Premier Whale Watching Byron Bay
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Byron Bay, Australia
- 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Maximize your chances of seeing humpback whales by joining this tour from Byron Bay, led by a marine biologist. Head for areas that the whales are known to pass through as they migrate in winter (June–November), watch them as they majestically breach, and listen to them sing by using an underwater hydrophone.
- Get insights into whale behavior from your marine biologist guide
- Includes use of a spray jacket to protect against the elements
- Receive free digital photos as a memento of the tour
- Meet at Ballina’s Richmond River, the starting point
What's Included
- Live commentary on board
- Qualified Marine Biologist guide
- Life Jackets
- Waterproof Poncho
- Free Professional Photos uploaded to social media
- Transfers from Byron Bay to the wharf in Ballina
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Byron Bay NSW 2481, Australia
The vessel departs from the Lance Ferris Wharf in Ballina, 12-24 Fawcett Street, Ballina, NSW, 2478, 30 mins south of Byron Bay, in front of the Wharf Bar & Restaurant. (Viator's map above takes you to Byron Bay town, not the boarding location - please visit our direct website for a detailed map)
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
1
Byron Bay
2
Ballina
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Most travelers can participate
- Not recommended for children under 5yrs
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Danielle_D
What an incredible, intimate glimpse into these beautiful creatures and their habits. Our guide was very knowledgeable and made the experience both interesting and educational too! The trip starts a bit outside Byron, so take a shuttle! The whole experience door to door from the town of Byron will take about 4 hours total. It was such an exciting morning out, though! The boat they use is perfect for this kind of tour - fast but also shaded and dry.
Reviews
4.9
based on 413 reviews
Slavena_G, Dec 2025
I had great time. The guides went above and beyond, with a marine biologist onboard. We were very lucky and saw many whales.
Danielle_D, Oct 2025
What an incredible, intimate glimpse into these beautiful creatures and their habits. Our guide was very knowledgeable and made the experience both interesting and educational too! The trip starts a bit outside Byron, so take a shuttle! The whole experience door to door from the town of Byron will take about 4 hours total. It was such an exciting morning out, though! The boat they use is perfect for this kind of tour - fast but also shaded and dry.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hi Danielle,
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted you had such an exciting and memorable morning and enjoyed learning about these magnificent whales. While our tours depart from Ballina (due to Byron not having a jetty or marina), we explore the stunning Cape Byron Marine Park so guests can experience the very best of the region’s wildlife and coastline. We’re so glad you enjoyed the balance of adventure, comfort, and expert commentary. We truly appreciate you sharing your experience!
catherine_e, Oct 2025
Amazing experience saw loads of whales and their babies and got up close . Hugely informative marine biologist who was so interesting too .
Sea is quite choppy so be prepared but loved every moment .
Beware the location Viator supply is incorrect - that takes you to a random roundabout in Byron bay where you need to be 30 mins away in Ballina !
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hi Catherine,
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re so pleased to hear you loved your experience and enjoyed learning from our marine biologist - it sounds like you had some incredible close encounters with the whales and some calves!
We appreciate your note about the meeting location. For future guests, all tours depart from The Lance Ferris Wharf in Ballina, as Byron Bay doesn’t have a jetty or marina. Unfortunately, Viator’s new confirmations can show simply as 'Byron Bay' before clicking through for details on the meeting point, but we always include the correct Ballina address and directions in your booking confirmation and reminder email instructions.
We’re delighted you had such a memorable day on the ocean and hope to welcome you aboard again next season!
Lara_G, Oct 2025
Had a wonderful time!
Hazel was really nice and knowledgeable and we got to see SO MANY whales..and dolphins! So lucky!
Highly recommend, small boat (not touristy at all!)
Thank you very much!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
HI Lara,
Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re thrilled you had such a wonderful time out on the water and were treated to so many whales (and our supporting actors - the dolphins!). Hazel and our crew will be so happy to hear your feedback. We really appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back aboard again soon! 🐋✨
Ursula_W, Oct 2025
Seeing the humpback whales like that was the highlight of our trip! A day to remember for sure!Great
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hi Ursula,
Thank you so much for your review! We’re so happy to hear that seeing the humpback whales was the highlight of your trip! Our crew love creating those once-in-a-lifetime moments for guests, and it’s lovely to know the day left such a lasting impression. We truly appreciate you joining us and hope to welcome you back again soon
Camilla_L, Sep 2025
Amazing experience. We saw so many whales splashing and jumping. Once in a lifetime experience, totally worth. However I was a little bit disappointed that on Viator it says the experience lasts approx. 2.30hours but after 1.50hr we were back at the harbour. Also would recommend louder microphone because I was sitting at the very back and couldn’t really hear the marine biologist explaining her very interesting and informative explanations about whale (I did hear a bit thankfully).
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hi Camilla,
Thank you for sharing your lovely feedback! We're so glad you had an amazing experience and witnessed so many whales putting on a show! 🐋
Our whale watching tours run for approximately 2 hours on the water, with guests asked to arrive 30 minutes before departure for check-in, lifejackets, and the pre-departure briefing - which is why the total duration is listed as around 2.5 hours. Our time on the water can vary slightly depending on sea conditions, with the tours that make it back a little early usually meaning we experienced smooth calm conditions that day! We always aim to maximise time spent with the whales while keeping everyone safe and comfortable.
We really appreciate your comment about the audio and will be sure to pass that on to our crew to help improve clarity for guests seated toward the back.
We hope to welcome you aboard again for another incredible encounter!
