Sydney · PORT STEPHENS TOURS

The 15 Best Port Stephens Tours

25 tours  ·  from $28 a head

Dolphins in the bay and dunes along the shore. The 15 below cover both, with prices and the transfer times from Sydney and Newcastle.

Port Stephens: Dolphin Discovery Cruise - Watching for dolphins in the marine park
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Port Stephens: Dolphin Discovery Cruise

1.Port Stephens: Dolphin Discovery Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 926 reviews · 1h 30m · from $28Our pick

Join Moonshadow - TQC Cruises for a 90-minute trip around Port Stephens Marine Park. Watch for bottlenose dolphins, take in Tomaree and Yacaaba Headlands, and hear live commentary from the captain. The boom net offers a splashy change of pace. Depart from d’Albora Marina in Nelson Bay.

“Wonderful morning out in the Port Stephens Bay; saw a small pod of dolphins. Would've liked to see more but I understand wildlife cannot be controlled.. Guide was knowledgeable and humorous. Staff friendly and professional.. Highlight was a yummy slushy and a jump in the boom net at the end of the trip”

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Port Stephens: Unlimited Sandboarding & 4WD Sand Dune Tour - Learning to ride, one slope at a time
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Port Stephens: Unlimited Sandboarding & 4WD Sand Dune Tour

2.Port Stephens: Unlimited Sandboarding & 4WD Sand Dune Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 540 reviews · 1h 30m · from $30

From Birubi Beach, take a short, bouncy ride in an air-conditioned 4WD to Stockton’s huge moving dunes. Get a board, safety instructions and help from the crew, then climb and slide at your own pace. The $30 ticket includes unlimited sandboarding, usually about 1 to 1.5 hours of play. Bring water, sun protection and shoes you can walk in.

“So much fun for all 🤗 Company was relaxed and laid back, didn’t feel under pressure waiting for friends to arrive!”

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Unlimited Sandboarding - Choosing a slope and learning the basics
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Unlimited Sandboarding

3.Unlimited Sandboarding

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 285 reviews · from $30

Meet at Birubi Point in Anna Bay, ride a 4WD shuttle to the Worimi dunes and learn the basics before choosing your own runs. Your pass allows unlimited sandboarding, with return shuttles running regularly. Expect a big view, a soft landing and a workout on the climb back up.

“We enjoyed a wonderful experience and were cared by the staff extremely well. When we arrived at the sand dunes, we were greeted by a staff member who helped us provide more information and explained how to safely sand boarding as we were with our children.”

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Anna Bay: Irukandji Entry Pass with Shallows Encounter - Fingill Lagoon: Rays Close to Your Feet
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Anna Bay: Irukandji Entry Pass with Shallows Encounter

4.Anna Bay: Irukandji Entry Pass with Shallows Encounter

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 211 reviews · 2 hours · from $29

At Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounters in Anna Bay, you can wade barefoot into two shallow lagoons, feed sharks and rays with a stick, and gently pet them as keepers explain their habits and conservation. The $29 Entry Pass keeps you mostly dry; a wetsuit upgrade allows you to go farther into the water. Allow about two hours.

“The experience was awesome, though I feel with our pass we should've been allowed to move a little further into the outdoor lagoon, my feet were in the water but not even my ankle were under... Next time I will be trying to upgrade to a wetsuit to enable better access to the sealife but my 2.5 year old loved every moment”

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Port Stephens: 2.5-Hour Whale Watching & Outer Island Cruise - Comfort, weather and motion at sea
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Port Stephens: 2.5-Hour Whale Watching & Outer Island Cruise

5.Port Stephens: 2.5-Hour Whale Watching & Outer Island Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 156 reviews · from $53

From Nelson Bay, Moonshadow - TQC Cruises takes you past Tomaree and Yacaaba headlands toward Port Stephens’ Outer Islands. Look for migrating humpbacks, dolphins, seals and seabirds from two outdoor viewing levels or the air-conditioned cabin. The 2.5-hour cruise includes tea, coffee and English commentary. Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed, and the open ocean can be rough.

