Outer Reef Mackay Cay Sail & Snorkel Adventure from Port Douglas
- 9 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Mobile ticket
Highlights
Set sail from Port Douglas for a day of snorkeling and adventure on the Outer Barrier Reef. Immersed in the northern frontier of Great Barrier Reef, this is the perfect sailing and snorkeling adventure for a conservation minded visitor. Ideally suited to those who can swim and have a spirit of fun and adventure. The white sands of the coral cay are surrounded by tropical waters filled with fish, turtles and coral. This cruise is on a 82ft custom built catamaran, with good company and helpful assistance from the crew. A buffet lunch is included, along with morning & afternoon tea, a reef interpretation talk, a guided snorkel tour and an interpretive glass-bottom boat. Discerning guests can fully enjoy an inspiring full day of adventure using wind power to the absolutely stunning cay on the Great Barrier Reef in the most environmentally way!
Inclusions
What's included
- Guided snorkel tour with marine biologist
- Interpretive glass-bottom boat tour
- Morning and afternoon tea & coffee with muffins and fresh fruit
- Wetsuits during the winter months and lycra suits in summer
- Buffet lunch
- Time to explore the pristine coral cay
- Use of snorkel equipment and instruction
- Environmental Management Charge
- Great Barrier Reef sailing cruise
What's not
- Soft and alcoholic drinks (available for purchase on board)
Itinerary
The adventure starts with an early departure from the Port Douglas Marina. Sit back and relax as we set sail to the Mackay Cay, out from Cape Tribulation. Enjoy an authentic sailing experience, following the coastline and views of the Daintree mountains. Once at the protected sites at the Coral Cay, nature activities will include snorkelling over the pristine coral reef with a qualified marine biologist offering reef interpretation on a guided snorkel tour. A glass bottom boat coral viewing tour is also on offer. Premium reef sites showcase abundant marine life, including encounters with turtles and an amazing display of giant clam gardens, beautiful corals and a wide variety of fish. Explore the white sands of the coral cay, soak up the sun and swim in turquoise clear waters. A tropical buffet lunch, morning and afternoon teas & coffees will compliment a day of adventure and relaxation.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
4.9
- 5426
- 428
- 311
- 21
- 13
Ratings come from 469 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Showing reviews written in English.
5Day trip to outer reef
Everything went as advertised. Fun trip with knowledge and friendly crew.
5Great snorkeling tour.
We really enjoyed this snorkeling experience on the Mackay reef. The talk by the marine biologist was interesting as well. Definitely invest in sea sickness tablets as the trip back was quite rough.
5An Intimate and Educational Outer Reef Adventure
Our day trip to the outer reef with Sailaway was an absolutely incredible experience. We really appreciated the smaller group size, which made the entire day feel so much more intimate and personalized than a standard commercial tour. The snorkeling was phenomenal, and we were thrilled to see such amazing marine wildlife. What truly elevated the trip, though, was the crew. They are incredibly knowledgeable and took the time to explain the marine life, giving us a much deeper appreciation and understanding of what we were looking at and how the Great Barrier Reef fits into the greater ecosystem. A huge shoutout to Mickey, Erin, and Pippa, who went above and beyond to make the trip so memorable for us. We highly recommend this tour to anyone looking for a top-tier, educational reef adventure!
5Fantastic day!
This was a top-class tour. Wonderfully paced by friendly crew.
5Absolutely brilliant!
This was a brilliant day. An early morning was well worth it! The staff on board were excellent. The snorkelling, brilliant. We saw turtles, sharks and plenty of fish and coral. The clams were extraordinary! A fabulous day and highly recommended
5Appropriate for families....
Appropriate for families. The crew members were organized and professional. It’s a good way to see the great barrier reef
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- Please check in at 7.30am inside the Sailaway office.
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 60 travellers
- Operated by
- Sailaway
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Vegetarian, vegan or gluten free option is 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.
How it compares in Port Douglas
- Its from-price is 51% above the median of the 116 experiences we list in Port Douglas.
- It is longer than most of them.
- By number of reviews it ranks 19 of 116.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Port Douglas
Port Douglas is a relaxed seaside town on Queensland's tropical coast, set between the Daintree rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef.
Port Douglas began as a gold-rush port in the 1870s and is now an easygoing resort town on a spit of land between the Coral Sea and Dickson Inlet. Four Mile Beach curves away to the north fringed with palms, Macrossan Street holds the cafés and restaurants, and Flagstaff Hill gives a view over the beach and the mountains behind. A small white chapel, St Mary's by the Sea, stands beside the park at the water's edge.
Top-ranked sights in Port Douglas: Mossman Gorge, Daintree Rainforest, Agincourt Reefs.
Special offers in Port Douglas
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
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