Solway Lass is a beautifully preserved tall ship with a rich history that you’ll feel the moment you step on-board. Today, she provides leisurely sailing tours around the islands.
Expansive deck space, a licensed bar, air-conditioned cabins, and comfortable saloon ensure guest comfort. There is a fun rope swing, glass-bottom boat and stand-up paddleboards adding to the excitement and adventure.
You can help pull up some of the impressive 15 sails or take a turn on the helm. Whatever your age, Solway Lass is sure to deliver a unique experience and life-long memories.
Days
- 3 days, 2 nights
Group size
- 18 to 32
Start / finish
- Airlie Beach / Airlie Beach
- Airlie Beach, 2:30pm on day 3
Return
- Airlie Beach, 2:30pm on day 3
Accommodation
- 2 nights on board in air-conditioned cabins, shared or private, at anchor among the islands.
Transport
- A restored tall ship, leaving Coral Sea Marina at 5:30pm on the first evening and sailing straight out to the first anchorage. Large wooden decks, a licensed bar, and all snorkelling and diving gear aboard.
Meals
- All meals and snacks are cooked fresh on board from locally sourced seasonal produce, usually served buffet style — continental breakfasts, build-your-own lunches with salads, and two hearty home-cooked dinners. Tea and coffee throughout.
Route
Included experiences
- Whitehaven Beach — the seven kilometre stretch of pure silica sand
- Hill Inlet lookout — a short guided bush walk to the view over the swirling sands
- Snorkelling the fringing coral reefs, with tropical fish all around you
- Hook Passage — the first evening's sail out between Hook and Whitsunday Island
- Setting the sails yourself, if you fancy lending a hand
- Sunset from the deck at anchor, then dinner under the stars
- Turtles and other marine life on the second morning's snorkel
Itinerary
Welcome to the Whitsundays!
Depart from the Coral Sea Marina | Resort (formerly the Abell Point Marina) at 5.30 pm and sail to your first anchorage of the trip in Hook Passage in between Hook and Whitsunday Island. Feeling energetic? Get involved with setting the sails! Enjoy the first sunset of the trip as you sit back and relax, floating across the Whitsunday Passage and meet your fellow holidaymakers.
About the Boat:
Solway Lass is a beautifully preserved tall ship with a rich history that you’ll feel the moment you step on-board. Today, she provides leisurely sailing tours around the islands.
Our itinerary:
Have breakfast whilst on the move to Tongue Bay, the gateway to Whitehaven Beach. Take a short, guided bush walk up to the Hill Inlet Lookout to take in the 7km stretch of the remarkable Whitehaven Beach below you. After taking in the breathtaking views, walk down to the beach itself and feel that silica sand between your toes.
Once back on board, you’ll sail north to one of the beautiful bays in the area where you’ll kit up with snorkeling gear, ready to jump in and explore the fringing coral reefs. The vibrant, tropical fish will welcome you into their home as they flurry about in the water. Stop again in another secluded bay to the golden hour as the sun sets over the Whitsundays. During dinner get stuck into a conversation with your new-found friends whilst on deck under the stars.
Early rise for breakfast, for one more chance to snorkel in a nearby bay and see the fringing reef for the final time, maybe spot a turtle if you’re lucky. Then it’s time to set the sails for the final time to make way across the Whitsunday Passage. Arrive back into Airlie Beach at 2.30 pm.
All meals and snacks are included in the price of your trip. Your crew will freshly prepare the meals for you to enjoy on the deck. Using locally sourced, seasonal fruits and vegetables, usually served buffet style. Meals are a great communal time to get to know the other travellers.
A typical menu includes continental style breakfasts, filling lunches made up of rissoles or build-your-own sandwiches and two different salads and accompaniments. Two delicious and hearty dinners, usually home-cooked style meals with a salad and a side dish. There will be snacks and afternoon nibbles, and tea and coffee available throughout your trip.
Reviews
4.9
Based on 10 reviews
Verified from
Real reviews from travellers who've done this tour, gathered from around the web and paraphrased.
AI summary of 10 reviews
Travellers consistently praise the crew across the skipper, dive instructors and cook, describing them as friendly, knowledgeable and attentive to divers of all experience levels, from first-timers to certified divers. The food is repeatedly noted as good, and the small group size is said to help passengers get to know one another. What stands out most often is the diving and snorkelling on the outer reef, visits to Whitehaven Beach, and the experience of mooring overnight on the reef after other day-boats depart, with some reviewers also reporting wildlife such as turtles, dolphins and whales. Several note that the trip is highly weather dependent, with conditions occasionally preventing passage to the outer reef and some passengers experiencing seasickness. Common caveats include the modest, basic accommodation, the long return journey from the reef, limited time on Whitehaven Beach and a cap of two dives per day, which one keen diver found insufficient.
How we collect and publish reviews
Where they come from. Our reviews are gathered from independent review sites and from guests who share feedback with us directly after their trip. They come from people who have actually travelled on the tour.
