Small Boat Whale Watching in Gold Coast: A Personalised Adventure Tour

Embark on a personalised adventure with our Small Boat Whale Watching tour in Gold Coast. Get up close and personal with humpback whales on a smaller vessel for longer encounters and incredible underwater shots.

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • 3F8F+RF South Stradbroke - We utilise a small vessel in small groups of upto 12 guests, providing an unparalleled, personal, and boutique whale watching experience. We closely work with researchers and encourage all our guests to become inspired by what we do.
    Why a small vessel?
    You can literally touch the ocean and feel the spray of whales blows…
What's Included
  • Spray Jacket
  • Life Jacket
Additional Information

Our Small Boat Whale Watching tour is an absolutely personalised experience. This 2-3h Gold Coast Whale Watching adventure tour is on a smaller vessel with a maximum of 8 participants. Spectators can look forward to closer and longer encounters as humpback whales do not feel intimated by a smaller vessel. The outer tubes of our semi-inflatable vessel…

Location
95 Marine Parade
Marine Parade
Please arrive at least 30mins prior to departure. Note - Our small boat does not have bathroom/toilet facilities so it will be important to ensure you are prepared before we leave.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(68 Ratings)
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786eirinif
Jul 6, 2025
Memorable adventure!! - I had an incredible experience that I will cherish forever. Alba and the captain of the boat were absolutely wonderful. Their dedication to finding the whales so I could swim with those magnificent creatures truly touched my heart. I wholeheartedly recommend them for anyone looking for a memorable adventure!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Paulsnaithhk
Jul 5, 2025
Simply the best way to see the Whales - Absolutely the best trip we have done.!! Saw so many whales, Dolphins and. Sea Turtle.. our crew were just fantastic. Adam and Alba were just Awesome.!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
The_orange_armadillo
Jul 1, 2025
Amazing whale watching! - We had the most amazing experience with Captain Adam and Alba. We had a juvenile humpback who hung around and played with us for about an hour. Such a treat! Cannot wait to do this again next time we visit!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Aniket_paradkar
Jun 5, 2025
Whale Watching - An unforgettable experience! Adam and Alba run a small, intimate whale watching tour that’s personal, respectful, and full of heart. We saw incredible whale activity up close, with expert guidance and thoughtful care throughout. No crowds—just nature at its best, led by two passionate and knowledgeable hosts. A must-do if you’re in the Gold Coast! I highly recommend Aqua adventures.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Paradise572364
Dec 22, 2024
Great experience - Amazing experience. Very warm, cordial, funny and helpful staff. We had a last minute change and they were kind enough to accomodate us. A must do in gold coast.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ricasem
Oct 14, 2024
Better than chocolate - Better than chocolate! Even though the water visibility was reduced, the crew exceeded our expectations to make sure we had an awesome time seeing and swimming with the whales.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
131nelishak
Sep 26, 2024
Fun on wave break island! - So much fun, saw lots of fish, lobsters! What an amazing experience! Experienced hosts, show us around a lot and we’re there all the time with us.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
W7555whpaulinem
Sep 13, 2024
Loved this Experience - Small Boat Whale Watching - Was actually quite nervous going on the small boat, but from other reviews felt this would be the best. It did not disappoint ….Adam and Mike were so good from the get go and we were soon spotting whales really quickly into the ride. We had a couple on the boat who wanted to swim so we stopped as often as needed to let them try and see the whales under the water. To be honest I thought us left on board saw so much more with the mothers and the babies ….we also travelled when needed to catch up with them and we actually took a bit longer than arranged to go further out to see even more of the whales jumping and turning for us. It was the best experience and both Mike and Adam were really great at answering our questions. It was a trip definitely to be recommended and great value for money. LOVED every minute of it. Thanks guys xx Pauline
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Fearless779839
Sep 3, 2024
Small boat tours are the best way to get up close to the whales. Highly recommend! - I was originally booked for whale watching, as I was hesitant about getting in the water. But Adam talked me into being brave and I ended up actually swimming with whales, and it was amazing! I was very disorganised for swimming, as I was not expecting to. But the team quickly had everything sorted to make it happen (wetsuit, towel for afterwards, mask and snorkel). The weather was a bit rough to start with, but I always felt safe holding into the rope attached to the boat. After a bit of searching we ended up being surrounded by whales, and some dolphins even joined in for a play! I highly recommend this small boat tour, swimming or not. Small number if people means everyone has a great view, a d small boat means you are closer to the water and the whales. However, this also means that you should prepare to get wet, even if not swimming. Spray jackets are provided and are definitely very helpful, but they don't cover everything. Working with wild animals can be so unpredictable, we were so lucky to have such an amazing and up close encounter.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sarahle1527of
Oct 11, 2024
Disappointed in whale swimming price - Paid 300 dollars per person directly through their website, the same tour is 170 dollars on tripadvisor. Feeling very disappointed with the whole experience. I had initially written a review giving 3 stars but now that i see the difference in the price points I’m feeling deflated. Booked the swimming with whales tour but unfortunately didn’t get to swim with any whales. I completely understand that it’s out of anybody’s control however the difference in the price point between the whale watching and the swimming is massive. ( especially when I spent 300 dollars per person). Our tour guides were great and we loved the whale watching element but very disappointed in paying so much more per person for snorkel rental and a wetsuit and paying nearly double when I booked directly through the website. Would take this into consideration when booking. They offered a 50% off the next trip if you book again if you weren’t successful swimming with them, I would prefer a refund of 150 dollars per person.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $71
up to 8 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).