Trying to figure out which overnight Whitsundays Sailing trip to book whilst you’re travelling the East Coast of Australia can be a tough decision – there are so many to choose from!

So to help you figure out the best Whitsundays tour to pick I recently I jumped on board the Tongarra Whitsundays Sailing Adventure for their 2 day/2 night tour to see what it’s all about!

So if you’re looking at Tongarra as a choice or want to know more about it here’s my full Tongarra review…

REVIEW: Tongarra Whitsunday Sailing Adventure

The Boat & Crew

The crew of any tour can make or break your experience so I was stoked when our Tongarra crew Steve and Chris turned out to be total legends. You can tell they’ve got a genuine passion for this lie of Australia and nothing was too much trouble – plus they were super well organised and we always knew what was going on.

Skipper Steve made the most of the tides and weather to showcase the best spots amongst the island and Chris spent hours in the galley cooking up some seriously good food. If there’s one thing you really don’t have to worry about on Tongarra it’s going hungry!

Tongarra itself is a catamaran with a max capacity of 24 + 2 crew, so in terms of meeting other people it’s a good balance. Small enough to avoid clicks and get to know everyone but big enough to meet heaps of new travelling friends!

As it sails through the Whitsundays you can chill on the spacious decking area which is the perfect spot for a cold beer whilst soaking up the ocean air and the sound system means there’s always good vibes going on.

One of my favourite parts about Tongarra though was being able to sleep on the deck. At night the crew encase the boat in a giant tent, creating an awesome social space before falling asleep to the sound of the waves and the gentle rocking of the boat.

If you’re looking for privacy (or travelling as a couple) this isn’t going to be for everyone, but it worked for me.

Is Tongarra A Party Boat?

One of the biggest things you’ll need to consider when choosing a Whitsundays boat is whether you want to party or to chill.

If partying is your thing (and when I say party I mean you want to spend more time drinking than exploring!) then options like the Atlantic Clipper are going to be top of the recommendation list.

For me though I wanted a good balance of party and adventure. I wanted to be able to chill out play some drinking games and mingle with fellow backpackers but I also wanted to be able to geta good nights sleep and appreciate how stunning the Whitsundays actually are!

Tongarra balanced this perfectly and with an awesome array of tunes, BYO (which also helps keep the cost down heap…just grab a sack of goon!) and awesome vibes.
There was no pressure to party, but the crew had no issues if you fancied cracking a beer at 9:30am – it’s you holiday after all!

They even have an inflatable banana boat to enjoy when you’re moored up – it’s an interesting way to wake yourself up in the morning!

Whitsundays Bucket List Ticks

And with this balance was the fact Tongarra stopped off at the main Whitsundays bucket list stops.

We had a good few hours to chill on the famous Whitehaven Beach and this also include the Hill Inlet lookout point – for those world famous views and a must have Instagram shot! This section is one of the biggest draws of all the Whitsundays tours and it was nice to be able to spend some solid time there and not feel rushed…even if the weather did mean it didn’t have it’s famous blue marbled water!

As well as this there was also the chance to snorkel, however I must admit that this isn’t going to be the most incredible snorkel you’ll ever have. I went out a month after cyclone Debbie had hit and unfortunately the reef was pretty smashed up.

…but it’s always good to jump in the ocean and cool off after a day in the Queensland sunshine!

And The Cost?

Overall my time on board Tongarra was pretty epic and the combination of the stunning backdrop, pumping tunes and awesome crew was exactly what I was looking for out of an overnight Whitsundays Sailing trip.

Your trip on board the Tongarra includes the following;

• 2 days/2 nights
• All meals whilst on board (dietary requirements can be catered for too)
• Snorkel equipment
• Stinger suit (if stinger season)
• Snacks, tea/coffee and water
• All park fees

If you’re trying to decide which boat to choose I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Tongarra for your Whitsundays trip and although the $489 price tag means its not going to be the cheapest trip you do in Australia it’s well worth the money and a good mid range budget option.

And to help you guys out even more you can save $50AUD off the Tongarra 2 day/2 night Whitsundays trip over at RTW Backpackers – just use the code TONG50

…and make sure you check out their awesome promo video too!