Planning
Sea World Whale Watch
The Main Beach whale cruise: terminal, guarantee and how it compares.
How To Pick A Whale Watching Cruise
Most trips run about two and a half hours; the swim option needs four. From there, weigh boat size, boarding point and each operator's rating.
Choosing Your Departure Point
Location
Spirit Of Gold Coast
The Southport whale cruise with a marine biologist, morning tea and the roster's deepest review pool.
Planning
From Surfers Paradise
Where to board a whale cruise when you are staying in Surfers Paradise.
Planning
Free Whale Spots
The free lookouts that actually deliver whales, and when a boat is worth the fare.
Prices, Safety And What To Expect
Planning
Tours Compared
Every Gold Coast whale tour side by side: price, boat, duration, rating and policy.
Planning
What To Expect
Boarding, the briefing, deck positions and the approach rules, from arrival to return.
Planning
Best Cruise Picks
Which Gold Coast whale cruise fits your trip: compared by rating, price, boat size and policy.
Logistics
Whale Watching Deals
Real listed prices from $52, free cancellation everywhere, and when off-peak timing saves you nothing but grief.
Logistics
Sea Conditions
Swell, wind and the Seaway bar: how sea conditions shape a Gold Coast whale cruise.
Season, Whales And Planning Your Trip
Planning
Whale Season Calendar
The complete Gold Coast whale season calendar, week by week, from the June opener to the November tail end.
Planning
Swim With Whales
The honest answer on swimming with whales near the Gold Coast, plus the boat trips that get you close.
Planning
Humpback Species Guide
What the humpbacks of the Gold Coast are doing, when they pass, and what each behaviour looks like from the deck.
Planning
Winter Whale Weather
July and August weather on the water, what to pack, and why winter is peak whale season.
Planning
Hervey Bay vs Gold Coast
Season length, price, crowds, swim tours and the drive from Brisbane, all weighed up for Hervey Bay against the Gold Coast.
Planning
Gold Coast In Winter
Dry days, peak whale numbers and a free whale festival: how to plan a Gold Coast winter.
Planning
Brisbane Whale Watching
How a Brisbane visitor reaches a Gold Coast whale cruise, and how Moreton Bay differs.
Planning
Byron Bay vs Gold Coast
Same whales, different towns: how the two whale watching bases compare on boats, price and travel time.