Illustration.
Nelly Bay · Cleveland Bay · Sunset
Sip and Sail on Magnetic Island
Pilgrim Sailing's yacht leaves Nelly Bay in the early evening for 90 minutes under sail on Cleveland Bay, with beer, wine and soft drinks poured as you go and a cheese platter with the crew's pumpkin chutney.
- 5.0 / 5 272+ Reviews
- 1 h 30 min Duration
- 90 min Under sail on Cleveland Bay
- 4:30 to 5:45 Start time, by season
- Free Cancellation
Sip and Sail at a Glance
- Where it starts
- Nelly Bay marina, by the car-ferry ramp next to Peppers' deck, 15 minutes before the start
- When
- Most evenings, 4 to 12 guests, on the dates in Pilgrim's calendar; the start moves between about 4:30 and 5:45 pm with the season
- What is included
- Beer, wine, soft drinks and a cheese platter; the reef's environmental charge
- Who it suits
- Adults; Pilgrim's cruises are generally adults-only outside school holidays
- Tours
- Pilgrim Sailing's Sip and Sail on Viator from US$104 a person (checked October 2026)
The Experience
What the Sip and Sail Covers
An hour and a half on a sailing yacht at sunset, with the drinks and the cheese included.
Highlights
- Ninety minutes under sail at sunset
- Unlimited beer, wine and soft drinks, and a cheese platter
- The yacht does not anchor
- Meets 15 minutes before the start by the car-ferry ramp at Nelly Bay
What's Included
- Light refreshments
- Unlimited beer, wine and soft drinks
- Environmental Management Charge (Reef Tax)
Not Included: Hotel pickup and drop-off
How the Sip and Sail Works
Meet by the ferry ramp at Nelly Bay, sail at sunset, and be back for an evening ferry.
Meet at Nelly Bay
Be on the corner of the Peppers boardwalk restaurant and the car-ferry ramp at Nelly Bay 15 minutes before the start; a crew member in a white Pilgrim Sailing shirt walks you to the boat.
Under Sail on Cleveland Bay
About 90 minutes sailing in Cleveland Bay off Magnetic Island as the sun goes down. The yacht does not anchor and there is no swim.
Drinks and Cheese
Beer, wine and soft drinks are poured throughout, with a local cheese platter and Pilgrim's homemade pumpkin chutney.
Back for the Ferry
Back at Nelly Bay after sunset. SeaLink's evening ferries to Townsville leave the island at 6:35, 8:00 and 10:00 pm, and at 11:00 pm from Wednesday to Saturday.
Photo Gallery
The Yacht and the Sunset
Photos from the Sip and Sail listing: the yacht, the drinks and Cleveland Bay at sunset.
Book Your Experience
Check Dates for the Sip and Sail
Pilgrim Sailing's sunset cruise on Viator. Dates, start times and the live price open on its listing.
Pilgrim Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island Sip and Sail Sunset Cruise
- 5.0/5 from 272 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor
- 1 h 30 min
- From US$104 per person (checked October 2026)
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- The corner of the Peppers boardwalk restaurant and the car-ferry ramp at Nelly Bay, 15 minutes before the start
Four Ways to Spend an Evening or a Sail
Pilgrim's Sip and Sail against the island's other sunset trips and its longer sail. Prices from the listings, with the month they were checked.
| Feature | THIS PAGE Sip and Sail | Sunset and Shipwreck | West Point Sunset Safari | Lunchtime Sail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What You Pay | From US$104 per person (checked October 2026) | From US$80 per person (checked October 2026) | From US$88 per person (checked October 2026) | From US$168 per person (checked October 2026) |
| Time | 90 minutes, from about 4:30 to 5:45 pm by season | 2 hours from 4:30 pm | 2.5 hours from about 4:30 pm | 4 hours from 10:15 am |
| How You Travel | Sailing yacht | Aquascene's boat | Bus along the west coast | Sailing yacht, at anchor in a bay |
| Food and Drink | Beer, wine, soft drinks, cheese platter | Bring your own | One drink and a shared platter | Seafood and antipasto lunch, wine and beer |
| Swimming | No | No | No | Yes, at anchor; stinger suits November to May |
| Leaves From | Nelly Bay marina | Peppers Resort, Nelly Bay | Nelly Bay ferry terminal | Peppers' deck, Nelly Bay |
| Check dates | See the shipwreck trip | See West Point | See the lunch sail |
Other Evenings and Sails
More Sunset and Sailing Trips
A sunset boat trip to a shipwreck, the West Point sunset by bus, and Pilgrim's longer lunchtime sail.
SUNSET AT A SHIPWRECKAquascene Sunset and Shipwreck Tour
Aquascene's two-hour sunset trip from Nelly Bay to the wreck of the SS City of Adelaide at Cockle Bay. Bring your own drinks and snacks.
WEST POINT BY BUSMagnetic Island West Point Sunset Safari
MI Ride's two-and-a-half-hour evening bus trip to West Point beach for the sunset over the mainland, with a drink, a grazing platter and koala spotting on the way, for at most ten.
FOUR HOURS UNDER SAILMagnetic Island Lunchtime Sailing Cruise
Pilgrim Sailing's four-hour yacht trip from Nelly Bay: a sail along the coast, about two hours at anchor in a secluded bay to swim, and a seafood and antipasto lunch with wine and beer.
A MORNING ON THE REEFMagnetic Island Discovery Tour: Snorkelling and Paddle Boarding
Aquascene's five-hour boat day from Nelly Bay: snorkelling on the fringing reefs with gear and a lesson, stand-up paddle boards, secluded bays and morning tea. The ferry from Townsville is not included.
