Outer Reef Mackay Cay Sail & Snorkel Adventure from Port Douglas
Port Douglas, Australia
9 hours
On the Water
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Family Friendly
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Walking Tours
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Action & Adventure
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Nature & Outdoors
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Day Trips
What You Will Do
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 snorkelling 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 smaller cruise is limited to just 52 passengers, ensuring good company and helpful assistance from the crew. A buffet lunch is included, along with a reef interpretation talk, a guided snorkel tour and a glass-bottom boat with an expert marine biologist as your guide .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!
What's Included?
- Guided snorkel tour with marine biologist
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (Port Douglas only)
- Glass-bottom boat tour on our E-Tender, the 'EV Explorer'
- Morning and afternoon tea & coffee with muffins and fresh fruit
- Buffet lunch
- Time to explore the pristine coral cay
- Other
- Use of snorkel equipment and instruction
- Government fees
- Great Barrier Reef sailing cruise
What's Not Included?
- Drinks (available for purchase on board)
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Itinerary
Meeting Point
1
Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina
9 hours
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.
Additional Information
This activity is operated by Sailaway
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Vegetarian, vegan or gluten free option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Please bring towel, swimsuit, sunscreen and hat
- Underwater Camera's available for hire $75 for the day. Security deposit of $600 required.
- 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.
Guide Options
- Guide - English
Customer Reviews
Awesome Experience
2025-05-04
We thoroughly enjoyed our sail to the reef where we enjoyed snorkelling. It was a full day trip with morning tea and lunch supplied. Well experience was well worth it.
Great experience Wonderful crew
2025-05-02
The day was wonderful. Although we had some rough seas, the staff was attentive to those who needed assistance and very friendly and helpful.
The snorkeling experience was great. Not only did we get a presentation on what marine life we may encounter, the staff was in the water with us looking for special species and getting our attention when they found something.
Lunch was great and the glass bottom boat experience was perfect for those who did not want to snorkel at the second site.
I highly recommend this company for your Great Barrier Reef excursion.
The snorkeling experience was great. Not only did we get a presentation on what marine life we may encounter, the staff was in the water with us looking for special species and getting our attention when they found something.
Lunch was great and the glass bottom boat experience was perfect for those who did not want to snorkel at the second site.
I highly recommend this company for your Great Barrier Reef excursion.
Wonderful service. Once in a lifetime experience
2025-05-02
It was the experience of a lifetime. The company was very communicative and helpful. The staff on the catamaran was amazing. The were so friendly and helpful. They took the time to sit and talk with you when they weren’t busy. They went out of their way to ensure everyone was comfortable.
During the snorkeling, the staff was in the water with us looking for wonderful things for us to see and when they found something they alerted us and waited for us to join them. The small vessel allowed for an intimate group so the reefs we were at were not too populated and the wildlife stayed around. I highly recommended Sailaway Port Douglas if you want an excellent Great Barrier Reef Snorkeling experience. The company has other tours and if we were staying longer I would do another tour with them.
During the snorkeling, the staff was in the water with us looking for wonderful things for us to see and when they found something they alerted us and waited for us to join them. The small vessel allowed for an intimate group so the reefs we were at were not too populated and the wildlife stayed around. I highly recommended Sailaway Port Douglas if you want an excellent Great Barrier Reef Snorkeling experience. The company has other tours and if we were staying longer I would do another tour with them.
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