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Best time for whale watching
Best time of day for whale watching
Best places for whale watching in Sydney
Whale watching tour companies review in Sydney
Tours
Check this list if you are keen to go on whale watching cruise.
Choose your departure point from prices and time table:
Darling Harbour | Circular Quay | Manly | Sans Souci
Darling Harbour departures
| Time | Adult | Child | Tour operator |
| 8:00 (weekends) | $94 | $55 | Princess Cruizes |
| 8:30 | $80** | $35** | Adrenalin |
| 8:45 | $69-79* | $49* | Bass and Flinders Cruises (3hr Discovery Cruise) |
| 9:00 (weekends) | $70-80 | $60 | Merimbula Marina/Go Whale Watching |
| 9:30 (weekends) | $49-59 | $15 | FantaSea Cruising |
| 10:30 | $65* | $49* | Bass and Flinders Cruises (2hr Adventure Cruise) |
| 12:30 | $80** | $35** | Adrenalin |
| 12:45 | $69-79* | $49* | Bass and Flinders Cruises (3hr Discovery Cruise) |
| 12:45 | $70-80 | $60 | Merimbula Marina/Go Whale Watching |
| 13:30 | $49-59 | $15 | FantaSea Cruising |
| 14:00 | $65* | $49* | Bass and Flinders Cruises (2hr Adventure Cruise) |
* – 10-20% discount for online bookings
** – up to 45% off for online booking
Circular Quay departures
| Time | Adult | Child | Tour operator |
| 9:00 (weekends) | $95 | – | Manly Ocean Adventures |
| 9:15 | $69-79* | $49* | Bass and Flinders Cruises (3hr Discovery Cruise) |
| 9:45 (weekends) | $80-94* | $50-59* | Bass and Flinders Cruises (3hr Discovery Cruise) |
| 10:00(Fri-Sun) | $49-59 | FantaSea Cruising | |
| 10:15(weekend) | $49-79 | Captain Cook Cruises | |
| 11:00 | $85** | – | Adrenalin (Extreme Whale Watching Safari) |
| 11:00 (Mon-Fri) | $95 | – | Manly Ocean Adventures |
| 11:30 (weekends) | $95 | – | Manly Ocean Adventures |
| 13:15 | $69-79* | $49* | Bass and Flinders Cruises (3hr Discovery Cruise) |
| 13:30 | $49-79 | Captain Cook Cruises | |
| 14:00 | $95 | – | Ocean Extreme (Extreme Whale Watching) |
| 14:00 | $49-59 | FantaSea Cruising |
* – 10-20% discount for online bookings
** – 15% discount for online booking
Manly departures
| Time | Adult | Child | Tour operator |
| 9:15 (weekends) | $90**** | Manly Ocean Adventures | |
| 11:15 (daily) | $85*** | Adrenalin (Extreme Whale Watching Safari) | |
| 11:15 (Mon-Fri) | $90**** | Manly Ocean Adventures | |
| 11:45 (weekends) | $90**** | Manly Ocean Adventures | |
| Bass and Flinders Cruises – You can get free return ride to Darling Harbour or Circular Quay if you book ticket with Bass and Flinders Cruises |
*** – 16% off if you buy 2 tickets
**** – 5% off if you buy 2 tickets
Sans Souci departures
There are no Sans Souci departures any more. Let us know if you know any cruises departing from San Souci.
Here is a list of whale watching tour operators in Sydney with their no sightings policy and links to their websites:
| Tour operator | No sightings policy |
| Adrenalin | Free trip on the same vessel during the same whale watching season |
| Bass and Flinders Cruises | Return trip on another cruise in the same year with a return voucher |
| Captain Cook Cruises | Whale Sighting Guaranteed or cruise again for FREE. Cruise again in the same season for free on Standby Basis confirmed 24 hours prior, subject to availability. |
| FantaSea Cruising | If you don’t see a whale on your next cruise, it’s FREE. Terms and conditions apply |
| Manly Ocean Adventures | If whales are not spotted on a whale watching tour, each passenger will be issued with a ‘Standby Ticket’ for another Whale Watching tour during the same whale watching season. ‘Standby tickets’ are eligible for redemption no greater than 24 hours prior to the new requested departure. Subject to availability. Standby tickets are not transferable. |
| the same as Bass and Flinders Cruises | |
| Manly Whale Watching/Ocean Extreme | Whales guaranteed or free return cruise |
| Marimbula Marina | In the event that no whales are sighted we will give you the opportunity to come on another whale watching cruise free of charge. This offer is valid for the current season only and is not transferrable. This offer is not redeemable for a refund. If no whales are sighted during the last few weeks of the whale watching season a voucher will be issued for the following whale watching season. |
| Princess Cruizes | Free return trip if you don’t see whales |
| the same as Captain Cook Cruises |
So which company to choose? It depends on you – do want only whale watching or to do something else too, like speed boat ride? Do you stay in the city or in Cronulla or Manly?
My personal choice was – Bass and Flinders Cruises. They are longest period in this business and also participate in whales research program with Macquarie University, has shore based whale spotters which helps them faster to spot whales. In the sea it looks like all other companies just follow their boats.
