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“THE ORIGINAL AND MOST AWARDED TOUR IN THE WHITSUNDAYS”
Multi award winning Ocean Rafting visits the “Wild Side” of the Whitsunday Islands, the uninhabited islands with beautiful natural scenery brimming with marine, bird and animal life. The Ocean Rafting’s Southern Lights tour offers the perfect Whitehaven Beach tour, visiting both ends of the world famous beach and enjoying approximately two hours relaxing at the southern end of the 7km stretch of Whitehaven Beach.
At the northern end of Whitehaven Beach, enjoy a guided bushwalk to spectacular Hill Inlet Lookout to view and capture photographs of the stunning swirling silica sands and aqua water. Ocean Rafting is the only tour to have direct access to all areas of the stunning and iconic Hill Inlet beach to ensure you enjoy the most memorable experience of this special place. Snorkel for over an hour at one of our “secret” snorkel spots and enjoy the amazing hard and soft corals of the fringing reefs, as well as a huge range of marine life including colourful fish, turtles, clams and so much more, all of which call the inner coral reefs home.
Ocean Rafting has the fastest day boats in the Whitsundays, meaning it is not only an adventurous ride, but distances are covered in a shorter time, leaving more time for activities. The semi rigid inflatable vessels are super fast allowing guests to experience a fun ride, adventure and education amongst the natural beauty of the Whitsundays. You can see why we call it three days in one!
The main difference between Ocean Rafting’s two tours is that the Northern Exposure offers more snorkelling time and the Southern Lights has more beach time.
Ocean Rafting has been operating since 1997 and is proud to have special permits allowing its vessels to visit protected areas in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The Skipper and Eco Host will ensure guests have a fun filled adventure and personalised service with snorkel lessons and a guided National Park walk in the Whitsunday Islands. Tours depart from Coral Sea Marina, Northern Village and courtesy coach pickups are included.
The Ocean Rafting Southern Lights includes a tropical-style lunch and a sunsuit/wetsuit.
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Everything was so well organised, and our skipper Nick, along with Georgie and Kai, were absolute legends. They looked after us all day, kept the good vibes flowing and somehow managed to keep a bunch of us entertained and fed!
Couldn’t have asked for a better crew or a better day out. We had an absolute ball and would highly recommend these guys to anyone looking for a fantastic day on the water! 🚤💦
Thanks Nick, Georgie & Kai — you guys were brilliant! 👏🏼
The scenic flight was breath taking! Our pilot landed better then most commercial aeroplanes, I was bit nervous for take off and landing thanks to our amazing pilot this was not a issue
Big shout out to the crew on riptide today Daisy, Tamika and Gary you guys were awesome kept the spirits high and fantastic knowledge.
Definitely recommend this tour 10/100
We went with the Wipeout - Captain Daisy and Abby were just the best crew to get the most fun out of a not-so-sunny day out at sea! Gotta love this all-female team <3 you can truly feel how much they do love their job and interacting with people.
Ride was a bit bumpy, but the coolest playlist made up for that, even when it was raining like crazy! We even saw whales on the trip to the Whitsunday beach - it was beautiful and awesome to experience this wonderful nature.
I would recommend the Wipeout, Abby and Daisy anytime and +++.
Thank you ladies!
The crew were funny, passionate but professional and took great care of everyone on board. A fun and memorable day out.
Also, the food was delicious and much better than what would be expected from a packed lunch!
A huge thank you to Sarah, who made this whole experience possible. After our original plans fell through, she went above and beyond to squeeze us in at the last minute, and we're so grateful she did. Sarah is an absolute front desk and cabin crew extraordinaire! From the moment we arrived, she made us feel genuinely welcome and looked after. She had our 3-year-old, Jamie, absolutely buzzing with excitement before the flight, made the whole experience so much fun, and even seated us up the front near the pilot, which completely made Jamie's day. Nothing was too much trouble, and her warmth, enthusiasm and exceptional customer service turned an amazing flight into an unforgettable experience.
