The post Whale watching in Sydney. Best time, places and tour prices appeared first on Vi Travel Tips.
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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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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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]]>The post My 7 travel shots appeared first on Vi Travel Tips.
]]>I wasn’t surprised how difficult it can be to pick only 7 photos from 1000s I have in the archive. It probably would be easier to pick Top100, but here we go.
A photo that…takes my breath away
I was siting on the cliffs where Nullarbor Plain meets Great Australian Bight with whales swimming under my feet and was watching to endless horizon of the Great Australian Bight in South Australia. The view which takes your breath away.
A photo that…makes me laugh or smile
What a polite squirrel I met in the market 
A photo that…makes me dream
Who wouldn’t want to spent time on pure white sand beach with crystal water? Champagne beach is called best beach in Vanuatu and is one of best beaches in the South Pacific and I can’t argue with that.
A photo that…makes me think
Everybody heard about global warming, but not so many people saw what is happening. Glaciers are one of best examples to see effects of climate change. I saw it in Southern Alps in New Zealand, in Rocky Mountains in Canada and US. This is current photo of Mikkajekna glacier in Sarek National Park in Sweden. The mark on the rock shows where tip of glacier was 22 years ago. Will be any glacier here in 50 years?
A photo that…makes my mouth water
Have you ever tried to taste Beaver tail? You should try one in Canada. BeaverTails is chain of pastry stands which sells pastry shaped like beaver’s tail. It was one of my favorite desserts in Canada. I would love to have one now
A photo that…tells a story
There is a statue in Sydney near State Library of New South Wales. It was erected in honor of Matthew Flinders who was first to sail around Australia. Can you tell what is so special about this statue?
Need a hint? Check behind the statue. Can you see another small statue in the lower left corner? It is Trim. The cat. The statue was erected by Trim’s admirers and I just want to quote Matthew Flinders:
“The best and most illustrious of his race the most affectionate of friends, faithful of servants and best of creatures. He made the tour of the globe and a voyage to Australia, which he circumnavigated, and was ever the delight and pleasure of his fellow voyagers”
A photo that…I am most proud of (aka my worthy of National Geographic shot)
This is hard one, because I have tons of aka worthy of National Geographic shots But because I can show only one, so it will be this one. It was taken during my volunteering in game reserve in South Africa. It wasn’t most friendly lion, but I loved to make shots of it.
Uff, I done it!
Now I would like to nominate 5 other bloggers I love to read and I could see they have lots of pictures to show
Lis @ listraveltips.com/travel-blog
Sophie @ www.sophiesworld.net
Marlys and Michael @ easyhiker.co.uk
Lili @ muza-chan.net
Jade @ vagabond3.com
The rules of 7 Super Shots are here. I will be waiting to see your shorts.
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