Sue_M, Sep 2025
Great Whale Watching trip, lots of information regarding Humpback Whales. Precise with times and friendly service
Kathryn_M, Jul 2025
Check meeting place, this is a Ballina departure not Byron Bay. Viator had us meeting at a roundabout on Lawson Street Byron Bay.
x828gpmmbb, Oct 2024
Nothing Special. But we didn‘t have any luck with a whale making a Show or smth else. We encountered a baby whale with its mother but you can only see it every 12 Minutes, when it comes to the Surface. Instead pf searching for a male or else, they would stay there the whole 1 Hour.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you for joining us and for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re glad you were able to witness a mother and calf - one of the most special and memorable encounters we experience each season.
Our crew always prioritises the whales’ wellbeing and operate under strict NSW regulations, which require us to maintain safe approach distances - particularly around mothers and calves. In this case, these whales were deemed the most promising and interactive at the time, which is why the captain chose to stay with them rather than risk not finding other whales in the area.
We don’t get to choose how long whales dive for or how close they come to the vessel unfortunately -every encounter is entirely on their terms, but that’s part of what makes seeing them in the wild so unique. Many guests that day were thrilled by the close calf sightings and the chance to quietly observe their natural behaviour.
We truly appreciate your understanding and hope you’ll join us again for another opportunity to witness these incredible animals when they’re feeling a little more playful.
Glen_B, Sep 2024
Excellent 2 hour trip, lots of whales, informative commentary on the humpback's behaviour right in front of us.
Linda, Aug 2024
I would recommend that everyone that is able to do this, then do it. What a magical experience and the crew were just fantastic! So many whales and such a brilliant couple of hours.
Daniela_C, Aug 2024
We took the 7 a.m. tour, and everything was very clear with the instructions on how to find the boat, which was located in Ballina. We started the tour, and we began to see whales very quickly—a beautiful experience.
STUART_M, Aug 2024
the whole experience , the crew and skipper were very welcoming to start , the boat trip out and trolling around following whales and i mean several pods of whales in all was fantastic . Rolling commentry and never really a dull moment .
Mette_B, Jul 2024
A breathtaking whale watching, and a fantastic guide. We got lots of videos of these great animals. We really loved it!
Carey_L, Jun 2024
What an incredible and fun experience we had from the initial enjoyment of the boat ride to seeing a multitude of whales. Also seeing the Dolphins was an extra special treat. For those sceptical as to whether you will see any whales or not, the crew on board are very knowledgeable and ensured we seen as many whales on our trip as possible - would highly recommend to all! Thanks again for the experience and memories!
Hyunjoo_L, Oct 2023
We really had great experience and all crews were super supportive. There were few and shy whale in first location, so they put extra effort to take us other place we could see more whale. We were really enjoyed. Highly recommend this tour.
Peter_Z, Oct 2023
The moment I Actually saw the Whales
the mother and her calf happily swimming together popping above and below the waves the spray of water 💦 eminating from their blowholes.
Simon_W, Aug 2023
Such a great and informative whale watching tour! These creatures are absolutely beautiful… Very professional tour and very thorough when it comes to safety and providing a great experience for all. The boat is of a very high standard and felt very safe. Hearing the whales when out in ocean was absolutely beautiful.
Response from Host, Sep 2023
Hey Simon,
Thank you for taking the time to leave us this review! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed your time out with us on the Humpback Highway! We look forward to welcoming you back aboard in the future!
Best Regards,
Out Of The Blue Adventures
Tracey_R, Jun 2023
Loved every minute of it 😍 the team are awesome the skipper made everyone safe at all times hubby having been involved in super yacht industry for many years said he thought he was a great skipper the young female marine biologist is very informative kept explaining things the whole time has a great speaking voice they are both very friendly and great natured would do it again in a heart beat
Response from Host, Sep 2023
Hey Tracey,
Thank you for taking the time to leave us this review and for your lovely words about our crew! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed your time out with us on the Humpback Highway! We look forward to welcoming you back aboard in the future!
Best Regards,
Out Of The Blue Adventures
Emily_W, Jun 2023
Absolutely amazing experience! The driver Angus and marine biologist Emily were very lovely, you could tell they were passionate about their job. Would definitely recommend
Gemma_L, Sep 2022
Worth the visit, we saw about 7 whales. The tour guide was brilliant, it was down to us to spot the whales. We ensured to maintain distance unless the whales wanted to get close to us.
We had a beautiful day, sea was rocky though so do take motion sickness tablets if you suffer with sea sickness.
Response from Host, Sep 2022
Hi Gemma,
We are so glad to hear you loved your day with the whales and were treated to such a big competition pod! Thank you for the lovely shoutout to our crew and we look forward to seeing you again soon.
Warmest Regards
OOTBA Team
Patrice_H, Aug 2022
The staff were welcoming, helpful and very knowledgeable. We saw lots of whales in pods and had an amazing boat ride
Nokuthula_S, Jun 2021
They patiently waited for us when we were running late. Good commentary, the whales,the whole experience was absolute fun!
Ann_W, Jul 2020
Absolutely great team. Fabulous day following many energetic whales. Highly recommend. Will definitely go again
Marc_A, Jul 2023
Gran experiencia. Momentos únicos la lado de las ballenas. La duración es la correcta y las ballenas se ven desde muy cerca
Response from Host, Sep 2023
Thank you for taking the time to leave us this review! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed your time out with us on the Pacific Ocean! We look forward to welcoming you back aboard in the future!
Best Regards,
Out Of The Blue Adventures
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