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Whale Watching and Swim with Whales Cruise from Mooloolaba: A Life-Changing Encounter
4.3
46 Ratings
Mooloolaba
Embark on a thrilling whale watching and swim with whales cruise from Mooloolaba. Swim with humpback whales and experience a life-changing adventure.
Duration:
4 hours
Cancellation:
3 days
learn more
Highlights
- 123 Parkyn Parade - Our tours are exclusive affairs with only 15 guests aboard each trip and we supply all the gear you need for the day (wetsuit and snorkelling gear) as well as light snacks onboard for just $249 per person. Just bring your swimmers, towel and a change of clothes and you are all set.
Each Swim with Whales Experience runs for approximately 3-4 hours and your time spent in the water depends on a few factors. We first need to find whales. Some days this happens in the first 20 minutes out of the river and on others it can be an hour or more before we find a pod. Once found, we will then follow the pod at a safe distance, tracking the whales’ movements and surface behaviour and allowing them to get used to the engine noise of the boat. If they are spending most of their time on the surface and are displaying other appropriate behaviours, the boat will be put into neutral 100m or more away from the whales, and if conditions are determined safe by our trained crew, swimmers will be allowed into the water with a guide and a floating line attached to the boat for safety. All activities comply with Whale Watching Guidelines and our own Swim with Whales Code of Practice.
What's Included
- Snorkel
- Wetsuit
- Fins
- Mask
What's Not Included
- Food and drinks
- Lunch
Additional Information
The opportunity to swim with a humpback whale is a rare and very special one
and the opportunity to swim with a humpback whale is a rare and very special one – something that people who have experienced it have described as “life changing”.
- If you wish to take part in the whale swimming you need to be able to swim. Unfortunately if you are pregnant we cannot take you on this tour.
- If you are bringing children under 8 yrs old they cannot get in the water and must have an adult/guardian on board at all times with them. If you are bringing kids between 8 and 15 please be aware that they need to be strong swimmers for this activity. Children under 5 are not permitted on board.
- If the trip is cancelled due to poor weather, then another day will be scheduled.
- A min of 8 guests are required for these tours to run.
- There is no guarantee that guests will get to swim with the whales, as this is a 100% natural experience in the whales’ natural environment. The tour operator staff will make the final decision as to whether if it is appropriate to enter the water with the whales, in the interests of both guests and whales safety. Additionally, staff will have the final say as to a guest’s in-water ability.
- Min age for swimmers is 8 years. Children under 8 yrs of age are not able to come on this vessel.
- All children must be supervised by an adult (both on the boat and in the water).
Location
123 Parkyn Parade
Parkyn Parade
We are part of The Wharf Complex, you need to walk inside to find our meeting point.
Cancellation Policy
If you cancel at least 3 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel within 3 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.
Customer Ratings
4.3
(46 Ratings)
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Melvyn
Aug 18, 2024
Beautiful morning to go swimming. - Where do I staff, Have to say all the staff that on the day were fantastic, friendly and so much fun got us all excited. But then too be in the water with the whales we got up so close to them Mother and Calf just beautiful. Then too finish the morning off a chance to swim with the Dolphins thanks guys for giving us the opportunity. A BIG THANKYOU.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Angelfish918
Aug 17, 2024
Highly recommend swimming with the whales - Had an amazing day out whale watching and swimming with the whales. The skipper (Paul) did the most incredible job of keeping in front of them so we could swim with a whale, the sound they make is so loud when you are in the water with them. The water wasn’t very clear due to heavy rain so keep this in mind when thinking about booking. But from the boat we saw turtles and dolphins and around 10 whales showing off, it was a spectacular show. It was an incredible experience and would highly recommend. Thanks to the crew for making it such a great day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michael_d
Jul 16, 2024
Saw a group of dolphins... - Saw a group of dolphins up close and a whale right near us worth it for sure. A+
Amazing views once in a lifetime
Review provided by Viator
Mike
Sep 11, 2023
Great boat, crew and lots of whales - Great day, excellent knowledgeable staff, perfect boat and lots of whales, perfect day really. We went on the 7.30 trip which I would recommend as I have been out previously on later trips and not seen whales. Was pretty rough on the way back in but that’s nature.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Xtacie
Sep 4, 2023
humpback whale swim - I was in Brisbane for a couple of days and I traveled to Moolaboola to fulfill a lifelong dream to swim with humpbacks. Check in was easy, all required equipment was provided and in good shape and we were soon on our way. The crew (Anika, Johnny, Heidi and Jacob) were enthusiastic and worked extremely hard in every respect to give us all the best most exhilarating experience while keeping safety as their biggest priority. They recognized the most favorable times to get in the water and how to behave to get the most from our experiences. We had several opportunities to get in the water and swam with countless whales. An incredible day from start to finish. Highly recommend!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Onair43932959090
Sep 3, 2023
Swim with whales!!!! - Did a swim with whales trip the other afternoon! Unfortunately the whales were a bit shy and swam off every time we got in the water with them, but on the plus side we got the chance to swim with dolphins which was so cool! Definitely a great way to end the trip. Overall the experience was really great! Staff were super friendly and everything flowed nicely. They did everything they could so we could get the chance to swim with the whales. Very very grateful. Special thanks to Heidi, Josh, abi, Casie and paul for being so patient and keeping up that high energy the whole trip, definitely made it a memorable one. Hopefully next time the whales will come out!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Passport308167
Sep 3, 2023
Whale swim- the best day - Absolute cracker day. Swam with multiple pods of whales. Beautiful Mumma and her calf. Fantastic conditions, the crew were fun, lively and safe. What an AWESOME team and a fantastic experience. Do it, it’s so good, you won’t even feel the cold water. The best 🐳🐳🐳
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Theb912
Aug 9, 2023
We swam with whales!! - Brilliant half day out.
Who knew you could swim with whales at Mooloolaba? I thought we had to go elsewhere for that (like Vanuatu or Ningaloo Reef).
The water was lovely, the whales were present and we got to swim close to a mother and baby 5 times during the trip.
The staff were friendly and helpful and made sure equipment and wetsuits fit. The boat is safe and comfortable, though obviously not a luxury cruise ship!
Their focus was on getting us an opportunity to swim with the whales.
They delivered.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lornao336
Sep 26, 2022
Just awesome - What an awesome experience. Very streamlined trip, friendly and knowledgeable staff and lots of whale activity from breaching and slapping behaviour on the surface to a mumma and calf swimming pretty much right beneath us while we were in the water. Just a fantastic morning out
Review provided by Tripadvisor
M2165zadand
Oct 15, 2023
Great crew and whale watching experience but was an expensive whale watching trip - Got some great views of whales from the boat and the knowledge of the staff was excellent. However our trip turned into a very expensive whale watching trip. We booked in just before covid with redballoon and the next opportunity we had to complete the trip was just this past month, during that time the price increased by 60% (offtt). While I appreciate as a zoologist that working with animals is not recommended and is variable and difficult, I do think a token 10-20% off your next trip would be appreciated if you do not get to swim with whales on the day, because without the swimming with whales it is an expensive whale watching trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
