Whitehaven Beach and Snorkeling with Kids from Airlie Beach with Red Cat Adventures

Are you looking for a snorkeling tour from Airlie Beach with kids?

I have been snorkeling from Airlie Beach twice, the most recent time with my kids, who were 6 and 7 at the time.

We did a lot of research to decide which snorkeling tour from Airlie Beach was right for us. As we were heading north to Cairns after our stay in Airlie Beach, we didn’t need a boat that would take us to the Great Barrier Reef.

One thing we knew for certain was that we wanted to go back to Whitehaven Beach, so the snorkeling tour we chose would definitely include a stop.

In the end, we opted for a day out with Red Cat Adventures. Keep reading to find out what to expect on a Red Cat Adventures snorkeling tour from Airlie Beach.

How to Choose Which Boat Tour is Right for Your Family

With so many choices, it is hard to decide which boat tour is the best for your family!

The last time we went to Airlie Beach, pre-kids, we took an all-day boat tour to snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef. On this trip, we planned on heading to the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns, so we knew we didn’t need to do that while in Airlie Beach.

The last boat tour went past Whitehaven Beach but did not stop there, and I knew I wanted to stop at Whitehaven Beach on this trip.

We only had 1 night in Airlie Beach and wanted to make the best out of our full day. We went on the Red Cat Adventures Thundercat Tour.

The Thundercat Tour starts at Airlie Beach, heads to Whitehaven Beach, and then stops twice near the Whitsunday Islands to snorkel before heading back to Airlie Beach.

Not sure which tour is the best for your family?  Compare boat tours on Viator.

Arrival at the Coral Sea Marina

Families can arrange a free hotel pick-up or can get to the marina on their own.

While I would recommend the ride due to parking fees, we checked out the same day as our boat tour, so we drove ourselves to the marina.

We were instructed to arrive at 8:15 a.m. for our 9 a.m. departure.

There were 2 lines for check-in. In the first line, we checked in and got our colored wristbands. We would be in the green group.

The second line was to sign a waiver for snorkeling. We also got our stinger suits in this line.

No one asks your size; they just give you a stinger suit. The suits were numbered from 1 to 8, and they had children’s stinger suits in smaller sizes. The kids got life jackets, and adults could ask for a life jacket if they wanted one.

It was clear to see that some travelers were nervous about the size of their stinger suits, which are supposed to be tight.

You do have time to try them on, but we chose not to. It is clear that they have a lot of practice in determining sizes.

There are toilets located nearby, and it is suggested that everyone uses them before the boat ride.

The marina has cafes and the opportunity to pick up a coffee before your day begins.

We had been up for hours and enjoyed a takeout breakfast at the lagoon, where the kids swam while I packed.

Departure

Each person gets a colored wristband that determines which group they are in.

Our family was in the green group. Our kids were the youngest on board. There were 2 other families with children, but most of the groups were couples.

When the group’s color is called, they lead you to the boat that you will be on for the day.

Each boat is the same size. Seats are in groups of 2.

We ended up in seats near the “door” which has extra legroom. We had those 2 seats and the 2 behind.

The front of the boat is open, and there are plastic windows that can be opened or zippered closed. Our window began to open, but lots of water was getting in, so we asked them to close it for us. We were still able to get a lot of air from the front.

The boat is shaded, but it looked as though the people in the front seats were getting a lot of sun.

Morning Tea on Thunderbird Boat Cruise

Food and drinks are allowed aboard Red Cat Adventures, and alcohol is BYO.

Water is available to refill your water bottle, and bottled water and sodas are available for purchase.

About 40 minutes into our ride, they handed out brownies for morning tea.

Whitehaven Beach

The boat dropped us off on the opposite side of the island from Whitehaven Beach.

With 2 hours on the island, everyone can choose how to spend their time.

Had we realized how far the walk was to the lookout, one of us would have taken the kids straight to the beach. While the lookout is beautiful, they were cranky and would rather be playing in the water.

Mark told me that the lookout was a 50-meter hike, but in fact, it is 1.4 kilometers and takes 45 minutes. There were guides there, but we were last as it took us time to get off the boat and put on more sunscreen in the shade.

There are 3 lookouts in a row, and toilets are located nearby.

After hiking back down the hill and walking to the beach, we walked through the sand, dropped our belongings, and put on our stinger suits.

The water is warm and absolutely stunning. We spent as much time as we could swimming around before heading back to the other side of the island to get back on board our boat.

From the beach to the boat is about 750 meters and takes about 20 minutes to walk.

Lunch on the Boat

Almost immediately after re-boarding the boat, lunch is served.

They set up at the back of the boat, and then everyone could head to the back and decide what they wanted.

There are supplies to make your own sandwiches (deli meats, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and cucumber) as well as multiple types of salad and vegetable frittata.

The bar opens up with drink sales, or you can drink what you brought.

There was enough food for the people who wanted extra to have a second serving.

Snorkeling with Kids near the Whitsunday Islands

The boat stops twice and lets the passengers out to snorkel. No one is forced to snorkel, and some people choose not to.

Our first stop was calm and great for snorkeling with kids.

Our kids have been snorkeling once before, at Moreton Bay Island, and it was difficult due to the tides.

This stop was calm, but it was still hard for us to snorkel with the kids. We have figured out that each parent swims with 1 child. We usually switch kids at some point so that we all get to spend time together. It is nearly impossible to snorkel as a family.

After snorkeling for 45 minutes, we boarded the boat, and Z announced that he was done snorkeling for the day.

Though M was not done snorkeling, it was clear to see that the 2nd snorkel stop of the day had much rougher waters.

Most of the group jumped in anyway, and I decided to stay on board with Z.

Mark and M tried to go in, but M would scream at the bottom of the ladder, and they would climb back up. After 2 attempts, Mark decided they would not be snorkeling again.

It was clear to see that the adults on board were having difficulty reboarding the boat. They enjoyed snorkeling, but the rough tides made it hard to stay in a specific place.

Of course, one of the guides is out there on a safety boat and can help anyone at any time, but I am glad we got to snorkel for so long at the first location, so we did not feel like we were missing out.

Just sailing along the Whitsunday Islands is beautiful, and even the kids enjoyed looking out at the scenery.

Afternoon Tea and the Ride Back to Coral Marina

Around 3:30 p.m., we were handed fruit sticks, much to the kids’ excitement. They gladly ate seconds and thirds.

They played music the whole way back, and everyone just sat back and enjoyed the ride.

Z fell asleep, which I thought he would after he announced he was done snorkeling.

We got back to the marina around 4:30, and since we did not have to wait for a ride back to our hotel, we were able to leave immediately.

What to Pack for your Boat Trip to the Whitsunday Islands with Kids

There is not a lot of room on the boat for large bags. We definitely packed more than we needed. I do suggest a waterproof bag as the floor of the boat gets wet. We used an Ikea bag, one of the rainbow bags that is not quite as large as the blue shopping bags.

• reusable water bottles
• snacks
• towels (Mark and I didn’t even use ours, but the kids used theirs and ours)
• sunscreen
• hats
• something for the kids to do on the boat
• sea sick tablets

Things we brought and did not use:

• a change of clothes (there isn’t a place to change on the boat)
• books for the beach
• water shoes
• wet bag (which we used later after we changed)

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Airlie Beach Boat Tour and Snorkeling at the Whitsunday Islands with Kids