Whitsundays

Swim and anchor · Whitsunday Island, from Tongue Bay

Whitehaven at 6.30am

Seven kilometres of silica sand that squeaks underfoot, and the swirl of Hill Inlet from the lookout. Anchor overnight at Tongue Bay, tender ashore at first light and walk the lookout track before the first day boat arrives around nine.

Tip. Hill Inlet's pattern is best two hours either side of low tide. Ask the crew to check the tide table before you fix the morning.

Swim and anchor · Haslewood Island, opposite Whitehaven

Chalkies Beach

The same silica sand, facing Whitehaven across the passage, and almost nobody on it because the day boats do not stop. Coral off the beach, a barbecue set up by the crew at five, Whitehaven turning pink across the water.

Swim and anchor · Hook Island, south side

Nara Inlet

A drowned river valley that runs two kilometres into Hook Island, flat calm in any wind. Ngaro rock paintings in a cave at the head of the inlet, waterfalls after rain, and the quietest night in the group.

Swim and anchor · Hook Island, north coast

Butterfly Bay and Manta Ray Bay

The best snorkelling inside the islands. Fringing reef in three metres of water, Maori wrasse the size of a dog, turtles most mornings. Public moorings; the crew will take one at dawn before the tour boats.

Swim and anchor · Hayman Island, west side

Blue Pearl Bay

Hayman's snorkelling bay, with the resort's guests arriving by boat mid-morning. Be there at eight, be gone by ten. Sunset here, with the boat anchored off Langford Reef, is the picture people take home.

Swim and anchor · Off Hayman Island

Langford Spit

A sandbar that appears at low tide with reef on both sides. Lunch on the sand with the tender beached and the yacht anchored a hundred metres away. It disappears again by mid-afternoon, which is half the point.

Swim and anchor · 30 nautical miles east of Hook Island

The outer reef: Bait Reef

The day boats go to the Hardy Reef pontoon. We go to Bait Reef and its Stepping Stones, a line of coral bommies with 20 metres of visibility and nobody on them. A superyacht anchors in the lagoon for the day; on a calm night we stay.

Tip. Needs a calm forecast and a captain who knows the entry. Put it mid-week so the weather window can move.

Activities ashore · Hardy Reef, from Hamilton Island or Whitehaven

Heart Reef by air

A helicopter or seaplane from Hamilton Island, a lap of Heart Reef and a landing on Whitehaven. It is the one flight worth taking on a boat holiday, because the reef only makes sense from above.

Swim and anchor · Whitsunday Island, west side

Cid Harbour

The all-weather anchorage the whole group runs to when the trades blow hard. Sleep here, walk to Whitsunday Peak for the view. Do not swim here: the bay has a history of shark incidents and the crew will say the same.

Eat · Hamilton Island Yacht Club

Bommie

The best dinner in the islands, in the yacht club that hosts Race Week. Modern Australian, a serious wine list and the marina lights below. Berth at Hamilton for the night and walk over.

Eat · Hamilton Island, north end

Pebble Beach at qualia

Lunch at Australia's most awarded resort, looking north over the passage to Hayman. Ask the crew to arrange it; qualia takes outside bookings when the resort is not full.

Activities ashore · Hamilton Island

One Tree Hill at sunset

A golf buggy up the hill, a drink at the top and the whole group laid out to the west as the sun goes. Then down to Bommie for dinner.

Eat · Airlie Beach

Fish D'vine

If you board at Airlie, dinner here the night before: seafood and a 400-bottle rum bar. Unpretentious, and the crew's own pick when they have a night off.