Full Day Low Isles Sailing & Snorkelling Cruise from Port Douglas
Description
Set sail from Port Douglas for a day of snorkeling and relaxing on the Great Barrier Reef’s Low Isles. The sheltered white sands are surrounded by tropical waters filled with fish, turtles and coral for pristine off-beach snorkeling, just moments away from Low Isles . This smaller cruise is limited to 33 passengers, ensuring good company and helpful assistance from the crew. A buffet lunch is included, along with morning and afternoon tea, guided snorkeling, a glass-bottom boat trip and a guided island heritage walk.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Sail from Port Douglas aboard a luxury catamaran to visit Low Isles in the quieter morning hours, before the majority of visitors arrive. After cruising from the mainland, arrive at Low Isles, where you can spend four and a half hours at Low Isles, a coral cay island where you can relax under palm trees on the white sands and snorkel off-beach in the sheltered lagoon’s undersea coral gardens. Take a walk to Low Isles’ historic lighthouse, dating from 1878, or learn about the Great Barrier Reef’s magical underwater world of iridescent fish and fluorescent coral on a guided snorkel tour led by a marine biologist. There’s more fun eco-education aboard a glass-bottom boat tour, with stunning coral views and expert commentary. After a seafood buffet lunch on board the catamaran, soak up the sun on the deck or return to the water for a final snorkel before returning to Port Douglas by 4pm. Only a select group of operators are permitted to visit the coral cay Low Isles, the only Great Barrier Reef island a short sail from Port Douglas. This cruise combines luxury and eco credentials, for a premium reef experience.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options are available, please advise at time of booking if required
- Please bring towel, swimsuit, sunscreen, sunglasses and hat. We also recommend a jumper in the cooler months.
- To participate in the activity of snorkelling, you must be confident in the water with the capacity to swim unassisted. If you are a poor swimmer, you may not be suitable to snorkel in the open water. Not all passengers will be suitable to snorkel, and our experienced crew have the discretion to advise against snorkelling if deemed “not suitable for the activity”. This is for the safety of the passenger. Please be advised snorkelling can be a strenuous physical activity, even in calm water and that older people are at an increased risk of death and/or injury due to a higher incidence of medical conditions made worse by physical exertion, such as heart disease and stroke. All passengers intending to snorkel will be asked to complete our Medical Declaration for Snorkelling form. Our experienced crew will discuss any issues relating to medical conditions and swimming ability. Sailaway reserves the right to decline any passenger from participating in snorkelling if we are concerned about your health condition and/or swimming ability. This is for your own safety, please listen to the advice of our experienced snorkel guides to ensure the safety of our guests.
- Our Sailaway vessels are luxury sailing catamarans and we offer a pure sailing experience. This means the vessels travel in open seas and will move around whilst under sail. The decks of the vessels are multi levels and can be slippery when wet. Passengers must have good mobility to safely move around the vessels, step onto the glass bottom boats (if applicable) and get in and out of the water via the ladders on the back of the vessels. Unfortunately, we do not offer wheelchair access due to the layout of the decks and saloon areas. Our tours are adventure experiences for active travellers. Please choose your tour carefully to ensure it is suitable for your experience, age and physical health.
Reviews(575)
Superb trip to the low isles with Sailaway. Everything was so well organised and the staff were incredibly friendly and attentive. Special mention to Milan and Camile who took us snorkelling. Their knowledge and spotting of the underwater sea life & corals was very informative. We saw lots of green turtles, a shark, two batfish, clams, Clown Fish (Nemo) numerous types of coral and a multitude of other fish species. Lunch was provided along with AM and PM snacks. There was also the option to do a trip in a glass bottomed boat but we opted for a second snorkelling expedition instead. I would definitely recommend this trip.
Captain Richard and his all lady crew were awesome in the low isles tour. Very informative during snorkelling and island nature tour. A top lunch after being in the water. Super day all round
*** A Once-In-A-Lifetime Disappointment *** We feel completely cheated of our opportunity to see the Great Barrier Reef. Despite specifically consulting Sailaway beforehand about having non-swimmers in our group—and being assured the Low Isles tour was "perfect" for us—the experience was a total failure. ** Misleading Advice & Weather ** A couple of days prior, we noticed favorable availability and offered to reschedule for a calmer day. Sailaway insisted the wind was merely "average" and "good for sailing." However, the moment we arrived on the sailing date, the tone changed; we were told conditions would be rough and advised to take seasickness medication. ** The "Beach-Only" Experience ** While other operators that same week provided life jackets, guided float rings, and hours of reef time for non-swimmers, Sailaway was completely unprepared. If you identify as "not confident," they effectively ban you from the water. In our case, the guide actually removed flotation noodles from those in the shallows, making the experience less safe and forcing our non-swimmers to sit on the beach. ** Poor Supervision & Cancelled Activities ** The management of the groups was a mess. A single guide was assigned to both "swimmers" and "non-swimmers." Because she couldn't manage both, she repeatedly pulled the swimmers out of the water to police the non-swimmers who were only in knee-deep water. To make matters worse, afternoon snorkeling was canceled due to "water clarity"—yet we could see the bottom perfectly from the glass-bottom boat. ** The Verdict ** We traveled halfway around the world to sit on a beach and see sand. We later compared notes with others who used different operators during the same week; those companies provided life rings, guiding ropes, and hand-holding that allowed non-swimmers to see incredible wildlife. Sailaway is simply unwilling to accommodate anyone other than "confident swimmers." Save your money. Book with an operator that actually supports all guests, rather than one that makes promises just to secure a booking.
