Sometimes we want to get the experience but we don't want to pay mega $$$, we don't want it to be overcrowded and we'd like to take the road less travelled.
That's what we did on the East Coast of Australia, we avoided the well known tourist spots such ad Fraser Island, the Whitsunday Islands and Magnetic Island. These places are highly frequented by tourists (for obvious reasons, they are beautiful places) but that means prices are higher and tours are busier and more often sold out.
We still did some awesome island and snorkeling trips off the East Coast and I have no regrets about not visiting the 'main' islands...here's why...
Moreton Island
A small paradise not far off the coast of Brisbane this island offers the perfect balance of thrill seeking activities and relaxing beaches. Stay for a day or a week!
We booked a day trip to Moreton Island for $110 per person with the adventure pass. This included the return ferry, stand up paddle board hire (60 minutes), kayak hire and snorkel equipment hire (120 minutes). The ferry departed early morning (there is a car parking fee of $20 but free street parking is also available just outside the ferry port) and dropped us back for around 5.30pm.
We was met by a rep on the island who explained where we hire our gear and the best way to make the most of it. We took her advice and kayaked out to the shipwrecks, parked up on the beach and then snorkled out to them. Oh, yeah, there's shipwrecks! So just like Magnetic Island, you can explore the underwater world of a shipwreck.
With our pass we also had use of the Tangalooma resort facilities so we played some games of pool, swam in the sea and attempted some paddle boarding.
Overall we thought it was good value for money and a good day trip. There were add ons available like sand boarding and 4WD, the most popular being hand feeding wild Dolphins at sunset. This was an extra hundred or so dollars but what if I told you that further North you could hand feed wild Dolphins for $10? Yup. Just $10 per person.
Tin Can Bay is home to a pod of local Dolphins who started frequenting the bay when a member of the pod was nursed back to health by a friendly local. Now there is a dedicated group of volunteers who run a daily feeding opportunity early in the morning, all regulated by animal welfare institutes.
This means they can only feed a certain amount of fish per Dolphin, they can only feed locally caught fish (to ensure a natural diet) and strictly no touching (from volunteers or members of the public).
Free parking is available outside Barnacles cafe where you pay for your feeding ticket (and grab some breakfast or a coffee) and sit back to listen to the Dolphin talk. You'll learn about the Dolphins habits of bringing back sea treasure (glass bottles, driftwood, sunglasses etc) and lots more before getting yourselves into the water with them. It's an amazing experience and I highly recommend it.
Lady Musgrave Island
From the town of 1770 you can take a day trip out to the Southern Great Barrier Reef. Did you know that? I didn't! I always associated the Great Barrier Reef with Northern Australia. Lady Musgrave is a popular destination and there are a few tour companies to pick from. We went with a local, family owned company for $228 per person.
There is plenty of free parking arpund the marina and ferry port. The ferry departed early, for us, but depending on the tide depends on when the ferry departs (as it needs to cross a sandbank). We left around 7.30am and got back around 3pm. Included in our day trip was morning tea, hot drinks, water, lunch, snacks, return ferry, glass bottom boat, guided island tour, snorkel equipment and a pool noodle (if you haven't snorkelled with a pool noodle before you are doing it wrong let me tell you).
The boat ride out was horrific, very very bumpy and the A/C was broken so it got hot and stuffy in the cabin. We moved up onto the deck and it was much better. It's a long journey, just under 2 hours. I recommend taking some sea sickness tablets even if you don't typically get sea sick. It's rough.
Once we arrived to our spot the group was split into two. For our group, we had the glass bottom boat trip first. I wasn't expecting much from this, because other glass bottom boats I've been on were really disappointing...this one did not disappoint!
The boat dropped us at the Island and we started our guided tour. The Island is so loud, the bird life on the Island is insane!
We were picked up from the Island on the glass bottom boat and headed back to the main boat. Lunch was ready by this point but I wanted as much time as possible in the water so I headed straight in to snorkel.
This snorkelling was one of my favourite, next to Gili T. We was in the water for not even 2 minutes before spotting our first Turtle! These Turtles are so friendly too. This is the first time I've come face to face with a Sea Turtle. I got close in Bali but this moment was something else.
The only thing that wasn't provided on this trip was stinger suits/wet suits. I was getting absolutely moithered by tiny jelly fish and sea lice. It got so bad at one point I had to get out!
Overall, a fantastic day trip but it is a long journey on the ferry which limits your time in the water. I liked that we got an Island tour and a glass bottom boat tour included on top of the snorkelling and all the food! There was so much free food (which we love as a budget backpacker).
So if the Whitsundays are too expensive, not good value for money or just too touristy for you, I highly recommend Lady Musgrave. A true hidden gem on the East Coast.
Low Isles
Our final Island trip wasnt actually to an Island, it was a Northern Great Barrier Reef snoreklling trip!
The biggest win for this day trip was that we got there in 10 minutes on a speed boat. Bloody fantastic. We booked the half day snorkelling trip via Reef Sprinter for $150 per person.
They do a few day trip options but we liked the half day one as it was a solid 2 hours of snorkelling. We checked in to the tour shop (free parking available) and was given our stinger suits there. They also had an option for prescription goggles which I've not seen on any other snorkelling trip before!
Once on the boat we were given fins and goggles and then made our way out. We didn't physically go onto the Island as we were not permitted. No problem though, as all the actions in the water! The coral was something else, I can't even explain it and the pictures don't do it justice. I've never seen coral like it.
As you can see, pool noodles were also provided here which we love. No Sea Turtles but an amazing variety of fish including a massive bat fish that was very very friendly! He made me and Tim jump as he swam right up into our faces! We saw an Octopus, a ray and a Black Tip Shark! Incredible few hours.
This trip was one of the most reasonably priced ones in the Cairns area (it's Port Douglas, an hour North). There was a few cheap island day trips from Cairns (Green Island etc) but we read multiple reviews saying the coral was all dead due to tourism. As we never went I can't say for myself, but I'm happy with the decision we made. It was super fun to go on a speed boat and we felt like it was the best amount of time physically snorkelling we had had on the day trips.
So there we have a few alternative Island day trips for the East Coast of Australia! I hope you enjoyed this blog, don't forget to follow along for more on here, Instagram (@bilbo.h) and TikTok (@travelbeeblog).
We also have a 20% discount available at Pineapple island, an ethical jewellery company using materials sourced from Bali to give you the perfect boho surfer chic pieces! Just use BILLIE at checkout.
All prices are correct at time of purchasing and publishing. Prices may vary for future trips. This blog was not sponsered by any of the companies, these are all my own opinions.
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