Best Places To Swim With Whales Around Australia

Here is our guide to the best places to swim with southern right whales, dwarf minke whales, humpbacks and orca whales around Australia.

Swimming with whales has become a popular activity in Australia as the majestic mammals make their way up and down the Australian coastline during their annual migration. Here are the best places to take the plunge and swim with whales around Australia.

Swim with whales off Jervis Bay

a woman relaxing by tthe edge of an infinity pool at Bannisters By the Sea — Spot whales from the infinity pool at Bannisters By the Sea.

You don’t have to swim with whales while on the NSW South Coast. You can clock them, cocktail in hand, by the pool bar when staying at Bannisters By the Sea .

But those feeling a tad more adventurous should book a Mollymook Migration package during their stay at the boutique South Coast property.

As part of the package, the Mollymook hotel has partnered with Woebegone Free Dive to offer a watery wonderland escape that includes a swim with whales. Dylan Boag and Lara Hindmarsh, of Woebegone Free Dive, are passionate about conservation, sustainability, ethical tourism and marine life.

Jervis Bay is halfway along the 5000-kilometre-long migration route and the whales often pull in for a pitstop to rest and play with newborn whales. It’s because of this that Jervis Bay is one of the best locations in Australia to see whales.

a whale spotted along Jervis Bay — Swim with whales near Jervis Bay. (Image: Destination NSW)

Best time to go: June to October
Eco credentials: Woebegone Free Dive takes its responsibilities with the environment seriously and tries to minimise its impact. The tour group operates a community clean-up event once a month and hosts a charity event for to raise funds for South Coast wildlife rescue Float 4 Wildlife. There’s a strict ‘no touch and no harassment’ policy during the tours. No single-use plastic items are onboard and lunch is plant-based.

Swim with whales in Shoalhaven

humpback whales migrating off the south coast of NSW — Humpback whales migrate off the Shoalhaven coast. (Image: Jordan Robins)

Between May and November, tens of thousands of humpback whales migrate from Antarctica through the stunning turquoise waters off the Shoalhaven coast. From winter through to spring, they travel to warmer northern waters to give birth and nurse their calves. Seeing them swim alongside their newborn calves is a truly unforgettable experience.

Join one of Dive Jervis Bay ’s small group tours and jump in the waters of Jervis Bay Marine Park, located on the Humpback Highway. This thrilling 4–6 hour adventure gets you up close to gentle giants and playful seals, while a local expert shares the history of whaling in Jervis Bay, current conservation efforts and fascinating facts about whales to enrich the experience.

If you want to combine whale watching and fishing, book a tour with Ulladulla Fishing Charters , which offers excellent whale watching opportunities from the pristine waters off Ulladulla.

Best time to go: May to November

Eco credentials: Dive Jervis Bay is Sea Shepherd approved and operates under strict NSW permits. They follow regulated, non-invasive whale interaction practices. Their tours are small-group and education-focused, with a strong emphasis on marine conservation and wildlife respect.

Swim with humpbacks off Hervey Bay

a humpback whale submerged underwater with its head poking out of the water at Hervey Bay — Hervey Bay is a haven for humpback whales. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

The waterways around Hervey Bay are one of the best places to swim with whales in Australia. It wasn’t on a whim that the World Cetacean Alliance named Hervey Bay as the world’s first Whale Heritage Site at the World Whale Conference in 2019.

The Fraser Coast region jumps out as a haven for humpback whales because of its unique geography and ecology. In fact, it’s the only place on Earth that provides landfall between the feeding grounds and the breeding grounds with K’gari on one side and the Queensland coastline on the other.

an aerial view of a boat during a whale-watching tour off the coast of Hervey Bay — Embark on a whale-watching tour off Hervey Bay. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Dive Hervey Bay operates the region’s only dedicated ‘swim with whales’ experience and is one of the best places in the world to see humpback whales.

a humpback whale flipping above the water at Hervey Bay — See humpback whales up close. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Best time to go: Mid-July to late October.
Eco credentials: Guest numbers are strictly limited and the tour operator’s core philosophy is to interact with whales on their terms and to approach a whale at a 100-metre distance.

Swim with humpback whales off K’gari

two humpback whales poking their head out of the water — Spy on K’gari’s majestic giants. (Image: Michael Dawes)

The world’s largest sand island draws visitors to its shores for a multitude of reasons.

Now, guests staying at the Kingfisher Bay Resort can board a tour from the jetty for a jaunt out to the sheltered waters of Platypus Bay for the chance to frolic in the water with humpback whales.

