Booking choice: The dolphin sail, from $35 per person. Check dates Tour details
Most visitors arrive thinking dolphins have a season. They don't. The bay's bottlenose dolphins are permanent residents: the NSW environment department's visitor guide counts about 90 to 120 of them, and the cruise operators round it to a hundred. What changes through the year is which boats are running, and whether the humpbacks are passing offshore.
This guide lines up the months, the cruises from Nelson Bay, the sighting guarantees and the boom net, so you can book the right boat for the week you are here.
The quick answer
Dolphins are in the bay all year. Humpback whales pass between May and November, so a trip from May to early November can cover both. For dolphins alone, the Imagine sailing catamaran runs November to the end of April with a boom net and a free return trip if you miss them; the 1-hour express boat is the short option. For whales, the 12-guest express cruise has a whale guarantee. October gets about 23 C and is the driest month.
When is the best time to see dolphins in Port Stephens?
Any month. About 100 bottlenose dolphins live in the bay all year, and Moonshadow TQC runs its dolphin cruise daily at 10:30am and 1:30pm all year round. Summer adds the most boats.
The dolphins in Port Stephens are Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, and the NSW environment department's visitor guide describes them as living in these waters permanently, inside the Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park. The Worimi, the traditional owners, call the dolphin guparr in the Gathang language.
From November to the end of April every operator is on the water, including the Imagine dolphin sail from d'Albora Marina. In winter the choice narrows and the water gets cold: Moonshadow keeps sailing daily and simply says to dress warmer.
When is whale season in Port Stephens?
May to November. Humpbacks pass the Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park in both directions, and Moonshadow's 2026 whale season runs from 23 May to early November.
Imagine Cruises says the humpbacks travel about 10,000 km on their migration and generally pass within 3 km of the coast here. The northbound run fills the winter months. The southbound run, from about September to November, is the slower one: ORRCA whale counters told the Newcastle Herald that southbound mothers keep their calves closer to shore and often rest in sheltered bays.
Moonshadow describes a humpback as up to 18 metres long and 40 tonnes, and the most surface-active of the whales, so breaches, pectoral slaps and spy hops are all on the cards. From land, NSW National Parks names May to November as the whale months for the Tomaree Head summit, 161 m above the harbour entrance.
Out to the humpbacks fast on a 40-foot power cat, up to 12 guests, with a free standby cruise if no whales show.
Check dates for the whale cruiseWhich month is best for both dolphins and whales?
September and October. The whales are heading south with calves, the dolphins are home, and the weather is warming without the summer crowds.
The table shows what runs when. Season dates come from the operators' own 2026 pages; boats need minimum numbers and suitable sea conditions on any given day.
| Months | Dolphins | Whales | What is running |
|---|---|---|---|
| November to April | Yes, resident | No (early November is the tail end) | Imagine dolphin sail daily, Moonshadow dolphin cruise, 1-hour dolphin express |
| May | Yes | Season opens (Moonshadow from 23 May 2026) | Whale cruises start; the Imagine dolphin sail has stopped |
| June to August | Yes, colder water | Northbound humpbacks | Whale cruises; Imagine guarantees whales on its 3-hour cruise from 1 June to 1 November |
| September and October | Yes | Southbound, mothers and calves | Whale and dolphin cruises both running |
| Early November | Yes | Last weeks (Moonshadow to 8 November 2026) | Imagine dolphin sail returns for summer |
The best-rated dolphin trip on the bay: 1.5 hours on a 16-metre sailing catamaran from d'Albora Marina, a boom net ride and a free return trip if no dolphins show. Runs November to April.
Explore the dolphin sail Tour detailsWhich dolphin cruise is best in Port Stephens?
The Imagine sail for the full experience with a boom net, the express boat if you only have an hour. Both leave from Teramby Road in Nelson Bay.
Four boats cover most bookings. The differences are the boat, the time on the water and the season:
| Cruise | Boat | Time | Season | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolphin sail | Imagine, 16 m sailing catamaran, Dock C, d'Albora Marina | 1.5 hours | November to end of April | $35 |
| Dolphin express | Envision, fast power cat, small group, Teramby Rd | 1 hour | Check dates | $38 |
| Whale express | Envision, up to 12 guests | 1.5 hours | May to November | $69 |
| Day tour from Sydney | Moonshadow Dolphin Discovery Cruise at 10:30am | 1.5 hours of a 12-hour day | All year | $172 |
The express cruise heads along Shoal Bay, past the headlands to Jimmy's Beach, which AquaMarine calls a dolphin hot spot. Imagine hoists the sails on the way back when conditions allow. Booked direct, Imagine's adult fare is A$50 and Moonshadow's Dolphin Discovery Cruise is A$46.