“We enjoyed the experience and were happy that dolphins and whales were sighted.”

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Port Stephens: Unlimited Sandboarding with 4WD Dune Transfer - A safety briefing, then as many runs as you want
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Port Stephens: Unlimited Sandboarding with 4WD Dune Transfer

6.Port Stephens: Unlimited Sandboarding with 4WD Dune Transfer

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 155 reviews · 1 day · from $28

From Anna Bay, Sand Dune Safaris takes you by 4WD to a private sandboarding area in the Worimi Conservation Lands. Get a safety briefing, choose a sit-down, basic stand-up or pro stand-up board, then ride hills suited to different skill levels. There’s shade, picnic seating and a return shuttle. Staff names praised on past trips include Warren, Hayden and Max, though your crew may differ.

“So much fun with my children 😁 it was amazing! Normally we do this at home in the snow 😉”

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Unlimited Sandboarding Adventure - How the sandboarding session works
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Unlimited Sandboarding Adventure

7.Unlimited Sandboarding Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 132 reviews · from $31

Take a 4WD ride from Anna Bay to Stockton Beach, then sandboard down moving dunes up to 40 meters high. Your fare includes instruction, supervision, a board, water and unlimited sandboarding time. Several departure times are available, and guides Mick and Josh have been praised for being helpful and accommodating.

“Absolute fun! We had to change the timing of our booking and the staff were so flexible. The guides on the dunes were great. There are choices for all levels of experience and thrills! Would highly recommend!”

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Port Stephens 4WD Beach Sand Dune Adventure - The Stockton Sand Dunes by 4WD
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Port Stephens 4WD Beach Sand Dune Adventure

8.Port Stephens 4WD Beach Sand Dune Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 113 reviews · from $39Top rated

Meet at 73 James Paterson St in Anna Bay for a one-hour 4WD ride along Birubi Beach and into the Stockton Sand Dunes. Your guide introduces the dune ecosystem and helps you try sandboarding on the high dunes. Sandboards, bottled water, and transport are included; the tour returns to its starting point.

“Great fun. Excellent activities. Special thank you to the person assisting us with sand boarding. Will definitely visit again.”

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Port Stephens: Birubi Beach 4WD Tour with Sandboarding - The beach ride and pipi lesson
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Port Stephens: Birubi Beach 4WD Tour with Sandboarding

9.Port Stephens: Birubi Beach 4WD Tour with Sandboarding

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 111 reviews · 1h 15m · from $38

Join a guide in a red, air-conditioned 4WD for a short ride along Birubi Beach, a hands-on lesson in finding pipis, and 45 to 50 minutes of sandboarding on dunes reaching 40 meters. Water, board rental, and the national park fee are included. Guides on past trips have included Stephen, Paul, Peter, Bob, and Bruce.

“Our guide Bruce was fantastic, we had a great time looking for pippies, fwd tour and sand boarding. Very good value for money”

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Port Stephens, Beach and Sand Dune 4WD Tag-Along Tour - What the drive feels like for a first-timer
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Port Stephens, Beach and Sand Dune 4WD Tag-Along Tour

10.Port Stephens, Beach and Sand Dune 4WD Tag-Along Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 88 reviews

Bring your own 4WD and follow local guides Bruce and Nicole through Port Stephens bushland, beaches and the Worimi sand dunes. The roughly three-hour trip may include koala and whale spotting, and sandboarding is included. You drive, but the guide leads the route and gives instructions, making this a guided outing rather than a solo dune run.

“I believe with Bruce and Nicole’s help, everyone can have a wonderful 4WD trip no matter you have experience or not. All my family enjoyed it. Highly recommended.”