Hervey Bay Whale Watch has partnered with Kingfisher Bay Resort to offer a package aimed at those who want to slide in the water with the whales .

a humpback whale swimming underwater — Have the chance to frolic in the water with humpback whales. (Image: denisbin)

Best time to go: Between July and early September.
Eco credentials: The vessel used for the tours is purpose-built for whale watching, is wheelchair-friendly and has a cap on numbers. The whale swims are at the whim of the whales.

Swim with minke whales off Port Douglas

whales slightly submerged in the water at Port Douglas — The Ribbon Reef region off Port Douglas is the only place in Australia to swim with dwarf minke whales. (Image: Tourism Australia)

The Ribbon Reef region off Port Douglas is the only place in Australia to swim with dwarf minke whales. And according to scientist Dr Alastair Birtles it’s one of the longest wildlife interactions with whales on offer.

The Ribbon Reef region, some 240 kilometres north of Cairns, attracts up to 80 minke whales during the season and the whales come very close as they are ‘extraordinarily curious’ says Dr Birtles.

The tourism vessels licensed to conduct swims with the whales include Mike Ball Dive Expeditions , Silverseries , Pro Dive and the Spirit of Freedom .

Best time to go: June and July.
Eco credentials: Chasing whales is outlawed. Interactions are decided by the whales. Tours allow visitors to contribute to ongoing research and conservation efforts to protect them.

Swim with humpback whales on the Sunshine Coast

a whale jumping out of the water, Sunreef Mooloolaba — Spot these gentle giants from the Sunreef Mooloolaba boat.

Humpback whales are drawn to the nutrient-rich waters off Mooloolaba during their annual migration. And now, Sunreef Mooloolaba offers visitors to the Sunshine Coast the chance to swim with these majestic marine creatures .

Snorkellers are given the opportunity to hold a rope off the back of the Sunreef Mooloolaba boat to eyeball the whales as they swim along the Pacific (Ocean) highway.

If swimming with whales is not your thing, you can still enjoy spotting the whales throughout the season. The pioneering Swim with Whales experience celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2024.

a whale swimming underwater at the Sunshine Coast — The humpback whale migration on the Sunshine Coast starts in early June. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Best time to go: From July to mid-October
Eco credentials: The boat operates under a strict code of conduct to protect both whales and swimmers in accordance with the Australian National Guidelines for whale and dolphin watching.

Swim with humpback whales (or whale sharks) on WA’s Coral Coast

divers as seen above humpback whales underwater — Swim with whales in Ningaloo. (Image: Brooke Pyke Photography and Live Ningaloo)

Ningaloo Marine Park is the only place in Western Australia where you can have an in-water interaction with humpbacks on a tour.

An estimated 40,000 humpback whales embark on the annual migration along the coastline each year which means there’s a 78 per cent in-water interaction success rate.

In addition to the in-water interaction tours, visitors can embark on a whale-watching tour off the coast from Exmouth and Coral Bay on the Coral Coast.

Best of all: humpback whale in-water interaction includes onboard education from dive instructors, many of whom are marine biologists or scientists.

a tail of a humpback whale sticking out of the water in Ningaloo — Witness majestic whales. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

While a whale shark is not a whale but a filter-feeding shark, it’s also possible to swim with these gentle giants off the WA coast.

Check out Ningaloo Whaleshark Swim , 3 Islands Shark Dive , Aussie Marine Adventures , Ningaloo Discovery , Ocean Eco Adventures , Coral Bay Ecotours , Live Ningaloo , Exmouth Dive and Whalesharks Ningaloo and Ningaloo Blue Dive .

a freediver swimming with a whale shark underwater in Ningaloo — Go freediving with whale sharks in Ningaloo. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Best time to go: Between July and October
Eco credentials: The humpback whale and whale shark interaction guidelines have been modelled on the world’s best practice for whale shark swim tours to have minimal impact on the whales. Swimmers are not allowed near mothers and calves.

The country’s rawest places offer some of its most transformative, restorative experiences.

Australia offers sublime opportunities to disappear into the ancient, untouched wilderness, worlds away from modern stress. Wild Bush Luxury offers a collection of experiences that are a portal into the continent’s wildest, most undiscovered landscapes, from wide floodplains to vast savannas, where the only distractions are birdsong, frog calls, curious wallabies and the daily drama of sunset. With a focus on conservation and Indigenous knowledge, these all-inclusive experiences allow guests to slow down and quiet their minds for intimate encounters with the natural world.

1. Bamurru Plains

safari tent at Bamurru Plains wild bush luxury — Let nature take front row.