Hi Paul, I'm terribly sorry that you did not enjoy your experience with Sailaway. Your review & experience are very uncharacteristic. The weather in Port Douglas is quite consistent in terms of wind which is why you would have been informed the way you were prior to your trip. At Sailaway, we provide pool noodles and life jackets for guests who are not confident in the water. We also offer these guests a guided snorkel so that they get an underwater experience in the care of our marine biologist staff members. I cant respond to your other comments as I wasn't on the island with you, however I can confirm that Sailaway is committed to providing a positive & educational experience for all of our guests and I'm sorry that you didn't enjoy your day with us.
We feel completely cheated of our opportunity to see the Great Barrier Reef. Despite specifically consulting Sailaway beforehand about having non-swimmers in our group—and being assured the Low Isles tour was "perfect" for us—the experience was a total failure. ** Misleading Advice & Weather ** A week prior, we noticed favorable availability and offered to reschedule for a calmer day. Sailaway insisted the wind was merely "average" and "good for sailing." However, the moment we arrived on the sailing date, the tone changed; we were told conditions would be rough and advised to take seasickness medication. ** The "Beach-Only" Experience ** While other operators that same week provided life jackets, guided float rings, and hours of reef time for non-swimmers, Sailaway was completely unprepared. If you identify as "not confident," they effectively ban you from the water. In our case, the guide actually removed flotation noodles from those in the shallows, making the experience less safe and forcing our non-swimmers to sit on the beach. ** Poor Supervision & Cancelled Activities ** The management of the groups was a mess. A single guide was assigned to both "swimmers" and "non-swimmers." Because she couldn't manage both, she repeatedly pulled the swimmers out of the water to police the non-swimmers who were only in knee-deep water. To make matters worse, afternoon snorkeling was canceled due to "water clarity"—yet we could see the bottom perfectly from the glass-bottom boat. ** The Verdict ** We traveled halfway around the world to sit on a beach and see sand. We later compared notes with others who used different operators during the same week; those companies provided life rings, guiding ropes, and hand-holding that allowed non-swimmers to see incredible wildlife. Sailaway is simply unwilling to accommodate anyone other than "confident swimmers." Save your money. Book with an operator that actually supports all guests, rather than one that makes promises just to secure a booking.
The area for snorkeling was the worst ever been! The boat the food the package. Don’t do it ! Wasting time.
We are sorry to learn that you did not enjoy the day. Our snorkellers are usually joined by turtles, small reef sharks, and a multitude of tropical reef fish which provide great highlights for the day. Hopefully we get an opportunity to showcase the Barrier Reef to you in the future when the weather is a little more supportive.
There is no off shore walking into water to see fish using snorkel for non-swimmers. Onky snorkeling from shore and off boat. Otherwise, great trip!
Fabulous day that started on a beautiful catamaran. The crew was attentive and excellent at explaining safety protocols and outfitting us with stinger suits. So stylish and necessary! When we arrived at Low Isle, the tide was high and the water a bit rough, so they juggled the schedule; we toured the island first. One of the marine biologists explained the origin of the island. Just before entering the water, I walked down the beach and saw two 4-foot-long sharks at the water's edge. We were still able to enter the water and our small group of 8 with two marine biologists, enjoyed a guided snorkel of the bay. It was hard work given the current, but we enjoyed the view of coral and fish. We returned to the boat for a nice buffet lunch. After lunch my husband and another guest had a second guided snorkel (this one off the boat) while the other 6 of us enjoyed the views through a small glass bottom boat. If you're looking for a snorkel experience with a professional team, consider Sailaway.
Fabulous day, from start to finish. The crystal clear waters and amazing snorkelling was a highlight of our trip to Oz. Lovely crew, fun fellow participants and a beautiful trip to and from the Low Isles. Highly recommended.
What an amazing day, the crew Liam, Elyse and George were fantastic. They explained everything and the snorkelling from the Cay was great. Lunch was served back on the yacht and given choices for tge afternoon as to what we wanted to do, we opted for more snorkelling this time off woody island much deeper and the coral and fish spectacular So sad to return to Port Douglas but memories made
The boat and staff are lovely and nice lunch . However , I was under the impression this trip should have been cancelled. The majority of the trip was in torrential rain. We were able to complete on snorkel and it was a lovely experience.
