Guided Snorkel Boat Trip

A guided snorkel boat trip with Rottnest Snorkel, 3 hours on the water with gear and light refreshments, visiting sheltered bays, reefs and shipwrecks. Around ten snorkellers per in-water guide keeps it personal. It rates 4.5 across 51 reviews and runs from A$239 per person. Free cancellation applies.

Overview

This three hour boat trip from Rottnest Snorkel takes you snorkelling around Rottnest Island. You board at the Fuel Jetty on Colebatch Ave, at Thomson Bay next to the ferry jetty and opposite Dome Café, and you need to be there ready to go fifteen minutes before the 09:00 departure. From there the boat carries the group out to the water, where the crew runs guided swims past fish and, in one reviewer's words, water birds along the coast.

The trip is capped at 14 travellers. Gear is supplied: use of snorkelling equipment is part of the package, along with bottled water, tea or coffee, and fruit platters. Toilets are on board, and the island landing and facility fees are covered in what you pay.

It suits confident swimmers with moderate fitness. The listing is blunt that you must be able to swim unassisted, and it flags the trip as a poor fit for anyone with back problems or serious heart conditions. Reviewers who came prepared described a relaxed, chatty crew and a comfortable boat. The boat returns to the same jetty where it started, three hours after leaving.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at the Fuel JettyArrive at Rottnest Snorkel's boat on the Fuel Jetty at Thomson Bay, Colebatch Ave, next to the big ferry jetty and opposite Dome Café. Be ready to board fifteen minutes before departure.
2. Departure at 09:00The boat leaves Thomson Bay at 09:00 and heads out along the Rottnest coast.
3. Guided snorkellingThe guide leads swims at snorkelling spots around the island over the course of the outing. Reviewers reported plenty of fish and coastal views from the water.
4. Refreshments on boardBottled water, tea or coffee, and fruit platters are included on board. Toilets are available on the boat.
5. Return to Thomson BayThe trip ends back at the same Fuel Jetty meeting point, three hours after departure.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points from the listing and from traveller reviews will help you arrive prepared and pick the right day for this trip.

• You must swim. The listing states plainly that travellers must be able to swim by themselves unassisted, with a moderate level of physical fitness. Snorkelling is the whole point of the outing, so non swimmers should book something else on the island.
• Gear is provided. Snorkelling equipment, bottled water, tea or coffee, and fruit platters are all included, along with the island landing and facility fees. That leaves little to arrange on your own for the trip itself.
• Group of 14 max. The boat takes a maximum of 14 travellers. Several reviewers described a chatty, friendly crew and a comfortable atmosphere on board.
• Guide quality varies. Reviews split on the in water guiding. One traveller said the guide swam ahead too fast to keep up with and could not name the fish, handing out an identification card instead. Others praised the guides' insight into the marine life.
• Weather matters. The listing says the experience requires good weather, and it will be cancelled in poor conditions. If that happens, travellers are offered a different date or a full refund, so keep some flexibility in your island plans.
• Getting there early. Boarding starts fifteen minutes before the 09:00 departure at the Fuel Jetty. Guests coming from Rottnest Island itself should walk to the end of the jetty, next to the ferry berths and opposite Dome Café.

Common issues. The biggest complaint in reviews is cancellation for low participant numbers. The tour needs a minimum number of travellers, and reviewers reported cancellations when that minimum was not met, including one who received notice the day before and another who said they were never told at all. One reviewer found their in water guide too fast to keep up with and short on fish knowledge. The listing also rules out wheelchair users and advises against the trip for people with back problems or serious medical conditions. Refunds require cancelling at least 24 hours before the start time, and changes inside that window are not accepted.

How To Choose