Boat Charters from Airlie Beach

The Whitsundays are a boat-lover's haven, and there's an entire cottage industry of boating charters that will take you out to the reef for longer than a day trip. Barefoot Cruises operates three- and six-night cruises around the Whitsunday Islands on three distinctive vessels that vary with respect to comfort and price. The 115-foot Reef Odyssey is the largest, taking 39 passengers; the 72-foot luxury schooner Windjammer is the smallest, taking just 9; in between is the Coral Trekker, a 75-year-old, fully restored Norwegian-built sailing ship. From A$1,200-A$1,680 per person, twin-share, for a three-night, all-inclusive cruise.

Oz Adventure Sailing has skippered charters that provide a high level of service on a range of cruising vessels, including meticulously restored tall ships, comfortable catamarans, and superfast maxi racing yachts. Several vessels have onboard diving options, and sailing guests are given opportunities to handle the workings of classic, contemporary, and specialized yachts. For A$339, you can take a two-day, two-night sailing trip on a classic cruising vessel.

Southern Cross Sailing Adventures, the longest-running crewed sailing operator in Airlie Beach, runs two- to six-day sailing holidays on one of eight distinctive sailing vessels (including onetime World Cup racer Ragamuffin II, Whitbread Around the World racing maxi British Defender, and the 103-year-old tall ship Solway Lass). Costs start at A$299 per person for a one-night, two-day maxi-yacht charter.

Sunsail, the world's largest boating holiday company, is based on Hamilton Island but sails all round the Whitsundays. It has a fleet of 40 vessels, and runs charters over a vast cruising area. Most are self-skippered, but you can hire crew; itineraries are flexible. Prices start from A$390 per night for a four-person yacht. Sunsail also runs sailing lessons.

Contacts

Barefoot Cruises (07/4946-1777. www.barefootcruises.com.au).

Oz Adventure Sailing (1300/653100. www.ozsailing.com.au).

Southern Cross Sailing Adventures (1800/675790. www.soxsail.com.au).

Sunsail (07/4948-9150 or 1800/803988. www.sunsail.com.au).

Boat Charters from Cairns

Divers can hop on Explorer Venture's 72-foot, 18-passenger Nimrod Explorer, which runs four- to eight-day trips to the Ribbon Reefs and Cod Hole and out to Osprey and Holmes Reef in the Coral Sea, skirting Cooktown and the far North Queensland coastline en route. Scenic low-level flights are included. Packages start from A$1,095 per person.

Coral Princess runs three-, four-, and seven-night cruises that leave from either Cairns or Townsville on a comfortable 54-passenger, expedition-style ship. There are stops for snorkeling, guided coral-viewing, and hikes through unspoiled rain forest. Marine biologists guide excursions and give lectures. Divers can rent equipment on board. Lessons are also available. Prices start at A$1,375 for a three-night, four-plus-dive live-aboard trip, twin share.

Great Adventures Reef and Green Island Cruises runs full- and half-day tours in fast catamarans from Cairns to Green Island and the Outer Barrier Reef. Trips may include barbecue lunches, snorkeling, scuba diving, parasailing, semisubmersible trips, glass-bottom boat trips, and helicopter tours; all include snorkeling. A Green Island eco-tour, including an interpretative walk and either snorkeling or a glass-bottom boat tour is A$60; a Green Island lunch cruise costs A$75; and a full day's cruise to the Outer Reef, including buffet lunch, is A$174.

Ocean Spirit Cruises conducts four-hour and full-day tours aboard the well-maintained, spacious Ocean Spirit and the smaller Ocean Spirit II and III for A$110-A$179 per person. A daily trip to Michaelmas Cay (a seabird nesting island located 43 km from Cairns) or Upolu Cay (a sand island 29 km from Cairns) includes four hours at the Great Barrier Reef, coral viewing in a semisubmersible (at Upolu Cay), snorkeling, and a big seafood lunch. Introductory diving lessons (A$95-A$150) and certified dives (A$55-A$110) are available. Ocean Spirit Cruises also runs a nightly three-hour, four-course dinner cruise along Trinity Inlet, with live entertainment and a seafood buffet, for A$79. Quicksilver Connections has well-run sightseeing, snorkeling, and diving tours on sleek, fast catamarans to coral cays and reef activity platforms on the outer Barrier Reef (A$186) and Low Isles (A$132). On the reef cruise, you can take an optional Sea Walker helmeted seabed walk for an additional A$134; or scuba dive for an extra A$99-A$134. Everyone pays A$5 reef tax. Trips depart daily from Cairns, Palm Cove, and Port Douglas.

Cruise Whitsundays runs a full-day dive-snorkel cruise to Knuckle Reef Lagoon on the Great Barrier Reef for A$215 per snorkeler, A$315 per introductory diver, including gear and lunch; and a day-long sailing cruise on super-fast purple catamaran Camira, with a stop at Whitehaven Beach, big BBQ lunch, snorkeling gear, and all drinks (including alcoholic ones) for A$135. There are free pick-ups from South Molle, Daydream, and Hayman islands, and from Airlie and Cannonvale on the mainland.

Contacts

Coral Princess (07/4040-9999 or 1800/079545. www.coralprincess.com.au).

Cruise Whitsundays (07/4946-4662 or 1800/426403. www.cruisewhitsundays.com.au).

Explorer Ventures (07/4031-5566. www.explorerventures.com).

Great Adventures Outer Barrier Reef and Green Island Cruises (07/4044-9944. www.greatadventures.com.au).

Ocean Spirit Cruises (07/4031-2920. www.oceanspirit.com.au).

Quicksilver Connections (07/4087-2100 or 07/4031-4299. www.quicksilvergroup.com.au).