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“THE ORIGINAL AND MOST AWARDED TOUR IN THE WHITSUNDAYS”
Enjoy the best of the Whitsunday Islands and Great Barrier Reef in one day with a Whitsunday scenic flight and Ocean Rafting adventure! Experience the Whitsundays’ ultimate destinations… Heart Reef, Whitehaven Beach, Hill Inlet and secret snorkelling locations.
See the Whitsundays from above with a stunning Whitsunday scenic flight over the islands and Great Barrier Reef, including famous Heart Reef and Whitehaven Beach, then ride the tropical waters on Ocean Rafting’s Northern Exposure tour
.Enjoy a bird’s eye view of many of the 74 Whitsunday Islands, fly over Whitehaven Beach and picture postcard Hill Inlet before heading out to the Great Barrier Reef and experiencing one of the most photographed reef locations, Heart Reef. The comfortable fixed wing aircraft offers big window viewing, pilot commentary and the best views of the Whitsundays!
Following your flight, enjoy an Ocean Rafting Northern Exposure adventure.The Northern Exposure eco adventure is a favourite amongst avid snorkellers because it is the only Whitsunday adventure which includes two different snorkel destinations. Enjoy snorkelling around Hook Island including Mantaray Bay, Maureens Cove and other specially selected Whitsundays snorkelling spots, ensuring a memorable underwater experience.
The tour also includes a visit to the stunning beach at Hill Inlet, north end of Whitehaven Beach, and a guided National Park walk to Hill Inlet lookout above the silica sand of Whitehaven. We are the only tour to have direct access to Hill Inlet beaches, where you can explore, enjoy a tropical buffet style lunch served at the beach and swim in the crystal clear turquoise ocean or just relax on the silica white sand. Small groups allow you to experience this tropical paradise away from the crowds. 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 style 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 depart from Coral Sea Marina, Northern Village and courtesy coach pickups are included.
The Ocean Rafting Fly and Raft Package includes a tropical style lunch and stinger suit/wet suit.
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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!
The panoramic view of the coral reef was absolutely stunning; a true feast for the senses. The rafting was thrilling and fun, and swimming with the fish was an unforgettable experience, allowing us to get up close and personal with the underwater world.
There was just one minor point to mention: the size of the lunch was a bit small. However, this did not diminish the overall fantastic experience. Congratulations to the whole team for a memorable day. Highly recommended!
I was lucky enough to do the scenic plane ride the next day. I could have cried at the view, it was that gorgeous! The heart reef looks just as good in person as it does in pictures. The pilot was super friendly and took great pictures of me with plane before the flight *which was handy as a solo traveler*
I loved my time at ocean rafting, all the staff were incredible! Definitely the highlight of my trip as a solo travel in Australia. This company is a MUST when visiting Airlie!
Thank you thank you thank you!
The day itself was amazing! From start to finish Hayley made everyone comfortable and super involved. She was super fun and also very caring for those that were scared of the water.
Scotty was also great and made the ride itself super fun but felt incredibly safe all the way through!
Thanks for an amazing day guys showing our family the best of the Whitsundays!



The only downside was the food provided but everything else was beyond spectacular






We had the most amazing day with the ocean rafting crew. They were so inclusive and attentive to everyone on board the boat always interacting and making sure everyone was having a good time. The raft had such a good variety of activities from the snorkelling in the reef to the walk up to the look out of hill inlet. We had Scotty, Heath and Celeste who were all amazing, we can’t thank them enough for making our day even better! Would definitely recommend ocean rafting to anyone looking to explore whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef.



Hands down one of the best experiences available! We had a fantastic crew with fantastic energy, big thank you to Kurt and Emily on Thrilla for keeping up the good vibes and for really making this day unforgettable.
We choose the Northern experience for the snorkelling focus and were very lucky to be blessed with amazing weather, and wildlife. We saw a variety of fish as well as TURTLES!
The Hill Inlet walk was amazing! I was anticipating much more of a hike to get to the spot you see so many amazing photos of but it was so quick and easy, perfect for any ability.
The boat trip to each spot was an experience in itself, it was fast paced and the views were amazing! Very skilled skipper with some little tricks along the way.
Overall, we had the absolute best time and will remember this trip for a long time. Can’t wait for the next adventure.
Massive thank you from Emelia + Katelyn :)
Southern Light Tour starts with Rodeo Queens, courtesy pick/drop and the Team Riptide (Rory, Tom & Cristina).
1. Captain even said - I was having the moment at Saba (Snorkeling), as I was the last one getting back on the raft (oops),
2. Hill Inlet lookout - the story of pure Silica Sand,
3. Lunch at Whitehaven Beach &
4. Donuts by Captain Riptide before touch down - aye aye Captain.
Thanks OR Team!




Such a fun day filled with great spots for snorkelling and relaxing on a beach.
Fully recommend doing this!
If you do book ask for captain kurt and you’ll have a wicked day!



Many thanks
Kurt & Susan ????





Thanks sal and boaty you guys were great

We'd highly recommend the activity. J & G.

Taylor was amazing, one of the best tour guides/skipper and part time comedian we have all ever had the pleasure to meet.
Tommy was kind, alert, informative and made sure everyone was safe and having fun through the whole experience!
Thank you to the boys at Ocean Rafting for making our Whitsundays experience all the more enjoyable. Myself and my family will be recommending Ocean Rafting to everyone and anyone visiting the Whitsundays!