Why some are edited. Many of our guests travel in their second or third language. Where a review is hard to read, we lightly edit spelling, grammar and punctuation, or paraphrase a sentence for clarity. We never change the rating, the meaning or the sentiment, and we never write a review on a guest's behalf.
Reading the originals. Reviews sourced from public review sites appear there in their original form, and can be read in full at their original source at any time.
“Super Crew on the Kiana”
We were lucky enough to get some incredibly flat water out on the reef and the crew organised our trip to take maximum advantage of this and let us see as much as possible. Dive instructor James is knowledgeable, precise and enthusiastic, a super instructor to give you confidence for your intro dive. El Capitan Chris is chilled out but totally switched on and makes sure everything runs smoothly - exactly what you want in a skipper. Ana, our chef for the week, saw that everyone was extremely well fed and taken care of. She also took the time in her very busy days to chat and give us some of her knowledge about diving on the reef. A really great bunch of people and you will always feel safe and relaxed with these guys on the Kiana.
“Unforgettable!”
We visited in “winter” which was incredible. This tour let us explore iconic Whitehaven Beach, scuba/snorkel, and just hang out watching the waves and sunsets. A high point was breaching whales, which actually swam around our boat. (Apparently, August is good for this). Our three days flew by and were a highlight of our time in Australia.
The crew was both fun and professional. Quarters were as comfortable as you’d expect on a boat of this size. Highly recommended!!
“Great value, Highlights of Whitsunday islands, Friendly staff”
The first day we visited Whitehaven beach and spend 3 hours there, plenty time to enjoy the view and relax at the beach.
Second and third day was focussed on diving on Bait reef and Hook island. Great way to explore under water life of the Great Barrier reef.
Staff was professional and friendly. The dives were led well. The food served was excellent.
“A great way to get a full taste of the Whitsundays!”
The first day we visited Whitehaven beach and spend 3 hours there, plenty time to enjoy the view and relax at the beach.
Second and third day was focussed on diving on Bait reef and Hook island. Great way to explore under water life of the Great Barrier reef.
Staff was professional and friendly. The dives were led well. The food served was excellent.
“Fabulous!!”
After reading other reviewers comments, I felt compelled to give my experience on this sailing adventure. Our group had picture perfect weather, heading out on November 30th. Everything was well-planned, the crew were super friendly and very helpful. The scuba instructor, I believe her name was Emily, was wonderful. She spent extra time making me feel comfortable with my first dive. The food was excellent, Whitehaven beach was beyond what I could have imagined (the pictures do not do it justice). The only negative would be not having enough time to spend on Whitehaven Beach. I felt we had plenty of time for snorkeling, but if you are diving, you may want to consider a dive only trip. However, it seemed everyone had enough dive time. The most unique part of the trip was staying out on the reef overnight, when all the other boats left early afternoon. That being said, there were only two other boats out where we were, so it was very quiet. Overall, I had an amazing time and it seemed everyone on board did as well. Met some wonderful people from all over the world, a couple of families and few others that went solo like myself (please do not feel uncomfortable taking this trip solo). Thanks to all the staff for creating a memorable experience, especially the boat captain for all the extra information about the area and just being fun to chat with!!
“Fantastic diving and sailing experience”
This was an awesome trip. A rare opportunity to dive the outer reef and stay overnight moored safely in the ocean far from land. As a sailor, I appreciate the significance of the chance to see night sky with a 360 degree view of the horizon, not to mention the sunset and sunrise. When the two other day-boats (with large numbers of divers) left, we, with our small group, had the ocean to ourselves.
First and foremost, the crew was AMAZING. The captain, Chris, is a lifelong mariner, with the ultimate in local knowledge, who was focused on the safety of the passengers, crew and vessel, while all the while making his decisions with a mind towards achieving the advertised expectations of the cruise. Nicholas, the dive instructor was extremely experienced, competent, knowledgable, and sensitive to the varying levels of skill of the participants, from absolute novice to experienced certified diver. He was always upbeat, fun, amiable and entertaining regardless the level of responsibility for the safety of the participants he was carrying. Richard the ship's cook, and director of ship ambiance, somehow provided all meals and snacks for 14 passengers and 4 crew for three days, always on time and with a smile. Even though they've been doing this everyday for years, they make you feel like its stil exciting to them. Which I reckon it is.
Now, this is not a carnival cruise ship. It is an older boat but built for this kind of duty. So dont expect luxury. if that's what you're looking for, best to go elsewhere. What it is is a steel hulled motor sailor dive boat that can go anywhere and sleep and feed 18 passengers and crew, providing a platform from which multiple dives and snorkels can be done each day. Accommodations are modest as one would expect but everything works, especially the marine heads and hot water showers. There's more motoring than sailing but that's okay as the main objective is to get the the dive locations quickly as possible.
This event is highly weather dependent. the seas were moderate on the day out to the reef and we were not assured of making that passage. Several were seasick, but got over it. The crew encouraged and had seasick meds available. But we did make it and it all worked out. My wife and I watched the weather closely during our 2 week Australia vacation and booked just two days ahead after the predictions showed there could be a weather window. if that's not how you want to roll then, by all means book early. Know what to expect and realize this is not club med, you get out of it what you put in. S*** happens. But with a little luck, you're putting yourself in the position to get a lot of dives in in the Whitsundays and hopefully, the GBR.
