ZigZag Whitsundays Day Tour to Whitehaven Beach from Airlie Beach

The ZigZag Whitsundays day tour runs daily from Airlie Beach to Whitehaven Beach aboard Super Flyer, ZigZag’s 80-passenger high-speed catamaran. On-demand water taxi transfers run between the boat and the beach all day, so you set your own pace across four to five hours on the sand. Choose a full beach day or add a guided snorkel at a Whitsunday coral reef, both options include lunch onboard and a guided walk to the South Whitehaven Lookout.

The ZigZag Whitsundays day tour visits Whitehaven Beach and, for guests on the snorkel ticket, a coral reef location in the Whitsunday Islands.

Whitehaven Beach. A 7km stretch of pure silica sand on the eastern side of Whitsunday Island, consistently ranked among the world’s best beaches. ZigZag lands guests directly onto the southern end of the beach via on-demand water taxi from Super Flyer. The water taxi runs between boat and sand all day, so you can move between the catamaran and the beach as often as you like.

South Whitehaven Lookout. A 1km return walking track from the southern end of the beach climbs to a viewing platform with panoramic views down the full length of Whitehaven Beach and across the Whitsunday Islands towards the mainland. The crew runs a guided walk to the lookout with time to photograph and explore at the top. The track is well maintained and suits low to medium fitness levels.

Whitsunday coral reef snorkel. Guests on the Whitehaven Beach + Snorkel ticket transfer from Super Flyer to a coral reef location in the Whitsunday Islands for a 60-minute guided snorkel. The crew selects the location on the day based on conditions, prioritising calm water and visibility. Mask, snorkel, fins and stinger suit are supplied.

The ZigZag Whitsundays day tour departs from Meeting Point D at Coral Sea Marina in Airlie Beach. Check-in opens at 8:20am for a 9:00am departure, and the tour returns to the marina by 5:00pm.

Getting there. Search “ZigZag Whitsundays” in Google Maps for turn-by-turn directions to the meeting point. Allow 10 to 15 minutes to park and walk through the marina, especially in peak season.

Parking. Coral Sea Marina has paid parking for cars and motorhomes. Pay at the machine on arrival or through the EasyPark app.

Super Flyer is the high-speed 80-passenger catamaran used for the ZigZag Whitsundays day tour. Twin Yanmar 911hp engines cruise at around 24 knots, with advanced navigation and radar for smooth and safe travel between Airlie Beach and the Whitsunday Islands.

The boat has air-conditioned indoor seating, two outdoor sun lounge areas (the top deck is adults only), an onboard bar and coffee machine, two bathrooms and three changing rooms. Wi-Fi is available onboard.

A smaller transfer boat runs between Super Flyer and the beach all day, with fold-down stairs for easy access to the sand. The same transfer boat is used to take snorkel-ticket guests to the coral reef location.

Every ticket includes:

• Return travel aboard Super Flyer between Coral Sea Marina and Whitehaven Beach
• Unlimited on-demand water taxi transfers between the boat and the beach
• Buffet lunch served onboard, (cold meats, salads, cheese, bread rolls and wraps)
• Snacks throughout the day, including biscuits, cakes and fresh fruit
• Cold water refills (bring a reusable bottle)
• Guided walk to the South Whitehaven Lookout
• Stinger suits during stinger season (November to May)
• All fees and taxes

The Whitehaven Beach + Snorkel ticket also includes:

Transfer from Super Flyer to a Whitsunday coral reef snorkel location
Snorkelling gear: mask, snorkel and fins
Stinger suit for the snorkel session, with sizes from children to adult XXXL

Dietary options including vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and lactose-free are available, just add a note at the time of booking.

Times are a guide. The actual schedule shifts a little each day based on tide, weather and which guests are doing which activities, but the shape of the day is the same.

8:20am. Check-in at Meeting Point D, Coral Sea Marina, Airlie Beach. Meet the crew and board Super Flyer.
9:00am. Depart Coral Sea Marina aboard Super Flyer.
10:15 to 10:30am. Arrive at the southern end of Whitehaven Beach. Water taxi transfers begin between Super Flyer and the sand.
11:00am. First snorkel session for guests on the Whitehaven Beach + Snorkel ticket. Maximum 30 guests per session, 60 minutes in the water, around 15 minutes transfer each way.
12:30 to 1:30pm. Buffet lunch served onboard Super Flyer.
1:30pm. Second snorkel session for guests on the Whitehaven Beach + Snorkel ticket.
All day. On-demand water taxi runs continuously between Super Flyer and Whitehaven Beach. Hop between boat and beach as often as you like.
3:30pm. Last water taxi back from Whitehaven Beach to Super Flyer.
3:45pm. Depart Whitehaven Beach for Airlie Beach.
5:00pm. Arrive back at Coral Sea Marina.

The ZigZag Whitsundays day tour is set up for families. Children aged 3 months and over are welcome, infants up to and including age 3 travel free, and children 4 to 14 need a child ticket.

Picking the right ticket for your kids. The Whitehaven Beach All Day ticket suits all ages. The Whitehaven Beach + Snorkel ticket suits children 4 and over. Infants can still come on the snorkel ticket, but parents will snorkel separately so one of you stays with the infant on Super Flyer or on the beach.

Onboard. Board games, colouring in and pirate dress-ups for the kids. Soft drinks, juices and packet chips are available to buy at the bar. Air-conditioned indoor seating gives little ones somewhere to rest between adventures.

On the beach. Beach cricket gear, frisbees, buckets and spades for sandcastles. Crew help with prams, bags and getting kids on and off the water taxi.

Safety. Child-sized life jackets, pool noodles and flotation aids, plus kid-sized stinger suits during stinger season (November to May).

Handy tips. Pack swimmers, towel, hat, sunscreen and a reusable water bottle. Add any dietary needs at booking so the kitchen can plan ahead.

ZigZag Whitsundays is a family-owned marine tour business based at Coral Sea Marina in Airlie Beach, running daily tours to Whitehaven Beach since 2017. The business is co-owned by Nicole Rosser, a marine scientist, and Ben Marsh, a diesel engineer. Nicole leads the business and looks after the conservation work, Ben keeps the boats running.

The ZigZag Whitsundays day tour holds a 4.9-star rating across more than 5,500 verified reviews and has won the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Award (2024) and Best of Queensland Experience (2024 and 2025). ZigZag is a member of the Queensland Tourism Council and participates in marine conservation programs including Eye on the Reef, Boats4Coral and the Healthy Heart Reef Partnership.

Cancel 24 or more hours before departure. Full refund. Send cancellation requests to bookings@zigzagwhitsundays.com.au so there’s a written record.

Cancel within 24 hours of departure. Not refundable or transferable. Seats, catering and crew have already been allocated to your booking.

Free date changes. Transfer your booking to another departure date at no charge if you request the change 24 or more hours before departure. Date changes within 24 hours are not permitted.

Weather cancellations. If ZigZag cancels due to unsafe conditions, you’ll be offered a full refund or a free reschedule to another date.

Travel insurance is recommended.