A big thank you as well to our pilot, Johnno, who was fantastic. He made us feel completely safe and comfortable throughout the flight while sharing interesting information along the way. The views over the Whitsundays and Heart Reef were simply breathtaking and something we'll never forget.
The combination of Sarah's outstanding hospitality and Johnno's professionalism made this a truly five-star experience. If you're thinking about doing a scenic flight, don't hesitate—you won't regret it!
The snorkeling was great. Huge numbers of fish at Mantaray Bay and some lovely fringe reef to explore there and further along the coast.
The ride out and back was a lot of fun with Rich as DJ and Pilot. We got to see what a rib can do! The food was excellent. Highly recommend this trip
The beaches were stunning, the rafting was a blast, and the whole experience ran perfectly from start to finish. Couldn’t recommend Ocean Rafting more. A must‑do in the Whitsundays!
Worth mentioning: we’d originally booked with Whitsunday Flying Services, but they cancelled on us at 6 AM (one hour before pickup). We called Ocean Rafting, explained the situation, and they sorted us out with a same-day flight on the spot. Couldn’t recommend them more.
We were on the boat _Free Bird_, led by Captain Ben and Mr. Corben. From the moment we were picked up, Corben was friendly and super helpful. When we met Ben, he was charismatic and insightful, sharing great tips for making the most of our day.
Both of them went beyond just guiding the trip. They took time to speak with everyone on board individually, asking where we were from and getting to know us. The vibe on the boat was 10/10, and we wrapped up the day with onboard karaoke as we sailed back to Airlie from Whitehaven.
My friends and I can’t imagine choosing another company for this tour. If you book with Ocean Rafting, request Corben and Ben - they’re awesome!
Another big thank you to Scotty and Louie on day two. We did the Southern Lights tour, and they truly capped off an unforgettable experience in the Whitsundays. I’d highly recommend either tour, and we’re already looking forward to coming back!
Crew - Jonty & Josh were professional and fun.
We went the Northern end of Whitehaven Beach and is highly recommended.
The boat was great and the best snorkelling I’ve ever done. We also saw so many colourful fish, a turtle and a shark
The sun came out nicely for us when at the lookout, the scenery was beautiful. Lunch on the beach was nice (except for the pesky seagulls).
Ayla’s skippering of the boat (Black Betty) through the swell was awesome. Felt safe and enjoyed the riding the waves.
Recommend bringing a spray/wind jacket, especially for the trip back to the marina.
Thanks for a great day.
We got an advice to take one of their tours and we were so happy we did! We came as part of our honeymoon and we had the best time with Conor and Josh! We met more instructors along the way and each and every one of them were delightful! The were full of great energy and smiles and made sure we have the best time every step of the way! They made us feel safe, they know the area perfectly and how to manage a group, you can just tell they love and enjoy what they do and it made the adventure a hole lot better to see them have fun as well. We would definitely book with them again!
It was our first time snorkeling and Tori helped us so much, even though the current was strong, she came down and swim and kinda rescue close to pull us back towards the boats. Highly recommend this tour. The boat was quick and it was fun!
Staff were so friendly and accommodating.
Our 4 year old and 8 month old were welcomed on board.
Our 4 year old snorkelled with us and loved it.
Food and drinks were provided.
The area is absolutely stunning and the walk to hill inlet is beautiful then we ended the day with time on white haven beach.
Our tour guides, Ben and Corbin, were fantastic — welcoming, friendly, and highly professional. Their communication was clear throughout the entire day, so we were never unsure about what was happening or what to expect next. They were both enthusiastic and interactive, which really added to the overall atmosphere and the music playlist was great too!
The booking process was seamless, even though we booked last minute. We really appreciated the accommodation pick-up and drop-off service, which made the day completely stress-free. Check-in was quick and easy on arrival to the wharf.
The boat transfer was fast and efficient while still being comfortable. We were lucky with the weather, with only a few small showers on the way out. We did get wet on the boat but that was part of the experience.
