Jetstar fly to Proserpine Airport (PPP).
No. You will need to organise your own flights to Proserpine Airport, or other transport to Airlie Beach.
We will let you know as early as possible when to book your flights once we have confirmed the tour has met minimum numbers, at the latest we’ll let you know 60 days before departure.
The airport you will need to fly into is Proserpine/Whitsunday Coast Airport (PPP), and Virgin, Qantas and Jetstar fly here. Your return airport transfer to/from Airlie Beach is included in your tour package.
Flights need to arrive no later than 2pm on the tour departure day and shouldn’t be booked earlier than 2:30pm on the last day of the tour.
Return transfer from the airport to the marina or your accommodation are included.
Unfortunately, transfers from/to the Proserpine Railway Station are not included.
All transfers from/to the Proserpine Railway Station must be pre-booked with Queensland Rail.
If your flight is into Proserpine Airport, and you are flying in on the tour departure day and flying out on the final day of the tour, then you only need to organise your flights. We will transfer you between the airport and the marina.
If you are arriving via any other form of transport into Airlie Beach it is your responsibility to get yourself to the marina.
If you are arriving before the tour departure day, and/or departing after the final tour day, we will organise your airport transfers, however, you will need to make your own way to/from the marina to/from your accommodation.
We recommend travel insurance to protect against loss of valuables, illness (including COVID-19), late cancellations or failure to meet departure.
Due to limited space onboard, guests are required to bring a soft duffle bag about the size of carry-on.We’ll send you a list of gear to bring, but you won’t need much.
We’ll let you know what to bring once you’re booked, but it isn’t much. In fact, we ask that you only bring enough clothes to fit in a soft duffle bag that could fit in carry-on luggage.
Onboard
Your home for the tour is a beautiful sailing catamaran, with a spacious, open foredeck, shaded back deck and plenty of indoor seating.
All four nights of accommodation are aboard the catamaran. There are three double air-conditioned cabins, each with its own ensuite with shower, toilet, and basin.
No. This is a live-onboard swim tour, so everyone will be sleeping on the catamaran. There is no land-based accommodation at the locations we will be mooring overnight.
Yes, you certainly can! Depending on the schedule, there will be opportunities to spend time on the shore, including on Whitehaven Beach and at Hill Inet.
Technically you can, but you will need to pay for two people as double cabins must have two guests in them.
Yes, you can, but you will be sharing a double bed.
If you think you might get seasick, we suggest bringing motion-sickness tablets, such as Kwells or natural ginger-based alternatives.
Yes! There are fresh water showers available, however, please note that there isn’t always warm water available. We kindly ask guests to use the showers once a day (so we’ve got plenty for the whole tour).
All meals are freshly prepared onboard, with snacks, coffee and tea available. Dietary needs can be catered for with advanced notice.
Dinner on the first night, 3 meals on day 2, 3 & 4, and breakfast on the final morning. There are also snacks available, and coffee, tea and tap water.
Yes. The following diets can be catered for: lactose-free, gluten intolerance, nut/fish allergies, vegetarian and vegan diets. You will be asked for your dietary requirements before the tour.
All meals are catered for on this swim tour, so you don’t need to bring any food (unless you wish to bring additional snacks).
The onboard cook can accommodate special dietary requirements.
There are no cooking facilities onboard for guests.
Yes. This tour is BYO alcohol. There is no licensed bar onboard. YOu should also bring your own mixers, if required.
Coffee, tea and water is provided free of charge.
We are unable to store your luggage onshore, however, there is a luggage service offered in the Airlie Beach township:
Airlie Beach Bag Storage (Part of Redcat Adventures)
350 Shute Harbor Road, Airlie Beach
Please note, it is your responsibility to ensure you have time to store your luggage before the tour and pick it up after. Airport transfers on the day of the tour departure, or the final tour day, are likely to be too tight to include a stop off at the storage location. You should choose the late afternoon/evening departure flights if you intend to leave luggage.
We discourage luggage storage if you are arriving on the tour start day and departing on the tour finish day.
Limited power points are available onboard to charge digital devices. Phone signal is limited and intermittent.
There are no additional opportunities to spend money on this tour, once we leave the marina, unless, of course, you’d like to purchase any OceanFit merchandise.
Swimming
You will need to be able to swim at least 1km non-stop freestyle (i.e. you may have previously completed a 1km ocean swim event). The minimum swim distance for every swim is 1km.
We welcome swimmers of all speeds, however, there may be times when we need to give you a quick lift in our support boat if you’re getting too far behind. This won’t be a problem if you stick to the shorter distance options on each swim.
No. You can choose which swims you participate in. Non-swimming guests (that don’t meet the pre-requisite) cannot participate in any distance swims (social swimming/bathing is fine).
Yes! You can choose to swim the minimum 1km, or the maximum distance for each of the swims. You can also exit the water at any time into a support boat.
Not if you’re registered as a ‘swimmer’. You will need to be able to swim at least 1km non-stop freestyle (i.e. you may have previously completed a 1km ocean swim event). The minimum swim distance for every swim is 1km.
Guests registered as a ‘non swimmer’ do not need to be able to swim freestyle.
Whilst we prefer all guests on these small-group tours to be swimmers, we do welcome non-swimmers to join their swimming partner. Non-swimming guests can participate in all activities except the scheduled ocean swims.
The water in the Whitsunday Islands is between 22-25 degrees, so it’ll be nice and warm for swimming. However, some people feel the cold more than others so wetsuits are an option. They also provide additional stinger safety, should you wish to be extra vigilent.
Whilst we can’t 100% guarantee that stingers won’t be present, our swim tours to the Whitsunday Islands are scheduled during the non-stinger (winter) season when the water is a little cooler (still 22-25 degrees). Our highly experienced, local, crew will be aware of the stinger situation as we start the tour.
Events like the Whitehaven Beach ocean swim are held in the non-stinger season and participants don’t wear stinger suits.
There will be one stinger suit available per person, should you wish to wear one at any time.
Absolutely! We will have an inflatable support boat in the water, and swimmers will swim in clear water between the shore and the support boat.
There is a water safety ratio of a maximum of 1:6.
We have a comprehensive water safety plan for all swims.
It is ok to wear swim fins, however, the practice is discouraged as we are swimming over precious reef. The ship is eco-certified and no fins are carried on board. If you must wear fins you will be briefed on their use when swimming over the reef. For those who wear fins for safety when swimming in deep water and surf, you will not require them for this purpose on our swims as we swim close to shore and predominantly in waist/shoulder deep water.
From $2,495
Per Person^
*How to book Private Double cabins: When booking a double cabin, you will need to book both guests in at the same time on the same transaction, deposits and balance payments are made by the booking customer on behalf of both guests.
^Plus booking fee and payment processing fee. A 20% non-refundable deposit is required to secure your booking and our Booking Flexibility Guarantee applies.
Booking Flexibility Guarantee
7-days to confirm
Want us to hold a date? Simply book with a deposit and you can cancel within 7-days for a full refund* if more than 60-days prior to departure
Booking transfers
You can transfer your booking to another scheduled tour, or to another person, up until 90-days prior, for free
Read the full Tour Terms & Conditions. *All refunds exclude the booking fee and credit card fee.
We recommend travel insurance to protect against loss of valuables, illness (including COVID-19), late cancellations or failure to meet departure.
Have any questions?
Get in touch with our friendly reservations team today by phone, email or web chat.
Charter your own private tour
Would you like to book a private swim tour for just you and your friends?
Ask us about the dates we have available
