Fly Raft Package: Whitehaven Beach, Snorkel and Scenic Flight





Description
Experience 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. 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 adventure, offering three days in one, including an exhilarating ride to Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet, pristine snorkelling reefs and guided Whitsunday Island National Parks walks. The Southern Lights tour offers more beach time and the Northern Exposure tour offers more snorkelling time.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Scenic flight over famous Heart Reef.
View famous Hill Inlet from the air on a scenic flight followed by an Ocean Rafting tour to Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet, where you will enjoy a guided bushwalk to the spectacular Hill Inlet Lookout to view and capture photographs of the stunning swirling silica sands and aqua water.
View Whitehaven Beach from the air on a 60 minute scenic flight followed by an Ocean Rafting adventure to Hill Inlet and Hill Inlet Lookout at Whitehaven Beach. The Southern Lights tour also visits the South End of Whitehaven Beach to swim and relax on this world famous beach.
Experience the best view from above, on and below the water in the Whitsundays!
View Whitehaven Beach from the air on a 60 minute scenic flight followed by an Ocean Rafting adventure to Hill Inlet and Hill Inlet Lookout at Whitehaven Beach. The Southern Lights tour also visits the South End of Whitehaven Beach to swim and relax on this world famous beach.
Experience the best view from above, on and below the water in the Whitsundays!
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Courtesy coach transfers are included from Airlie Beach accommodation or you may choose to meet at Whitsunday Airport at Shute Harbour. Please note if you are to travelling the Whitsundays on a cruise ship, the timings of this experience do not align with the visiting cruise ship schedule.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Please bring: swimmers, a beach bag with a towel, hat and shoes, a jacket during winter to protect you from wind and for warmth after snorkelling, camera in a waterproof case or Tupperware, cash for water, soft drinks, fruit juices and chocolates for sale on board, everything you need for the day as you will not return to your accommodation between tours.
- Please note: For legal and safety reasons all passengers are weighed prior to boarding. Maximum per seat weight is 120 kgs. Full names and exact weights per passenger must be advised when booking due to flight weight availability.
- Air con Airport Lounge, Cafe, Charging Port and secure lockers
- Guaranteed window seats with big window viewing
- Whitsunday Airport only 8 mins drive from main street of Airlie Beach
Reviews(331)
Really fun day out. The flight is beautiful and includes all the highlights. The boat ride n is lots of fun. Bonnie and Cooper were excellent and very mature hosts and they let me go off and snorkel alone near Hook Island while they were teaching everyone else. The skipper was kind enough to point a bommie out to me with some b a fish. The lunch was a bit disappointing for the price and I wished we could have gone to Whitehaven Beach, as the wind was blowing onshore at Hill Inlet and wasn't exciting for swimming. Probably should mention that it is an adventure tour where you get wet and dirty in the advertising, as there were some princesses aboard that couldn't keep up and looked very unhappy. The viewing platforms are very crowded. I had a great day though and definitely the highlight of Airlie Beach
What an absolutely unforgettable day in the Whitsundays — easily one of the most intense and breathtaking travel experiences I’ve ever had. The day started early with a scenic flight over Heart Reef and Whitehaven Beach. I was unexpectedly placed in the co-pilot seat, which made the experience even more surreal. Although I felt a bit airsick at times, especially when the pilot began circling and descending low over Heart Reef to help us capture the view, the scenery was beyond words. Flying over endless open ocean with no reference points was both disorienting and humbling — it really made me realize how vast and overwhelming the sea can be. From the air, Hill Inlet and Whitehaven Beach were already stunning, but seeing them again later from the water gave a completely different perspective. The shifting white sandbars and turquoise tidal patterns at Hill Inlet are truly otherworldly — arguably one of the most beautiful coastal landscapes I’ve ever seen. From the lookout, the view of Whitehaven Beach was even more striking, almost unreal in its color and texture. Later, we took a fast boat out to sea, which turned out to be an adventure in itself. The ride was wild, fast, and incredibly fun — the kind of rough, exhilarating ocean experience that photos and videos simply can’t capture. The skipper was full of energy, almost like a rock concert on water, and the whole trip felt alive and unfiltered. We also stopped for snorkeling, though I wasn’t able to go in properly as I’m not a confident swimmer and there was no guide in the water. I was the only non-swimmer on board, which was a bit of a regret, but the boat experience itself was still amazing. The only real disappointment was not seeing whales, but honestly, the day was already so full of scale, beauty, and adrenaline that it hardly mattered.
