Humpback Swim, Alcohol Included

Full-day humpback whale swim safari from Coral Bay with lunch, snacks, tea, alcoholic beverages and a photography package.

Overview

This is a full day on the water with Coral Bay Ecotours, built around the chance to swim near humpback whales off Coral Bay. It runs about 8 hours, meets at the Coral Bay EcoTours shop in People's Park Shopping Village on Robinson Street at 07:30, and finishes back at the same spot. You meet the crew there, since hotel pickup is not part of the package.

The day works like a safari rather than a fixed schedule. The crew reads the conditions and the whales, and when the moment is right, swimmers get in the water near the animals. Between swims there is snorkelling on the reef, and one recent traveller reported turtles, reef sharks and even a sea snake alongside the humpbacks. A photography package is included with the tour.

Food and drink are handled: coffee or tea, snacks, lunch, and a glass of champagne are all in the price. The boat carries a maximum of 14 travellers and you need moderate fitness. Pushchairs can be brought along, but the boat is not wheelchair accessible.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at Coral BayCheck in at Coral Bay EcoTours, People's Park Shopping Village, 4 Robinson St, Coral Bay, next to Fins Cafe. The tour starts at 07:30.
2. Board the vesselMeet the crew before departure. Hotel pickup is not included, so travellers make their own way to the meeting point.
3. Cruise and whale spottingThe crew searches for humpback whales and other wildlife. The route and stops depend on conditions and where the animals are on the day.
4. Whale swim attemptsWhen conditions allow, swimmers enter the water near the humpbacks. In-water time is always up to the whales.
5. Reef snorkelling and wildlifeBetween whale swims there is snorkelling on the reef. What you see depends on the day.
6. Food and drinks on boardCoffee or tea, snacks, lunch and a glass of champagne are included. The photography package is included as well.
7. Return to Coral BayThe tour ends back at the meeting point in Coral Bay after roughly 8 hours on the water.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points shape the day, from fitness needs to how the whale swims actually work.

• Getting there. You make your own way to the Coral Bay EcoTours shop at People's Park Shopping Village, 4 Robinson St, next to Fins Cafe. Hotel pickup is not included. Aim to arrive ahead of the 07:30 start.
• Fitness and pace. The listing asks for a moderate level of physical fitness. The day runs about 8 hours on the water, so pace yourself accordingly.
• Wildlife is wild. How much swimming happens depends entirely on the whales on the day. One recent group found the humpbacks so active that swims were hard, yet the crew kept trying and still got a couple in, plus turtles, reef sharks and a sea snake.
• Food and drink. Coffee or tea, snacks, lunch and a glass of champagne are all included, along with a photography package. A recent reviewer called the food wonderful and the service spectacular.
• Group size. The tour caps numbers at 14 travellers, as stated in the listing.
• Weather and minimums. Good weather is required, and a minimum number of travellers must book for the tour to run. If either is not met, the operator offers a different date or experience, or a full refund.

Common issues. Swimming with humpbacks is never guaranteed, since the animals set the terms; one recent reviewer described very active whales that made swims difficult, though the crew persisted and managed a couple of attempts. The tour needs good weather and a minimum number of travellers, so cancellations are possible, with a different date or a full refund offered when that happens. It is not wheelchair accessible, and hotel pickup is not included. Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours before the 07:30 start are not accepted or refunded.

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