One important thing – lower your expectation if you go on whale watching tour. Sometimes whales are more active, sometimes they are not. I was reading some reviews there customers were complaining – they saw not enough whale breaches because ship went back to harbor as the tour time was out. How you can complain about that? Some people won’t be lucky to see a breach even once and it is not the show where you command whales what they should do. So it is better to have low expectation and you definitely will enjoy whale watching – coastal or on boat tour.
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]]>View Best places for whale watching in Sydney in a larger map
As there are high cliffs out there and it makes very good place for observation. South Head is my preference, as there is trail along the coast and you can walk almost all way down to Bondi Beach which Southern Right Whales like to visit from time to time.
Besides whale watching from the shore is more ecologically friendly as still there is unknown how boats are affecting whales migration. Marine Mammal Research Group at Macquarie University currently working on a project assess the current whale watching guidelines in Sydney. Actually they have some volunteering positions if somebody interested to join them.
While on the coast you can follow whale watching tour boats and it will be easier to spot whales.
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]]>Darling Harbour | Circular Quay | Manly | Sans Souci
Darling Harbour departures
| Time | Adult | Child | Tour operator |
| 8:00 (except Monday) | $115 | $65 | Australian Spirit Sailing Company (max 12 passengers) |
| 8:45 | $75** | $50** | True Blue Cruises (4hr whale watching cruise) |
| 9:00 (weekends) | $80 | $60 | Merimbula Marina/Go Whale Watching |
| 9:15 (weekends) | $80-94* | $50-59* | Bass and Flinders Cruises (3hr Discovery Cruise) |
| 9:45 (weekdays) | $80-94* | $50-59* | Bass and Flinders Cruises (3hr Discovery Cruise) |
| 10:30 | $51-60* | $34-40* | Bass and Flinders Cruises (2hr Adventure Cruise) |
| 12:15 | $94 | $55 | Princess Cruizes (Lunch Cruise) |
| 12:30 (except Monday) | $115 | $65 | Australian Spirit Sailing Company (max 12 passengers) |
| 12:45 | $80-94* | $50-59* | Bass and Flinders Cruises (3hr Discovery Cruise) |
| 13:00 | $75** | $50** | True Blue Cruises (2.5hr whale watching cruise) |
| 13:00 (weekends) | $80 | $60 | Merimbula Marina/Go Whale Watching |
| 14:00 | $51-60* | $34-40* | Bass and Flinders Cruises (2hr Adventure Cruise) |
* – 10-20% discount for online bookings
** – 15% discount for online booking
Circular Quay departures
| Time | Adult | Child | Tour operator |
| 9:15 | $75** | $50** | True Blue Cruises (4hr whale watching cruise) |
| 9:30 (weekends) | $95 | – | Ocean Extreme (Extreme Whale Watching) |
| 9:30 (weekends) | $90 | $57 | Sydney Adventure Cruises |
| 9:45 (weekends) | $80-94* | $50-59* | Bass and Flinders Cruises (3hr Discovery Cruise) |
| 10:00 | $90 | – | Adrenalin (Extreme Whale Watching Safari) |
| 10:00 (Mon-Fri) | $90 | $57 | Sydney Adventure Cruises |
| 10:30 (weekends) | $95 | – | Ocean Extreme (Extreme Whale Watching) |
| 13:15 | $80-94* | $50-59* | Bass and Flinders Cruises (3hr Discovery Cruise) |
| 13:20 | $51** | $34** | True Blue Cruises (2.5hr whale watching cruise) |
| 13:30 (weekends) | $90 | $57 | Sydney Adventure Cruises |
| 14:00 | $95 | – | Ocean Extreme (Extreme Whale Watching) |
* – 10-20% discount for online bookings
** – 15% discount for online booking
Manly departures
| Time | Adult | Child | Tour operator |
| 9:45 | $75** | $50** | True Blue Cruises (4hr Whale Watching Cruise) |
| 9:45 (weekends) | $85 | Manly Ocean Adventures | |
| 10:30 | $90*** | Adrenalin (Extreme Whale Watching Safari) | |
| 10:45 (weekends) | $85 | Manly Ocean Adventures | |
| 14:15 (weekends) | $85 | Manly Ocean Adventures | |
| Bass and Flinders Cruises – You can get free return ride to Darling Harbour or Circular Quay if you book ticket with Bass and Flinders Cruises | |||
| Ocean Extreme (Extreme Whale Watching) – on request |
** – 15% discount for online booking
*** – 15% off if you buy 2 tickets
Sans Souci departures
| Time | Adult | Child | Tour operator |
| 9:00 weekends only during June and July, also each day during school holidays 2nd-17th July | $71.5 | $45 | Bass and Flinders Cruises |
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]]>The post Weekly Travel Photo. Humpback whale at Bondi beach appeared first on Vi Travel Tips.
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Sometimes you can just sit on the beach and watch whales. Bondi beach is one of most favorite beach in Sydney between tourist. It looks like not only humans like that beach but humpback whales like it too. Couple years ago while I was in Sydney I did have a pleasure to see whale at Bondi beach too. It was so close to the shore and it is probably beyond expression the feeling of surfers who were so close to that whale. Thought most of surfers were so busy with wave catching they even didn’t notice what is swimming behind them. But this surfer in the picture did see it and may be was waiting that humpback whale to come even closer? That didn’t happen, but I was following that whale for an hour or more by walking on the shore till I reached South Head and whale was spotted by one of whale watching tour boat. You can see the picture here (the last one).
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