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Newcastle Tours
Humpback Whale Encounter Tour from Newcastle
5

Humpback Whale Encounter Tour from Newcastle

By CoastXP
Recommended by 98% of travellers
98% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 3-99, max of 20 per group
Duration: 2h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Live guide: English
More


  • Professional wildlife guide
  • Premium weatherproof jackets provided
  • Two-hour whale watching tour
  • Safe and comfortable eco-tourism vessel
  • Small group experience (max 20 guests at a time)
  • Marine Toilet Onboard
What's not included
  • Any parking or transport fees


Start:
  • 3-3A Honeysuckle Dr, Newcastle NSW 2300, Australia
    Tours depart from Harbour Square Boat Dock, out the front of Rydges Newcastle, on the Honeysuckle Foreshore.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • Near public transportation
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 85969P1

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • Children must be accompanied by an adult
    • Not recommended for travellers with back problems
    • Not recommended for pregnant travellers
    • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
    • Most travellers can participate
    • Children under 3 not allowed
    • This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travellers

    • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 85969P1

    From
    ÂŁ65.14
    per adult
    Select date and travellers
    Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.

    Similar experiences

    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • CoastXP
      276
      Australia
      Joined in June 2018
    • thewise0ldbird
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A day on the lake
      Very pleasent day. Dominic was great with lots of interesting information of the local area. Would highly recommend for a nice day out.
      Written 27 November 2024
    • travelstoryAus
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Brilliant coastal experience
      Outstanding experience! Finally got to do this and it was brilliant. Really great boat, Glenn was fabulous - so many dolphins - almost jumping in the boat and the stunning coastline and history. Capped off by whales straggling at end of season including full breaches and tail slaps. Exceptional.
      Written 11 November 2024
    • 805tanyac
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Truly amazing experience
      It was a excellent morning. Dom went above and beyond to make sure we had a good time and got to see some whales! Communication was great when we had to reschedule due to weather. Would definitely recommend.
      Written 14 September 2024
    • C9860HQlindab
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Whales heading north.
      Great trip! Tracey worked hard to manoeuvre our boat, to maximise our whale viewing. She was helpful, informative and an excellent guide. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip, and can highly recommend it.
      Written 28 June 2024
    • ausgalah
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Best whale watch ever
      The boat was super fast, which came in handy when whales were seen breaching in the distance. When we got closer we got to see two whales breaching at the same time. We saw more whales that day than I ever saw over my lifetime. It was a wonderful experience and Tracey was an excellent guide. I was hesitant with the price but shortly after our journey started I realised it was much better value than any other whale watch trips I’ve been on. Only 12 passengers and cold easily see the whales as we were so close to the water…yet we didn’t get sprayed with water while on the move. They even supplied jackets to anyone who wanted one. I can’t wait to go again.
      Written 12 June 2024
    • Peakeingabout
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Lots of great memories of Lake Macquarie, a lovely cruise, a luscious lunch, and wonderful walk through the bush.
      This was the perfect vessel for getting us around many parts of Lake Macquarie - a very enjoyable smooth ride. We learnt a bit of history, fishing information, the geology of the area and Dom was able to answer all of the questions we had about the lake. The bush walk was a lovely time spent gaining another perspective and to see some very different varieties of gums growing around this area. To finish off we had an amazing picnic on the edge of the lake. Giving us time to completely relax. We enjoyed the whole experience, very relaxed, never felt rushed and Dom is such an easy going, knowledgeable, happy character.
      Written 26 April 2024
    • ph47na
      0 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      Good way to see the beautiful lake in the morning
      The trip was good, we had lovely guides & saw some dolphins the way there & back. I think it was a little too long, could've been sufficient with 2 hours however, enjoyed it regardless as it was a lovely morning! Take some snacks with you seeing it is 3 hours but not too much as you don't get off the boat. Also extra warm clothes if you do a crisp morning tour.
      Written 8 April 2024
    • Navigate593794
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      11/10! Flexible, fun and learnt a lot!
      11/10 experience with CoastXP! I took a group of young people, Dom and Troy looked after us spectacularly. The boat was comfortable, fast, clean, and had unobstructed views. Dom and Troy shared local knowledge and a history of the area, including great fun facts. They took us for a bush walk in Wangi and were flexible to support the needs of our group perfectly. Would definitely use this organisation again and highly recommend!
      Written 3 April 2024
    • jillw19
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great boat trip
      Fabulous trip from Newcastle Harbour out to the open sea travelling along the coastline & back, Tracey was a great guide , we saw a huge seal & many dolphins. There was a lot of history to learn as well.
      Written 12 January 2024
    • goutamr377
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Just Wow!
      Spending time for two and a half hours on the Hunter Coastal Adventure Tour by boat is one of my best decisions for the Newcastle tour. Everything was perfect and the journey was memorable.
      Written 12 January 2024
    • paulhD9324BY
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Adventure Experience gift for Xmas, Birthday, Anniversary or big day out
      Do yourself a favour and check out our amazing coastline from Nobby’s to Catho (that’s what surfers call it - Catherine Hill Bay) and back. You can observe the war time tunnels between King Edward Park and Bar Beach, Burwood beach rail coal history, caves at Pinnies and the Catherine Hill Bay wharf. Back in the 70’s some surfers jumped off the wharf to surf the reefs around CHB, Our teenage grandkids enjoyed the experience as part of their Xmas present. I plan on doing the whale watching experience in 2024.
      Written 26 December 2023
    • marybetht862
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Zingier than a harbour cruise
      The day was beautiful! We felt in very capable hands with Dom and recommend this delightful experience most highly!
      Written 5 June 2023
    • Sare95
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Knowledgeable team, great experience
      The CoastXP team are fantastic! They did everything to ensure my Mum and I had the most fantastic day. Dom and Troy were knowledgeable of the local area and friendly. The boat is comfortable and incredibly clean. A great experience. I would recommend it as a great day out to others.
      Written 6 May 2023
    • Excursion29009192064
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great little trip
      Great little trip. Got to see the coast from the sea our tour guide was knowledgeable and enthusiastic, with even got to see dolphins close up.
      Written 27 March 2023
    • jennypY3011ZT
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A magic day!
      Interesting, informative and vey enjoyable. Our Lake tour today with CoastXP gave us a great new perspective of our Lake - from the middle looking out, rather than the edges looking in. Lunch was yummy! The crew - Dom and Jane - were friendly and professional, especially with regard to safety. The boat was in excellent order - exceedingly well maintained and presented. We had a great time and definitely intend to take more tours with CoastXP.
      Written 4 March 2023
    See all 276 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

    Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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    5.0
    5.0 of 5 bubbles141 reviews
    Excellent
    134
    Very good
    5
    Average
    2
    Poor
    0
    Terrible
    0

    ncc2145
    28 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Dominic from CoastXP did a fantastic job taking us through the "encounter" trip. He was quite knowledgeable about the area. We saw seals, dolphins, whales and also a bit of history of Newcastle. My family enjoyed this trip and would highly recommend anybody looking for an encounter with the sea mammals. Thanks a lot Dominic.
    Written 3 October 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you so much for your kind review, I am really pleased to hear you enjoyed your tour, especially the whales, dolphins and seals!!
    Written 5 October 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Rainbow
    Mayfield East357 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jun 2020
    This is the best whale watching experience in the area and worth the extra price. Smaller boat giving you opportunities to get to see the animals closer. Dom is such a great host and you learn so much from him. Such a great day out must do if you live in Newcastle or passing by .
    Written 16 July 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you so much Annika for your kind review, it was a pleasure hosting you aboard!
    Written 27 July 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Glenda H
    Newcastle, Australia50 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jun 2023
    I had looked at the Coast XP boat when walking past the Newcastle marina for some years now. I finally got to experience a two hour ride last week at 9am in perfect weather with blue skies. The ride did not disappoint, not only did I get to see our beautiful city and southern beaches from the water, I was also able to see 7 whales. After seeing two lots of two whales, diving like the dolphins as they swam north, Dom, our captain headed away from the coast. We caught up to a pod of three whales who were frolicking as they swam north. Dom slowed the boat down so that we could watch them more closely and explained that they make a 5000km journey from Antartica to Far North Queensland each year in June and July. Imagine our delight when one of the pod breached, not once but four or five times. What a show off! Really capped off our morning trip woh this show stopper!
    Can thoroughly recommend the whale encounter, great organisation and such fun!
    Written 2 July 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thanks very much for your kind review! We're pleased you could join us and what a fantastic show the whales put on for us. Look forward to seeing you on board again soon!
    Written 9 July 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Robyn T
    Gymea, Australia20 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Dom is a great tour guide and had a lot to tell about the port movements, history and local marine life. We missed seeing the whales this time but still thoroughly enjoyed it, they probably took the afternoon off because the morning tours had some spectacular breaches I could see from their photos! We still saw bottlenose dolphins and Nigel the fattest seal on the north coast! We had the best time being out on the ocean enjoying the sun and fresh air bobbing about being sped up and down the coastline over the swells. I miss living in Newcastle, this tour reminded me why!
    Written 6 June 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    I am so happy to hear you had a wonderful time! Thank you for taking the time to leave such a kind review, and I hope to see you aboard again soon!
    Written 12 June 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Melissa
    Brisbane, Australia5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sept 2023 • Couples
    We recently had a fantastic experience with CoastXP and highly recommend them. Our guide was very knowledgeable and excellent at navigating the boat when conditions got a little bumpy.