Scenic flight was SPECTACULAR ✨ the courtesy bus driver was super friendly and helpful that he made sure we were on the right bus to the flight tour and to the snorkelling tour after. The pilot was the same, he even helped us taking photos with the helicopter before our journey, service was definitely on point 💯 We got to see the beautiful Long Island, Hook Island, Whitehaven beach, different reefs and many many more from up the sky, super worth it! Snorkelling and beach tour next, we were with Jenna, Gary and Ben on Freebird! Love how interactive and energetic they are! Jenna and Gary are the loveliest people ever, they kept checking in with us if we’re alright throughout the whole trip. Jenna is also secretly a great photographer, remember to ask her for photo when you’re at Hill Inlet Lookout 🤭 Gary has lots of bad jokes so just a heads up, you have to be prepared for that. 😆 Ben the boat captain was very detailed on everyone’s safety throughout the trip to make sure we had a safe and enjoyable time on the boat, salute to Ben 🫡 For bus pick up arrangement, I would suggest travelers to contact the organiser 48 hours prior to the trip to confirm your pickup location and time and if you have any special requests, and keep yourself reminded to be there on time as it’s our responsibility to know our own schedule, to prevent inconvenience for them. Overall, it’s a budget friendly yet fun and amazing tour! I love the arrangement of this tour, combo of scenic flight and snorkelling/beach time, ticks off two of my bucket lists in one go ✅ Thank you Ocean Rafting for this incredible experience!
A lovely and full day with a good amount of adventure, reasonably priced with good and caring guides
Thank you for your lovely review! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed a full day of adventure in the Whitsundays and found the experience great value. Our crew takes pride in providing a fun, safe and caring experience for all our guests, so your kind words mean a lot. We hope to see you again for another Whitsundays adventure soon! 🌴☀️🚤 Team Ocean Rafting
I thoroughly enjoyed the entire day from start to finish. The flyover was amazing and the pilot gave us plenty of notice of where to capture photos and gave opinions of certain locations he considered the most picturesque. The ocean rafting was brilliant, the boat ride was a thrill, we stopped off an an island and we were given plenty of time to explore on our own, along with this we were given a meal on the island, which was nice. The snorkelling was a brilliant experience and the crew made sure to take us to a place where the sea was not too rough, even going as far as moving location to somewhere calmer. Our crew, Brad and Ally were great with us and took care with everyone on the boat, they were also very pleasant and easy to talk to. I’d recommend this trip to anyone who wants to discover all there is to offer of the Whitsundays.
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed every part of your Whitsundays adventure from start to finish. Combining the breathtaking scenic flight with the excitement of Ocean Rafting really is a fantastic way to experience the region, and we're glad you appreciated the pilot's local knowledge and photo tips along the way. It's great to hear you enjoyed exploring the island, the lunch, and especially the snorkeling. Our crew always aims to find the best possible conditions for our guests, so we're pleased Brad and Ally were able to make the experience comfortable, enjoyable, and memorable for everyone on board. Thank you for your kind words about Brad and Ally—they'll be thrilled to hear they helped make your day so special. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back to the Whitsundays for another adventure in the future! ✈️🚤🐠☀️💙 Team Ocean Rafting
Great day out. Skipper Brad and Deckhand Ali were fantastic throughout the day, keeping us informed around the islands and snorkelling spots. Would definitely recommend
Thank you for your great review! We're so pleased to hear you had a fantastic day out with us. Brad and Ali love sharing their knowledge of the Whitsundays, and it's wonderful to know they helped make your experience both enjoyable and informative. We really appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another Ocean Rafting adventure soon! 🚤☀️🐠🌴💙 Team Ocean Rafting
This is a must do if you are in the Whitsundays. We are on a two month trip in Australia and on the GBR snorkeling, 18 times in a month so we’ve seen a bit. But viewing the reef from above is a must. A very emotional experience seeing it and the pilot flew us legally low enough that you feel this unreal connection. Our pilot Lewis gave us a countdown and told us to have our camera ready before we flew over the “heart” reef because you only get that one chance. Both sides of the plane get their shot. You can only see the heart reef by plane. Seeing Whitehaven beach by plane is breathtaking but it is at its best at low tide so keep that in mind. Doing the raft trip after the plane ride would get you there at low tide. It is spectacular. Spend the money, take this flight, you won’t regret it. The GBR and Whitehaven beach are truly magnificent wonders of this world. Australia is a beautiful country.
