Travel bucket list idea:
Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia
Bucket List Experience
Despite their name, dwarf mike whales are big – about 7-9m in length and weighing 5-7 tonnes. The whale experience is some distance offshore, so this is a live-aboard trips requiring several days, but itineraries also diving and snorkelling at some of the best spots on the pristine Great Barrier Reef.
Trips last 4-6 days, visiting whale hotspots and dive sites. There’s no fixed itinerary – sites are selected based on weather conditions and seasonal marine attractions. Trips have close to 100 per cent success rate. There’s no minimum age, but it’s better for experienced divers.
Whales are present on the Ribbon Reefs from May to August, but tours run only in June and July.
Our writer’s recommended tour operators to book with
Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia
Port Douglas based-operator run by local Great Barrier Reef experts John and Linda Rumney. Offers whale tours, shark encounters and other liveaboard itineraries around the Great Barrier Reef.
Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Queensland, Australia
Destination guide
Swish, cosmopolitan and delightfully laid-back, Port Douglas is an ideal stepping off point for trips to the Daintree and the Great Barrier Reef, and to connect with authentic indigenous culture.
Round-ups that include this experience
Multiple countries
Inspiration
Whale-watching is on many a bucket list, and tours are two a-plenty around the world, but there are not many places you can swim with them – it’s an other-worldly experience. Here’s our round-up of the 5 best places.