PowerPlay Review
The Whitsunday Islands are made of 74 islands off the central coast of Queensland in Australia, known to have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The islands are so picturesque and really live up to the Whitsundays name when it comes to the white sand. I visited the Whitsundays last April. As I was doing the trip solo, it was very hard to decide which sailing trip to go on. I wanted a combination of relaxation, good social atmosphere and a bit of adventure. Sailing Whitsundays was the best place to find tours. Powerplay was chosen in the end based on TripAdvisor and Facebook reviews. I’m relieved to say that I wasn’t disappointed.
THE BOAT
My biggest reservation was that I’d be the only solo traveler amongst a boat full of cliquey groups. Luckily the group was a great mix of fun and international solo travellers, couples and friends. Powerplay usually has the age range of around 25-35.
Powerplay is a very clean boat which has got everything you need. I had never been sailing before but the catamaran was a lot more comfortable and modern than I expected. Our itinerary was perfectly planned and there was no lack of food throughout the trip. There was of course a fridge for the alcohol and snacks you bring along yourself but they provide fresh breakfast, lunch and dinner.
My absolute favourite part of the boat was the front deck with the two nets your can lay on. In between the itinerary there was plenty of downtime where we would just chill on the deck and get some strong sunshine while enjoying the breeze from the sailing. I can’t comment on the jacuzzi because I never went in it but they would heat it up at night in time for the little parties.
Wi-fi isn’t available on board to connect to but there’s a device with connectivity if you want to send an email or check something really important. I’d advise to get your own sim card as you’ll have connection for the most part apart from 5PM in the evening of the first day until 8AM the 2nd day. This was simply due to where the boat was parked.
SLEEPING AREA
I must admit, when I first saw the boat I thought it looked too small to fit 16 people plus the crew. At a closer look though, you’ll notice that the living room tables pretty much turn into beds. Additionally there are 4 double rooms available. It is a little crammed sleeping on the upper area by the windows but its not uncomfortable. The upside is that nobody sleeps next to you. If you sleep where the tables get replaced, you’ll most likely have a neighbour but more space. Its completely up to you!
You’re limited to 1 minute showers each per day which doesn’t sound like a lot but its enough. There are two toilets on the boat and they’re not the cleanest. Particularly due to the fact that the sink head is also the shower head. As you can imagine there’s usually lots of water on the floor so please remember to bring flip flops with you!
THE TRIP
Day 1
We departed the marina at 12PM. The first day was really about chilling on the front deck, soaking in some sun, tanning, drinking and relaxing. Our first day was a beautiful blend of snorkeling and sailing. It took us two hours to get to the first snorkelling/diving spot. In the evening we had drinks and dinner at 6PM, followed by a mini party but nothing spring break like! At night there were lights underneath the Powerplay which allowed for some cool sights of the underwater life.
Day 2
We got up early around 7AM to have some nice healthy breakfast and a morning snorkel. We were hoping to spot some turtles but I guess it all comes down to luck! After a quick snorkel we headed to the Whitehaven beach where we arrived around 11.
Firstly we were taken to Hill Inlet at the perfect time of day, when the tide was out, to absorb the gorgeous view. You’ll be sharing this small view point with lots of other tourist who all want to squeeze in their “it” picture. Good luck! My other worry about the trip was not getting enough time on the Whitehaven beach! The time on the beach was a solid 3 hours, which may not sound like much but it was more than enough. Whitehaven beach is beautiful!
Day 3
Cloud and heavy wind kicked in on the third day but by this time, who actually cared? We were all content and had absolutely loved the trip. The weather didn’t stop anyone from sitting on the front deck and getting slapped in the face by waves.
POWERPLAY REVIEW SUMMARY
“Powerplay will take you on the ride of your life through the beautiful Whitsunday Islands for fun, relaxation and adventure!” – as the websites say, they did exactly that. The staff were great from beginning to end. I wanted a social boat but not a spring break booze cruise. For this, I’d definitely recommend Powerplay. Everything was extremely well organised and is perfect for solo travellers as well as groups. The price when you book in advance is 499 AUD but you can snatch up much cheaper tickets last minute on Airlie Beach for around 350 AUD. If you do the latter then you run the risk of not getting tickets to the boat you want if its sold out. Even at 499 AUD I thought it was worth it and would highly recommend this trip as a great options for solo travellers in the Whitsundays
Catch52 – A London Food & Travel Blog
Hi,
I am looking at doing a trip on the whitsundays and found your post here. I am a solo female traveller and i was just wondering, why you chose PowerPlay? And was there a lot of other solo travellers on it or was there mostly couples? The way it is designed, looks to me it is more for couples than solo travellers?