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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 Northern Exposure day tour offers three days in one, including an exhilarating ride to Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet, two pristine snorkelling reef sites and guided Whitsunday Island National Park walks. The Northern Exposure tour offers the ultimate access to the stunning and iconic Hill Inlet beach and special snorkel sites at Hook Island and Border Island ensure a memorable underwater experience. 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.
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. 32 passengers at most allows for personal snorkelling lessons and the pleasure of a small group. A tropical packed lunch is served at the beach with plenty of time to swim in the turquoise ocean or just relax on the silica white sand.
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 pick up from Daydream Island daily.
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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!!
Thanks to Ben and Finn for our fun Boat tour and shout out to Jacob our pilot who made the flight smooth and capture some amazing views of the Great Barrier Reef!
The ride itself was thrilling—fast, exciting, and so much fun—while still feeling completely safe. We visited stunning snorkelling spots with crystal-clear water and vibrant marine life, and the guides made sure everyone felt comfortable and supported, regardless of experience level.
The highlight was exploring the breathtaking beaches and viewpoints. The crew shared fascinating local stories, pointed out wildlife, and helped capture great photos along the way. Every moment was perfectly planned, yet still felt relaxed and enjoyable.
Overall, this tour exceeded all expectations. If you’re visiting the Whitsundays, the Northern Exposure Tour with Ocean Rafting is an absolute must-do. I’d give it more than 5 stars if I could! 🌊🐠✨
After this, there is a walk to three viewing towers which gives an unbelievable view of the island and Whitehaven Sands, which you eventually come to when you walk down the other side. The beach is amazing and when walking through the shallow water to get to the boat, you see stingrays close up. After lunch and a couple of hours on the beach, there is a fast pace home, with Rich doing some excellent moves in the boat.
I highly recommend this trip, however make sure you get on Thunderstruck with Rich and Tamika as they made it such an enjoyable experience.
Thank you to Rich and Vanessa for your professionalism, friendliness and for making our day out on the islands and day to remember!!
The boat ride was an incredibly enjoyable experience. We loved every minute of it. Josh and Lucky are great guys who made the journey unforgettable for us!!!!
BIG THANK YOU TO OUR PILOT AND SKIPPERS! 😊
The only thing which we didn’t like was that Whitehaven beach and the lookout have been very busy when we came there. But this is not the company fault - it is popular spot.
We then ventured on the ocean rafts with crew members, Ben and Tamika. These guys were amazing throughout the day. Both were very helpful with any questions, they were patient and strived to bring the energy and create a good vibe for everyone onboard.
The balance of snorkelling/beach time I found to be great as we were able to have lunch on the beach and really take it all in.
Highly recommend!
The snorkeling was seriously stunning and my daughter’s squeals of pure joy was something you wish you could bottle forever.
The water was clear, the coral was beautiful, the turtle sightings & array of fish were just so magical to swim in. The weather conditions were on point and we were very thankful that we had that too.
This wasn’t just a day trip this was a core memory created for our family that we will look back on as nothing short of magic.
The crew had such a big impact on that, to the point that they’re now seriously considering a career here lol!
Thank you so much to you all for such a brilliant day, we are so incredibly appreciative. We can’t wait to come back and do it again one day.
Take care, Liz, Chris, Bailey & Maddie xxxx
Ben & Harry made sure we had an unforgettable day, choosing sites where we viewed a plethora of sea life including turtles and massive clams as well as a massive array of fish. The corals were far more colourful than we’d imagined too!
Safety was always at the forefront and instructions were very clear and explicit. The food supplied was just right for us, both in terms of quality and quantity.
We shall remember the day & look forward to doing more snorkelling in the future. Thankyou Ben & Harry!
At around 6 am in the morning the bus picked us up to the ocean rafting airport. After we put our stuff to the locker and listened to the safety briefing, the pilots were calling out participants names except for the remaining 7 of the participants (including me and my boyfriend). After waiting for around 10 mins, another pilot came out and told us that the plane was not available because of the broken door. Seven of us were shocked and sought for remedial actions from ocean rafting, however, the pilot was only saying giving us a full refund without any other compensation.
