Ocean Raft or Catamaran to Whitehaven Beach?

Speed against comfort

Most people choosing a Whitehaven Beach boat tour are choosing a boat first. The two common ones sell opposite things. The ocean raft is an open, semi-rigid inflatable built for speed. The catamaran is big, broad and slow, with a cabin and a deck. Both reach Whitehaven Beach and walk you up to the lookout. What differs is how you get there, and what the speed buys you.

The price barely separates them. The ocean-raft day costs $180, and the catamaran beach day costs $169. So choose by the ride and by the day each one makes room for.

Side by side

Three rows decide it for most people. The time on the sand is close between the raft and the catamaran, so the beach alone is no reason to pick either. The snorkel row is the real split: the raft includes one with a suit, the big catamaran has none. And the ride row is the one your body will remember. If you are unsure how you handle a fast boat in a chop, trust that doubt and take the steadier one.

The case for the ocean raft

Speed is the whole argument. By Ocean Rafting's own figures, its boats run up to 12 metres, with 500 hp engines and speeds up to 35 knots. That buys you time. In seven hours you get the lookout walk, a reef snorkel with a sunsuit, lunch on the sand and about two hours on the beach. A slower boat needs eight hours for less.

The ride itself is part of the fun, if it suits you. One solo reviewer called a windy crossing wild and bumpy and loved it. You also pick your balance when you book: Northern Exposure for more snorkeling, Southern Lights for more beach. Groups run to 32, and children ride from two on a child fare.

The raft suits you if you are fit, like a thrill, and want the classic day without the long hours. It suits couples, friends and families with older children. The full day is set out on the ocean-raft day page.

The case for the catamaran

The catamaran sells the opposite: a flat, calm ride. One reviewer said the big boat barely rocked. You get an air-conditioned cabin, a rooftop deck, and standard and accessible toilets on board. You stay drier. And on SeaLink's day, morning tea, a buffet lunch and afternoon tea are all served on board.

It is the right boat for more people than the raft. The raft's listing advises against it in pregnancy and for anyone with back or heart problems, and infants must ride on a lap. None of that applies on a big catamaran. It suits older travelers, young families, anyone prone to seasickness, and anyone who would rather look at the islands than hold on.

Not every catamaran is the same, though. Red Cat runs a high-speed catamaran with two snorkel stops and about an hour on the beach. ZigZag's eco-cruise runs an 80-seat catamaran with up to four hours on the sand and no stop at the inlet. The comfort is similar; the day is not. They are compared on Whitehaven Beach day tours.

Where each one leaves from, and what to bring

The two boats start in different places, which matters if you are not staying in town. The raft leaves Coral Sea Marina in Airlie Beach, from the Northern Village next to Sorrento's Restaurant, and a courtesy bus collects you from the listed stops. SeaLink's catamaran leaves Shute Harbour at 9am, and a free coach runs you there from 13 stops around Airlie Beach in about 30 minutes.

Pack for the boat you choose. On the raft you want a small bag: swimwear, a towel, sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, a refillable bottle and walking shoes. Nothing to drink comes with the fare, so fill the bottle first. On the catamaran, bring swimwear, a towel and sunscreen, which are not provided, plus a windbreaker for the deck. There is a licensed bar on board, so bring a card or cash. Every marina and harbour is on the Airlie Beach to Whitehaven Beach page.

The sailing day, a third answer

If neither suits you, sail. Camira is a sailing catamaran that makes a ten-hour day of it from the Port of Airlie. You get about three hours at the northern end of the beach, a fringing-reef snorkel and a barbecue lunch. Soft drinks, beer and wine are in the fare, which the raft and the big catamaran leave out.

The trade-offs are time and terms. It is the longest day, the lookout walk depends on the tide, and the fare needs two or three days' notice to cancel, depending on where you book. One sailing reviewer said good wind meant they sailed both ways. Every sailing option is on Whitehaven Beach sailing tours.

Can you do both?

In one day, not by boat. But you can add the air to the raft. Ocean Rafting sells a fly-raft package: a one-hour scenic flight over the reef and islands, then the same raft day to the beach. It costs $401 to $401, depending on where you book. It starts from Whitsunday Airport, with a courtesy coach from town, and its flights have weight limits of 120 or 125 kg a seat.

If you have two days, take the catamaran for the beach and the flight for the view. The flights are compared on Whitehaven Beach scenic flights. How the airport and the marinas sit against each other is on the departure map.

The verdict, by traveler

• Fit, short on time, want it all: the ocean raft.
• Pregnant, a bad back, or prone to seasickness: a big catamaran.
• Young children: a big catamaran; infants cannot ride the raft except on a lap.
• Snorkel first: the raft's Northern Exposure, or the fast catamaran with two stops.
• A slow day with a drink: Camira under sail.

Still unsure how long you want on the sand? The hours-on-the-sand guide sets every kind of day side by side. What to wear in the water is in the swimming guide.

Raft, catamaran or sail

Ocean Rafting: Whitehaven Beach, Snorkelling & Hill Inlet Lookout

Seven hours on an open ocean raft: a reef snorkel in a sunsuit or wetsuit, the guided lookout walk, lunch on the sand and about two hours on the beach. Not recommended in pregnancy or with a bad back.

From $180 per person

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Airlie Beach: Hill Inlet Lookout and Whitehaven Beach Cruise

Eight hours on a big, steady catamaran with three meals served on board, the guided lookout walk and up to two hours on the sand. No snorkel stop, and a free coach from town.

From $169 per person

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Camira Sailing Adventure through Whitsunday Islands

Ten hours under sail, with lunch, soft drinks, beer and wine in the fare, about three hours at the northern end of the beach and a reef snorkel. The lookout walk depends on the tide; cancel three days out.

From $187 per person

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