Are dolphin and whale sightings guaranteed?
The guarantees give you another trip, not your money back. The dolphin sail offers a free return trip with a 99% sighting rate; the whale express issues a free standby voucher valid for 12 months.
- Dolphin sail (Imagine): dolphins on 99% of cruises, and a free return trip if none are seen.
- Whale express: no whales, and you get a free return cruise voucher on a standby basis, valid 12 months from issue. Standby means a spare seat on a later cruise, so it suits people staying a few days.
- Moonshadow TQC: no refunds if animals are not found, a non-transferable standby voucher instead.
- Imagine whale cruise: whales guaranteed from 1 June to 1 November, or a free return cruise.
Weather is the other variable. Imagine's FAQ asks guests not to assume a cruise is cancelled because it is raining: the crew decides on safety and comfort. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before applies on every cruise listed here when booked through GetYourGuide.
No dolphins, sail again for free: 1.5 hours on the bay with a 99% sighting rate.
Check dates for the dolphin sailWhat is the boom net on a dolphin cruise?
A net slung off the side of the boat that you lie in while the boat moves, half in the water. It is wet, so bring swimwear and a towel.
On the Imagine catamaran you get two choices: the dry bow net at the front, which keeps you above the water, and the wet boom net for anyone in swimmers who wants to hang on for the ride. Moonshadow switches its boom net on during the return to the marina, and its 2-hour Splash and Slide cruise adds a slide into open water, which it recommends for confident swimmers.
Nets run only when sea conditions allow, and the crew decides. Pack biodegradable sunscreen, which the Imagine listing asks for, and leave high heels at home: they are not allowed on board.
What is the weather like in Port Stephens in October?
Mild and fairly dry: a mean high of about 23 C, a low of 14 C and 77.9 mm of rain, which makes October the driest month of the year at Nelson Head.
Those numbers come from Bureau of Meteorology records for Nelson Head, 1881 to 2023, with about ten rain days in the month. On land it feels like late spring. On the water it does not: the express listing warns it is always colder out on the ocean, so bring a jacket even on a sunny day.
October is the best month for the double. The southbound humpbacks are passing with their calves and the resident dolphins are inside the bay. One catch: the Imagine dolphin sail only starts in November, so in October you choose between the whale cruises, the dolphin express and Moonshadow's daily dolphin cruise.
Can you swim with dolphins in Port Stephens?
Yes, on one licensed trip: Imagine's 4-hour Wild Dolphin Swim, November to May, which it calls the only permitted wild dolphin swim in New South Wales. Everyone else watches from the boat.
The swim runs from d'Albora Marina from 6:15am to 11am on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, plus extra days in NSW school holidays. Six swimmers at a time hold a rope strung between the two bows while the dolphins choose whether to come close. Imagine lists it at A$359 for ages 7 to 70, with wetsuit, mask and snorkel included.
Outside that trip, the NSW rules keep people at a distance: boats must stay 50 m from dolphins, and swimmers may not enter the water within 50 m of them. For something in the water without the dolphins, the Fly Point snorkel takes you into a marine sanctuary off the Nelson Bay shore.
A guided shore snorkel at Fly Point with one guide per six swimmers. Mask, snorkel, fins and a wetsuit are included, so you only bring swimwear.
Explore the Fly Point snorkel Tour detailsFrequently asked questions
Can you see dolphins in Port Stephens in winter?
Yes. The dolphins live in the bay all year, and Moonshadow TQC runs its 1.5-hour dolphin cruise daily at 10:30am and 1:30pm through winter. Winter is also whale season, so dress warm.
How long is a dolphin cruise in Port Stephens?
Between 1 and 1.5 hours. The dolphin express takes 1 hour, the Imagine sail and the Moonshadow Dolphin Discovery Cruise take 1.5 hours, and whale cruises run 1.5 to 3 hours.
Where do the dolphin cruises leave from?
Nelson Bay. The Imagine sail leaves from Dock C at d'Albora Marina, 6 Teramby Road, and the AquaMarine express boats leave from Teramby Road. Parking at the marina costs extra.
Is Port Stephens good for whale watching?
Yes. Humpbacks pass the marine park from May to November and generally within 3 km of the coast, so cruises reach them quickly, and Tomaree Head is a strong land-based lookout.
Ready to book
Choose your Port Stephens tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Dolphin Watch Cruise & Sail
- 1.5-hour dolphin cruise from Nelson Bay
- Dry bow net, wet boom net if you bring swimwear
- Self-service tea and coffee
1-Hour Dolphin Watch Express
The quickest dolphin trip, on a fast power cat with a small group.
Whale Watching Express Cruise
Up to 12 guests, out to the humpbacks fast. Whale guarantee.