    We will definitely book another tour with CoastXP in the future.
    Written 6 September 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thanks so much for your kind review! It was a pleasure to host you on board with us, and we're glad to hear you enjoyed the boat ride too. Look forward to seeing you on board again soon.
    Written 19 September 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Chibiada
    Sydney, Australia9 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jun 2020
    Amazing experience. We got the trifecta of whales (they even went UNDER our boat!!, dolphins, and Nigel the seal. Dom, our guide, gave excellent preparation details, was a knowledgeable navigator with factual and interesting information about the marine life. I would do this tour every time I go to Newy. A must do. Plus, the pictures Dom captured are phenomenal!
    Written 7 June 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you so much for your kind review! I am really pleased to hear you had a terrific time, and the whale swimming underneath the boat was a total highlight!! I hope to see you aboard again soon!
    Written 12 June 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Kerry P
    North Lakes, Australia8 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    We were a group of three adults and child. The boat was perfectly designed for whale watching. Everyone could see without the need to scramble over each other. We saw whales playing , an enormous pod of dolphins and a seal having a lovely sun ale on a beautiful winters day. We certainly struck gold on this trip. Dom was a great host - very informative but not overbearing. A very enjoyable day for all of us. Would highly recommend this tour.
    Written 6 June 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you so much for your recommendation! I'm glad you enjoyed the layout of our custom-built boat, and I'm happy you had a wonderful time. I hope to see you aboard again soon!
    Written 12 June 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Michelle D
    4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jul 2023 • Family
    Fantastic experience. We saw a pod of dolphins surrounding the boat, a mother and new baby calf then a very playful male showing off. Shame some of the other customers did not listen to instructions and blocked the view of others behind them, that was the only disappointing part.
    Written 10 July 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thanks so much Mitchell for your kind review. It was a pleasure hosting you on board with us, and we're glad to hear you enjoyed the marine life out there. Sorry the other guests didn't listen to the instructions, as guides, sometimes we find ourselves reminding guests several times before they take notice of our instructions. Glad to hear you enjoyed your trip, and look forward to having you on board again soon!
    Written 11 July 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Rainbow
    Mayfield East357 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Oct 2022
    The whole trip was amazing and very informative it was very cool to past the coast of Newcastle and Lake Macquarie. We were very lucky to see whales that day it took a long time but we got there . Will definitely be coming back next year.
    Written 30 October 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thanks so much Annika for your kind review!! We're so excited to hear you had a wonderful time and we look forward to welcoming you back on board next season too.
    Written 4 November 2022
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Leanne P
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jul 2023 • Couples
    Exhilarating! Tracy took us out in inclement, icy weather with a solid swell. However, at no time did I feel unsafe or uncomfortable. We saw over a dozen humpback whales. Several times these magnificent creatures surfaced less than 10 ft from the boat. We felt we could touch their graceful forms as they rose and submerged. And, once they swam under our stationary vessel. Tracy managed these encounters safely and was a mine of information. There was no topping this experience. Definitely recommended! Thank you.
    Written 4 July 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thanks so much for your kind review, we're glad to hear you enjoyed your close encounter with the whales off the coast, and pleased that Tracey took such good care of you, she's awesome! Look forward to having you on board again in the future.
    Written 9 July 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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    Humpback Whale Encounter Tour from Newcastle provided by CoastXP

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