Tall Ship Sunset Sail Airlie Beach

The classic timber schooner

The star of this Airlie Beach sunset cruise is the boat itself: a 62-foot gaff-rigged schooner built from North Queensland timber as a replica of the old Grand Banks fishing schooners of the North Atlantic, the style known as a Bluenose or Gloucester schooner. With two wooden masts, cream canvas sails, varnished rails and coiled ropes, she is one of the most photographed sailing boats in the Whitsundays.

Sailing on a tall ship feels very different from a motor cruise. Once the engine is off you hear only the wind in the canvas and the water along the hull. The crew explains how the gaff rig works and invites anyone who wants to try to help pull up a sail or two. It is a barefoot experience: shoes are collected when you board and returned when you step off.

Sunset over the bay and the Whitsunday coast

The schooner sails out across the bay in front of Airlie Beach, with the forested hills of the mainland on one side and the islands of the Whitsundays on the horizon. As the sun drops, the sky over the coast turns orange, pink and violet, and the calm tropical water reflects every colour. It is the classic Whitsundays sunset that many visitors come to Airlie Beach for.

The best time for a sunset sail in Airlie Beach is the dry season from about May to October, when skies are clearest and evenings mild, but sunsets are lovely all year. The sail departs at 17:00 and lasts about two hours, so in the shorter winter days you will see the sun go down well before returning. Bring a warm layer, as it cools quickly on the water after dark.

On deck: snacks and a relaxed evening

Life on board is unhurried. You settle on the green cushioned benches on deck, watch the light change and enjoy a shared platter of crusty bread, cheeses, fresh fruit and dips. Couples find it a romantic way to spend an evening, groups of friends like the relaxed atmosphere, and solo travellers easily fall into conversation with the crew and other guests.

Additional drinks can be bought on board by card only, and guests may not bring their own. Children from 4 years can join the daily sunset sails, while babies, strollers and mobility scooters cannot be taken aboard, and the schooner is not suitable for wheelchair users. Everyone signs a short safety waiver, sent with the booking confirmation, and the master's directions must always be followed.

Coral Sea Marina and Airlie Beach

The sail leaves from Coral Sea Marina North, the main marina of Airlie Beach and the departure point for many Whitsunday boat trips. The meeting point is Meeting Point B near the kiosk café at the roundabout, a short walk from the lagoon and main street of town. You can park at the marina for up to eight hours, which is handy if you are driving.

Airlie Beach is the lively gateway town to the Whitsunday Islands and the Great Barrier Reef, with a free swimming lagoon, a palm-lined foreshore and plenty of restaurants for dinner after you return. Is a sunset sail in Airlie Beach worth it? If you have only one evening in town, few experiences show off the Whitsundays as gently and beautifully as two hours under sail at sunset.