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Nelson Bay: Dolphin Watch Cruise and Sail - Watching for Nelson Bay’s bottlenose dolphins
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Nelson Bay: Dolphin Watch Cruise and Sail

11.Nelson Bay: Dolphin Watch Cruise and Sail

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 74 reviews · 1h 30m · from $35

Set sail from d’Albora Marina aboard Imagine, a catamaran with open deck views, a dry bow-net and a wet boom-net for swimmers. This 90-minute cruise searches Nelson Bay for bottlenose dolphins, with a free return trip if none are spotted. Tea and coffee are included; snacks and drinks are sold on board.

“It was a fun activity. Highly recommended. The crew was welcoming and very interactive which made our experience all the more better.”

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Port Stephens 3 Hour Whale and Dolphin Watch Cruise - Cabbage Tree Island adds a different kind of sighting
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Port Stephens 3 Hour Whale and Dolphin Watch Cruise

12.Port Stephens 3 Hour Whale and Dolphin Watch Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 53 reviews · from $62

Set sail from Nelson Bay on a three-hour catamaran cruise into the open ocean, where humpback whales, dolphins, seabirds and seals may appear. The crew offers wildlife commentary, and you get blankets, wet-weather jackets, tea or coffee, a restroom and sheltered places to sit. Wildlife sightings are not predictable, but a whale guarantee is included.

“We saw a mother and baby whale. Both jumped out of the water. The crew was great and the overall experience was fantastic.”

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Port Stephens: 1hr Dolphin Watch Express - From Shoal Bay to Jimmy’s Beach
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Port Stephens: 1hr Dolphin Watch Express

13.Port Stephens: 1hr Dolphin Watch Express

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 48 reviews · 1 hour · from $35

Cruise Port Stephens aboard Envision, a fast, smooth boat with 360-degree viewing, as the crew guides you along Shoal Bay, past the headlands and toward Jimmy’s Beach. You’ll hear about the bay and its bottlenose dolphins, with crew members such as Matt and Sophie bringing the trip to life. Bring a camera and a warm layer.

“Highly recommended! A massive thanks to our guide Sophie who also took some amazing photos of us!”

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Nelson Bay: Whale and Dolphin Watching Catamaran Cruise - Three hours with the humpbacks
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Nelson Bay: Whale and Dolphin Watching Catamaran Cruise

14.Nelson Bay: Whale and Dolphin Watching Catamaran Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 47 reviews · 3 hours · from $63

From d’Albora Marina, you’ll sail for three hours aboard a 54-foot catamaran in search of migrating humpback whales. Watch for breaches, pectoral slaps, dolphins, fur seals, and sea birds while an English-speaking guide explains the wildlife and area. Covered decks, tea and coffee, and loan jackets and blankets help make the trip comfortable.

“Seen alot of whales, and a few dolphins. Amazing experience. Very nice boat and staff!! Would definitely do it again!”

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Port Stephens Unlimited Sandboarding and Sand Surfing - Boards, instruction and a place to rest
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Port Stephens Unlimited Sandboarding and Sand Surfing

15.Port Stephens Unlimited Sandboarding and Sand Surfing

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 35 reviews · from $28

From Anna Bay, a 4WD takes you into the Stockton Bight dunes for a sandboarding session with equipment and instruction included. Try seated or standing runs, choose from slopes suited to your confidence, and rest at a shaded picnic area. The activity lasts about two hours and returns to the meeting point.

“They let us come later because it was too hot outside. Very kind! The ride to the dunes was fun and boarding even more. It is not scary at all.”

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New in Port Stephens Tours

★ 5.0Port Stephen: One Mile Beach Group Surf LessonFrom $606 reviews
★ 4.3Nelson Bay: Marine Discovery Cruise with SnorkelingFrom $778 reviews
★ 4.7Anna Bay: Irukandji Entry with Zebra Shark SnorkelFrom $759 reviews
★ 3.8Anna Bay: Irukandji Entry + Coastal Currents SnorkelFrom $856 reviews

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