More than seventy tall, green islands shelter inside the Great Barrier Reef — a national park afloat in the Coral Sea where the sand between your toes is as soft as silk.
The 74 Whitsunday Islands, discovered by Captain Cook in 1770, are scattered between 20° and 21° South. The main charter base sits at Hamilton Island or nearby Airlie Beach. From the deck of a 50-foot monohull or cat, you sail past Whitehaven Beach, Hook Island, and Hamilton Marina — the Great Barrier Reef itself is a day-sail east.
Sheltered by the Reef, the tranquil ocean surrounding the Whitsundays makes for ideal sailing conditions: steady SE trade winds at 15–25 knots, water temperatures that rarely drop below 22°C in winter (your summer), and a thousand anchorages to choose from. The Whitsundays are a play park for water sports — sailing, snorkelling, scuba, paddleboarding — and adventurous outdoor activities ashore.