Thank you for such an incredible and thoughtful review! We’re so pleased to hear the experience left such a lasting impression on you during your Australian adventure. After so many snorkelling trips on the Great Barrier Reef, it means a lot to know that seeing it from above still felt so special and emotional. Heart Reef really is one of those unforgettable sights, and we’re glad Lewis helped make the moment perfect with the countdown and positioning so everyone could capture that once-in-a-lifetime view. The aerial perspective of the reef and Whitehaven Beach is truly something else — especially with those stunning low tide swirls and colours. Thank you as well for sharing such helpful tips for future travellers. We couldn’t agree more — the Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef are magnificent natural wonders, and we’re honoured to be part of helping guests experience them. Wishing you an amazing rest of your travels around Australia, and thanks again for choosing to fly with us! Team Ocean Rafting
From A to Z, a perfect day! We were picked up on time, the hour-long flight was great, and the fun boat ride was absolutely fantastic; our guides did everything to ensure we had a wonderful day, they were amazing! 👏🏻 The price is absolutely justified!
Thank you so much for your amazing review! 😊 We’re thrilled to hear your day was perfect from start to finish. From the scenic flight to the thrilling boat ride, it sounds like you experienced the very best of the Whitsundays! ✈️🚤☀️ Our crew will be so happy to hear your kind words — they always go above and beyond to make every trip special and memorable. We really appreciate you recognising their efforts 👏🏻 Thanks again for joining us and for recommending the experience. We hope to welcome you back for another adventure someday! 🌴 Team Ocean Rafting
Just fantastic!! I booked the scenic flight + snorkelling package and highly recommend it. Early in the morning the bus picked me up directly from the hostel. After a brief briefing we were divided into groups for the flight .. we were only 4 + the pilot 👨✈️. Jack (pilot) was able to give clear and simple information regarding our flight..very nice and helpful. As for snorkelling we traveled with Page and .. I can't remember the name, but an Asian guy who was our skipper, great!! It was a sight to watch him drive. Page super entertaining and energetic, ready to give us explanations on the points visited. What about .. highly recommended! Serious and organized guys
So glad you had such an amazing time! ✈️🐠 We’ll make sure Jack and Paige hear your kind words—and we’ll pass along your praise to Taylor, our mystery superstar skipper too 😄 Hope to see you again for another adventure soon! Team Ocean Rafting
One of the most memorable days I’ve had. The friendliness of every single member of the team could not be faulted. From the bus driver picking us up, the team at check-in, and the pilot of our plane. Then especially the team on the raft. Brad, Lily and Jacob were so friendly and patient with everyone on board.
Thank you so much for your lovely review! We’re honoured to hear this was one of the most memorable days you’ve had—that’s exactly the kind of experience we aim to create for every guest. It’s fantastic to know our whole team made such a positive impression, from your pickup and check-in through to the flight and rafting adventure. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with Brad, Lily, and Jacob—they’ll be so pleased to hear they helped make your day extra special. Thanks again for choosing to spend your day with us. We hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure soon! 🌊😊 Team Ocean Rafting