We woke up early in the morning and prepared for the scenic flight , “broken door” incident should have known by ocean rafting in advance and should have told us earlier.
In addition, we waited for over half an hour to get on the bus returning to our hotel.
Not only did this let us miss the scenic flight , but also letting us down and interrupt our plans for the day.
There were no compensation (not even a cup of coffee) for all these mentioned in the above and all we got was a “sorry” and full refund. Worst experience from ocean rafting and should not join any of their unorganized trips.
A special shout-out to Hayden and Berni (apologies if I’ve misspelled!) who were absolutely fantastic hosts and guides. Their energy, knowledge, and focus on safety made the experience even more enjoyable. Highly recommend this tour for anyone visiting Airlie Beach — it’s the perfect mix of thrill, nature, and relaxation!
Couldn't have asked for a better crew with Daisy and Hailey. They made sure everyone was safe and had a great time. This is a must do when you come to the Whitsundays.
They also have courtesy bus pick up/drop off from/to your hotel too. Very convenient. Also bus driver is a very cheerful and know-legible too. Exceptional service standard guys well done.
The energy on board was fantastic from start to finish. Josh, Tamika, and the rest of the crew were all super friendly and full of good vibes, making everyone feel welcome and excited. You can tell they really care about giving everyone a fun, safe, and memorable day.
We’re so glad we chose Ocean Rafting—it was truly one of the highlights of our trip to the Whitsundays. Thank you again to the whole team, and especially Gary, for making it so special!
They picked us up at 9.30 am from Waterview on Airlie Beach and guided us into wetsuits. Once on board the jetboat, they briefed us about the day's activities, the place (islands) we are passing by, and assisted us with all the help required. At the snorkelling spot, we were given sufficient time to check the amazing corals and its diverse ecosystem. I appreciate the crew's prowess in making sure everybody - swimmers, non-swimmers, and first-time snorkellers - got their share of fun.
At Hill Inlet Lookout, they lay proper instructions, so nobody gets lost on the island. It was a delight that they assisted with our photos and shared interesting information and facts about the sand, the scenes from movies, and a bit of plausible insight behind the velveteen swirls.
At Whitehaven, we had plenty of time to soak in the purest sand and pellucid waters before changing for our own little celebratory photo session.
They then brought us back to Marina, Airlie Beach dot on promised time around 4 pm. The final fun-filled keeling and veering of the jetboat was a masterstroke before we moored for the day.
They lent vibrance to our day, and those bright yellow jetboats will remain pinned on my memory wall like picture postcards forever.
If you are ready to take on this thrill, remember to carry your warm clothes/ shades to protect yourself from the sun or wind, depending on the weather of the day you're planning.
Once we hit the water, Gary, Haydn, Aidan made the entire day so much fun. They were informative, hilarious, and clearly love what they do – it shows. The energy was unreal, they kept everyone buzzing the whole time, and their knowledge of the area made the experience even more special.
Snorkelling, beach time, and the boat ride were all top tier, and the crew made sure everyone felt comfortable and included. Can’t recommend this enough – hands down one of the best things we’ve done in Australia!
Cheers to the whole team for an unforgettable day. If you’re thinking of booking – just do it!
totallyspeakonf, it was a worthwhile trip. The scenery was also very beautiful.
Do not recommend to pay for their tour photos, service is not up to standard.
So Dave and Mateo were our hosts, great team and hosts, Crazy waves gave Dave every opportunity to make the ride really exciting, No one was dry by the time we got to Hill Inlet.
Hill inlet never disappoints the views are just amazing, then a great lunch was served up on Champagne beach before heading home and more fun at high speed across the waves to music blasting out, and Mateo serving us fruit and lamingtons, yummo, before finishing with 360 turns outside the harbour.
Another cracking day, looking forward to my Birthday trip with O R in June
The ride was thrilling but all things enjoyable, and even got to see whales!
The small hike to the lookout points through Tongue point, and looking over the hill inlet are a must for any visit.
Not only amazing views there, but just as beautiful views snorkelling with the fish and coral.
Loved it so much!






















