Snorkels and fins were provided onboard, along with drinking water refills, light lunch and toilet facilities, which was very convenient.
Overall, it was a fantastic day, and we would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting the area.
Josh brought some serious skill piloting the boat and made the journey so fun, also playing the best playlist of all time to suit the mood so perfectly.
Jess was such a vibe and her friendly positive energy was super infectious making sure everyone was in good spirits at all times and was flying around the ship making sure everything was going smoothly and offering fruit near the end of the trip, such a lovely soul.
Nick was such a gent , very chatty , he was also locked in when it came to docking the ship and felt like we were in very capable hands, super friendly and down to earth guy.
Couldn’t recommend this experience enough these guys know how it’s done! Thank you again
We’ve travelled around a bit & this was by far the best experience. My kids thought the jet boat was a highlight!
Easy from start to finish, lunch was good and had some snacks too. Walk in the island was fab and Abi was so informative! They both helped us all find the best spots to snorkel and provided all the gear, even noodles if you wanted which was fab!
Best day in a long time- saw and swam with sea turtles and so many of other fish. Saw lots of dolphins had a great time jumping off the boat. I’d love to do it again if I’m ever back 🤙
Would highly recommend and yes it’s child friendly too ☺️ what an amazing day out!
The walk up to the lookout was so so, but everything after that was great. The ride, the vibe the people, the snorkeling. Fantastic.
Lunch was basic, but the onboard bar was affordable for a excursion.
Can't recommend it more.
Oh and do the northern trip!
Everything was very accommodating, even for me (as I’m not the strongest swimmer), with lots of lifejackets, floats, and equipment to make sure everyone is comfortable in the water.
I in particular loved the bush walk through Whitsunday Island, and taking photos atop the lookout. Sitting on Whitehaven Beach while enjoying lunch was also wonderful, not to mention the beautiful reef when we got in the water for some snorkelling!
We also had a great time on the boat however it was a bit bumpy due to the weather although our driver made us feel safe on Thrilla!
Snorkelling was great and we felt really safe and we saw so many fish!
This trip is an absolute must do whilst in Airlie Beach!
The onboard safety officer Jess was just as much fun and great fun to be around.
Both ladies were superb at what they do and kept us all feeling perfectly safe despite the choppy conditions.
The whole team were superb and made the day seamless and so enjoyable, from the moment we were picked up and all through the booking in process. We really couldn’t have asked for more.
The experience itself was nothing short of spectacular, the scenery was absolutely mind blowingly beautiful and is easily the most stunning I’ve ever seen.
For anyone thinking about doing this experience, just do it as it’s truly incredible and something you’ll remember forever.
We also did as part of the same package the 60 minute scenic flight which was also a once in a lifetime experience .. I’ll do a separate review for this.
Abby and Scott were incredible, very knowledgeable, capable as well as a lot of fun - both interacted so well with everyone from the group. Thank you both for making our reef trip truly memorable.
The scenic flight was just breathtaking. We all had window seats and felt safe, the pilot and copilot made sure we all got to see the most important things (heart shaped island and whiteheaven).
The boat was great too, Dan was our skipper and the trip went smoothly. Great vibes, music on the boat, felt safe and had fun!
On the boat Josh and (sorry I’m sure I’ll misspell it :( ) Cordin were extremely professional, helpful and always ready to answer all our questions!
The snorkeling was fun and the corals insane.
We then went to Hill Inlet lookout which is just incredible.
The crew was very patient with all of us, guided us and proposed to take pictures for us. Just the nicest!!
The lunch was nice and my request for Celiac gluten free was perfectly met. Felt good after!
10/10, definitely recommend!
Also thank you Masha too (sorry if I misspelled it!) She drove us back to our hostel and had the best vibes, super kind and professional.
Thank you once again!!












































































