Two Nights Sailing to Whitehaven Beach on 'Spank Me'

★★★★★ 4.8 (782 traveler reviews)

Hill Inlet not promisedUnder sailSnorkel gear in the fareMax 27 guests

Two nights at sea on an 82-foot sailboat, for people who want the islands without the day-trip rush. You sleep in a bunk below deck, eat three meals a day, and snorkel the fringing reefs between sails. The boat can reach Whitehaven Beach before the day boats do. It is basic, social and outdoors, and the fare covers the park fees.

Hours, prices and access verified by the Whitehaven Beach Tours team — last checked 2026-09-21.

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Two nights, three meals a day, and the reef

Two nights on 'Spank Me'

'Spank Me' is an 82-foot sailboat, about 25 metres long, run by OzSail. You board in the morning at Coral Sea Marina and live on it for two nights. The crew sail, cook and pick the anchorages; you snorkel, swim, lie on the deck and help hoist a sail if you want to. There is no hotel, no transfer and no early coach, just the boat.

The reason to choose it over a day trip is time. A day boat gives you an hour or two on Whitehaven Beach in the middle of the day. A trip that sleeps out there can land you early. One traveler who sailed on 'Spank Me' through OzSail's separate listing said they were the first ones on the beach. Whitehaven Beach Tours sets this trip beside the day boats and the flights.

What sleeping on board means

You sleep below deck, in bunks, and the booking page is plain about it. One reviewer said the berths were what you would expect on a racing sailboat, and one found the trip far more basic than expected: a bunk below and little room anywhere else. The days are spent on deck, in the sun and wind.

So pack light and pack soft: a small bag, not a suitcase. Bring a warm layer for the evenings on deck, a hat for the days, and seasickness tablets if you need them. If you want a private cabin, this is not the boat. The two-night trimaran Avatar takes 26 and is compared on Whitehaven Beach sailing tours.

Meals, drinks and what to bring

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are in the fare, cooked on board, and reviewers speak well of the food. Tell OzSail about any diet when you book. Drinks are not included, and the minimum drinking age on board is 18.

Snorkel equipment comes with the fare, and stinger suits or wetsuits are available on board. Take one. The park says marine stingers can be in the sea at any time of year. Bring a towel, sunscreen, a refillable water bottle and anything you snack on between meals. A traveler on the OzSail seat sold separately said to bring snacks.

Whitehaven Beach and the fringing reefs

The listing names the places the trip can include, not a fixed route. Whitehaven Beach, Hook Island, Hayman Island, Border Island and Whitsunday Island are on it. So are snorkel stops at Luncheon Bay, Caves Cove and Blue Pearl Bay. The skipper picks the order with the wind and the tide, which is how a sailing trip works.

That means the page cannot promise you the Hill Inlet lookout or a set time on the sand, and neither does the listing. You can expect corals, fish and turtles, and one group watched sharks off the back of the boat one evening. If the lookout matters most, ask OzSail before you book, or read the Hill Inlet page for the tours that walk it.

The four-day cancellation window

This is the fare's catch. You get your money back only if you cancel at least four days before the start. Inside that, the fare stands. Most day trips here refund up to 24 hours ahead, so plan this one after your dates are firm.

If you need a softer window, OzSail sells a two-night seat that refunds up to 24 hours ahead, on one of its boats. The trimaran refunds on the same 24 hours. The trip also runs in all weather, and your booking is confirmed within 48 hours.

How the two nights run

1. Coral Sea Marina, 10:30am. Meet at Meeting Point C in the South Village.
2. Out into the islands. The first sail, with a snorkel stop when the wind allows.
3. The first night at anchor. Dinner on board, then your bunk below deck.
4. The second day. Beaches and snorkel stops, which can include Whitehaven Beach and Blue Pearl Bay.
5. The second night at anchor. Another dinner on board, another quiet bay.
6. Back to the marina. The trip ends where it began; your confirmation gives the time.

Who this suits: you want to be out there when the day boats leave

What the fare covers

Meeting at Coral Sea Marina, South Village

You meet at Coral Sea Marina, Shingley Drive, Airlie Beach, at Meeting Point C in the South Village, at 10:30am. That is the south end of the marina, not the north, where the day rafts leave. The trip ends back at the same point.

The fare does not include hotel pickup or transport to the marina, so plan your own way there. OzSail's separate listing puts marina parking at $13 a day. Both ends of the marina, and every other departure point, are on the Whitehaven Beach departure map.

Know before you go

• Pack a small, soft bag. Space below deck is tight; leave the suitcase in town.
• Drinks are not included. The minimum drinking age is 18.
• Adults only, 16 to 80. Not recommended in pregnancy.
• Wheelchair access: ask first. It is listed as accessible, but you sleep below deck and the park has no accessible facilities.
• It runs in all weather. Dress for rain and wind as well as sun.
• Cancel four days out. Inside four days the fare is not refunded.

What travelers say about the two nights

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