The Guide
Sip and Sail: Times, Price and the Other Sunsets
When the sail starts in each season, what it costs on Pilgrim's own page and on Viator, and the other ways to watch the sun go down.
Sip and Sail is Pilgrim Sailing’s sunset cruise on Magnetic Island: about 90 minutes on its sailing yacht in Cleveland Bay as the sun goes down, from the marina at Nelly Bay, with beer, wine and soft drinks poured throughout and a local cheese platter. It runs most evenings with a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 12 guests; the calendar shows the dates. Pilgrim times the sail to the SeaLink ferry and can sell the ferry ticket with it (checked October 2026). Pilgrim’s own page gives it as an hour and a half to two hours and prices it from AUD 139 a person, plus AUD 6 on Fridays, Saturdays, public holidays, full moons and in peak season, with the reef’s environmental charge included (checked October 2026).
The short answer
Book it for an evening on the water without swimming or snorkelling. It is on Viator from US$104 a person, rated 5.0 from 272 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor (checked October 2026), with a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before.
Check dates for the Sip and Sail
Start times by season
The sail follows the sunset, so the start moves through the year: between about 4:30 pm and 5:45 pm on Pilgrim’s own page. The Viator listing shows start times of 4:30, 4:45, 5:00, 5:15 and 5:30, and your booking confirms the exact one. Meet on the corner of the Peppers boardwalk restaurant and the car-ferry ramp 15 minutes before. Once a month Pilgrim runs a full-moon sail about 30 minutes longer. sipandsailmagneticisland.com goes deeper on this one cruise: sunset times for every month at Nelly Bay, the yacht and its skippers, and private charters.
From Townsville
“Sip and Sail Townsville” searches end up here because the cruise is a short ferry ride away: it leaves from Nelly Bay on Magnetic Island, not from Townsville. Take a SeaLink ferry that lands well before you meet: the 3:50 pm from the Breakwater terminal for a 4:30 or 4:45 start, the 4:30 pm for a start at 5:15 or later. Come back on the 8:00 or 10:00 pm ferry, or 11:00 pm from Wednesday to Saturday. An adult return is AUD 44, or AUD 41.50 on the SeaLink app, plus an AUD 2 fuel surcharge (checked October 2026). The ferry guide has the timetable.
Who it suits
- Adults: Pilgrim’s site says its cruises are generally adults-only, except in school holidays.
- Non-swimmers: the yacht does not anchor and nobody goes in the water.
- A first evening on the island: it starts beside the ferry terminal and finishes in time for an evening ferry home.
Other sunsets on Magnetic Island
- To a shipwreck: Aquascene’s Sunset and Shipwreck Tour spends two hours on the coast from Nelly Bay to Cockle Bay and the wreck of the SS City of Adelaide, from US$80 (checked October 2026). Bring your own drinks and snacks.
- West Point by bus: MI Ride’s West Point Sunset Safari drives the west coast to West Point beach, where the sun sets over the mainland, with a drink and a platter, from US$88 (checked October 2026). It returns for the 8:00 pm ferry.
- A longer sail by day: Pilgrim’s Lunchtime Sailing Cruise is four hours, with about two hours at anchor in a bay such as Radical Bay, a swim and lunch, from US$171 (checked October 2026).
Sunset under Sail off Magnetic Island
Pilgrim Sailing's 90 minutes on Cleveland Bay from Nelly Bay, with beer, wine, soft drinks and a cheese platter included. Starting from US$104 per person.
Check dates on ViatorOther Tours with Open Dates
More Magnetic Island and Townsville Tours with Open Dates
Bus tours, sailing, the reef and wildlife, with live availability. Times and cancellation terms are on each listing.
Sip and Sail on Magnetic Island: Questions
Price, start time, what is included and getting there from Townsville.
From US$104 a person on Viator (checked October 2026). Pilgrim Sailing's own page prices it from AUD 139 a person, plus AUD 6 on Fridays, Saturdays, public holidays, full moons and in peak season, with the reef's environmental management charge included (checked October 2026). The drinks and the cheese platter are part of the price.
Between about 4:30 and 5:45 pm, depending on the time of year. The sail follows the sunset. Meet on the corner of the Peppers boardwalk restaurant and the car-ferry ramp at Nelly Bay 15 minutes before your start time.
About 90 minutes under sail, beer, wine and soft drinks throughout, and a local cheese platter. The cheese comes with Pilgrim's homemade pumpkin chutney. Hotel pickup is not included; the boat leaves from the marina beside the Nelly Bay ferry terminal.
It leaves from Magnetic Island, a 20-minute ferry ride from Townsville. Take the SeaLink ferry from the Breakwater terminal to Nelly Bay: the 3:50 pm for an early start, the 4:30 pm for a start at 5:15 or later. Evening ferries back leave the island at 6:35, 8:00 and 10:00 pm, and at 11:00 pm from Wednesday to Saturday (checked October 2026).
Usually not. Pilgrim's site says its cruises are generally adults-only, except in school holidays; ask Pilgrim before booking with children. The Discovery Tour is the family trip on the water, with child prices.
No. The yacht stays under sail in Cleveland Bay and does not anchor. For a swim from the boat, Pilgrim's four-hour lunchtime sail spends about two hours at anchor in a bay, with stinger suits from November to May.
Still have questions? Email us at info@magnetic-island-tours.com