“Great sailing trip with Kiana!”
We went with the Kiana boat to the Whitsundays and it was absolutely fantastic! The crew was amazing to start with. Romy, the dive instructor, did a great job, always happy and smiling which had a positive influence on the whole group. Iry cooked the most lovely meals for us, and always made sure things were running smoothly. The skipper, Chris-o was a really experienced man who knew exactly how to sail the boat and the best places to go. Although the weather did not allow us to go to the outer reef (there was too much wind), the crew made sure we were still having an amazing time on the boat and we still went to some of the most stunning places in the Whitsundays. We had a nice mix of people on the boat and we got along with each quite well, everyone was very chilled and we had lots of time to snorkel, dive and enjoy the nice views and food on the boat. All in all absolutely worth it, thanks Kiana!
“Awesome sailing tour (inkl. scuba diving)”
We experienced an awesome time on Kiana! The crew is phenomenal. The skipper Brent is incredibly friendly, Will, the chef, cooks delicious food and Valerio is an extremely passionate and experienced diving instructor. The sailing was fun (altought we had quite some waves in the beginning), we saw Whiteheaven Beach and got to do multiple scuba dives - it was the perfect trip to the Withsunday Islands and the Great Barrier Reef!
Dario & Nadine
“Fab trip on the Kiana!”
I took the 3 day/2 night trip on the Kiana on the first week of January, and it was the perfect start to the new year.
There were 14 of us on the boat, plus the 3 staff. I felt it was a perfect amount of people as you could get to know everyone in the short time we were on the trip. It certainly wasn't a party boat, but the evenings were still plenty of fun, I'm 25 and this trip was one of the best part of my trip up the east coast!
We sailed right around the main islands, stopping regularly to dive, snorkel and explore places such as Whitehaven Beach which was so beautiful. I saw so many fish and even got the chance to swim with a turtle, as well as seeing dolphins from back on the deck of the boat!!
I had never dived before, so it was great to have the first dive included in the price so I could give it a try. I found it wasn't really for me, but even though I didn't dive again, I had a fab time snorkelling or just chilling on the deck with the other passengers and crew, and didn't feel left out or bored at any time.
The crew were fab and full of energy from start to finish, Brent the captain was so full of enthusiasm and kept us entertained for the whole trip, Matt the dive instructor was a great teacher and very patient with all of us divers, from complete newbies like myself to the experienced divers, and Marty the chef was lovely, making such amazing food in such a small kitchen space!
They really made the trip for me and I would definitely recommend this boat, I hope to come back one day soon!
“Magic Kiana reef adventure”
really 4 1/2...cause I never give anything a 5
There is nothing quite like being under sail a, closing your eyes and imagining....
And that's what the MS Kiana, from Airlie Beach, offers.
It was an absolutely marvelous and memorable diving adventure on the outer reef
Over three days we Whitehaven Beach (stunning as the photos) sailed/motored to the outer reef and had two consecutive days of diving.
Captain Brent runs a tight ship and makes sure your diving adventure on the schooner lives up to your expectations. He's a great story teller and full of information on sailing, boats in general and the Whitsundays.Perfect for a single Ancient Mariner on a boat of delightful people from seven different countries whose ages ranged from early 20's to early 30s. We liked being under sail but came for the diving and were not disappointed.
Lily the Diving instructor knows her stuff and makes sure that you get the most out of every dive. She has the time and skills to keep track of her divers, point out the interesting and fascinating, and make sure divers enjoy their time underwater.
On Board she's happy to talk, discuss, teach and respond to every question
Brooke the Cook/Chef and a backup dive master made sure we ate well and the meals were enjoyable. I was lucky enough to have her as my buddy on the final dive and she was great. Hovered near by like a Guardian Angelfish but left me free to explore to the limit of my ability. Without her I would have missed a lot on the final dive.
The water quality varied because we were at the tail end of a cyclone and very high tides but when it was good it was very very good....and it was never too bad.
Sharks, turtles, Sea Cucumbers, Coral of every description and more fish than I will ever be able to name. It was everything I had expected
Kiana herself is tight but well laid out with plenty of room to be alone, when you want to be,while surrounded by fellow travelers. Like the crew the equipment was first rate. If there's a drawback it's the long - 7hr - trip back from the reef to the mainland. But that's the price of sailing and staying on the reef.
Indebted to Greg at Whitsunday Diving Academy (see separate review) for his advice and recommendation. Without him there'd still be a wish left on my bucket list. I'll be looking him up when I go back for my next Kiana adventure.
Only drawback for me was I was limited to two dives a day - and for a diver on the reef that's not enough. But...the snorkeling in between the dives was magic - in someways better - because Brent and Lily edged us close to a reef and everything was right there!!!
Brent-Lily-Brooke- Greg - watch for me cause I'm coming back