In the remote Top End, just outside Kakadu National Park on the fringes of the spectacular Mary River floodplains, you’ll find Bamurru Plains , a peerless Australian safari camp. After a quick air transfer from Darwin to the camp’s private airstrip, you’ll be whisked away via 4WD to a vivid natural wonderland of shimmering floodplains, red earth, herds of peacefully grazing water buffalo and 236 bird species (Bamurru means magpie goose to the Gagadju people).

Accommodations consist of 10 mesh-walled bungalows and two luxe stilted retreats where guests enjoy panoramic, up-close views that invite them into their rightful place in the landscape (and binoculars to see it even better). Being an off-grid experience designed to help guests disconnect, the only distractions are birdsongs, frog calls, curious wallabies, the occasional crocodile sighting and the daily drama of the spectacular golden sunset.

It’s a place where nature’s vastness rises to the level of the spiritual, and Bamurru’s understated, stylish, largely solar-powered lodgings are designed to minimise human impact and let nature take front row. Guests relax in comfort with plush linens, an open bar, communal tables that allow for spontaneous connections and curated dining experiences from the in-house chef using local ingredients and bush-inspired cooking methods.

Bamurru Plains airboat tour — Zoom across the floodplains. (Image: Adam Gibson)

It’s a restorative backdrop for days spent zooming across the mist-covered floodplains in an airboat, birding with expert guides, taking an open-sided safari drive or river cruise through croc country. Spend time at the Hide, a treehouse-like platform that’s perfect for wildlife spotting.

In fact, nature is so powerful here that Bamurru Plains closes entirely during the peak monsoon season (October to April), when the floodplains reclaim the land and life teems unseen beneath the water. Yet Wild Bush Luxury’s ethos continues year-round through its other experiences around Australia – each designed to immerse travellers in a distinct Australian wilderness at its most alive and untouched.

2. Maria Island Walk

woman on a headland of Maria Island Walk — Maria Island Walk offers sweeping coastal scenes.

Off Tasmania’s rugged east coast, the iconic Maria Island Walk is an intimate four-day journey through one of the country’s most hauntingly beautiful and unpopulated national parks, encompassing pristine beaches, convict-era ruins, and wildlife sightings galore. Accessible only by a small ferry, Maria Island feels like a place reclaimed by nature, which is exactly what it is: a penal settlement later used for farms and industry that finally became a national park in 1972.

These days, the island is known as ‘Tasmania’s Noah’s Ark’ and its only human inhabitants are park rangers. It’s a place where wombats amble through grassy meadows, wallabies graze beside empty beaches, dolphins splash in clear water just offshore and Tasmanian devils – successfully reintroduced in 2012 after near-extinction on the mainland – roam free and healthy.

Each day unfolds in an unhurried rhythm: trails through coastal eucalyptus forests or along white-sand bays, plateaus with sweeping ocean views, quiet coves perfect for swimming. Midway through the journey, you’ll explore Darlington, a remarkably preserved 19th-century convict settlement whose ruins tell stories of human ambition at the edge of the known world.

At night, sleep beneath a canopy of stars in eco-wilderness camps – after relaxing with Tasmanian wine and locally-sourced meals, and swapping stories with your fellow trekkers by candlelight.

3. Arkaba

two people standing next to a 4wd in Arkaba — Explore Arkaba on foot or on four wheels.

For a bush immersion with more of an outback flavour, Arkaba offers a completely different type of experience. A former sheep station and historic homestead in South Australia’s striking Flinders Ranges that has been reimagined as a 63,000-acre private wildlife conservancy. It’s now patrolled mainly by kangaroos and emus.

Small-scale tourism (the homestead has just five ensuite guestrooms) helps support rewilding projects, and guests become an essential part of the conservation journey. Days begin with sunrise hikes through ancient sandstone ridges or guided drives into the ranges to spot yellow-footed rock-wallabies. And end with sundowners on a private ridgetop watching the Elder Range glow vibrant shades of gold, crimson and violet as the air cools and time stands still.

Here, you can join conservation activities like tracking native species or learning about Arkaba’s pioneering feral-animal eradication projects, then unwind with chef-prepared dinners served alfresco on the veranda of the homestead, which is both rustic and refined. The highlight? Following Arkaba Walk, a thriving outback wilderness where emus wander and fields of wildflowers grow.

It’s an unforgettable immersion in Australia’s vast inland beauty, a place where the land’s deep and complicated history – and astounding resilience – leave their quiet imprint long after you return home. In a world where genuine awe is rare, Wild Bush Luxury offers a return to what matters most in the untamed beauty of Australia’s wilderness.

Disconnect from the grind and reconnect with nature when you book with at wildbushluxury.com

Where to swim with whales around Australia