At a glance
- Season
- All year. Warmest water from about January to April. Winter water is cold enough that a wetsuit matters
- Duration
- 1.5 hours at Clovelly, 2.5 hours at Manly including a 30 minute headland walk
- Meeting points
- Shelly Beach, Manly (ferry from Circular Quay, then a walk) or the free car park at Clovelly Beach
- Entry
- From the beach. No boat
- Group size
- 8 at most on the group tours. Private tours are your group only
- Marine life
- Blue groper, wobbegong sharks, eagle rays, cuttlefish, schools of small fish
- Requirements
- Swimming tests or minimums on the group tours: 150 metres unassisted at Manly, 100 metres at Clovelly
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Most reviewed 2 h 30 min -
1 h 30 min -
1 h 30 min -
1 h 30 min
Prices and availability update live from Viator. Free cancellation and duration come from each listing.
Guided snorkelling from Bondi
A 4 hour trip from a Bondi dive shop, with transport and lunch. Few reviews so far.- Guided Snorkeling Experience in Bondi (6 reviews)
Want to try diving?
These are scuba or aquarium trips, not snorkelling.
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2 h 30 min -
3 hours Try Scuba Diving Experience: Sydney
From A$173
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8 hours -
4 hours
What happens when you book
- Pick a trip above. The button opens it on Viator with the live price and the start times still open.
- Choose the date, the time slot and how many are coming, then pay on Viator. Viator takes the payment. SydneySide Tours never sees your card details.
- Viator emails a confirmation with your voucher, the operator’s phone number and the meeting spot. For these tours that’s a beach or a car park, not a wharf. The Manly operator also asks you to complete an online waiver 24 hours before.
- On the day, be at the meeting spot 5 to 10 minutes before the start, with your swimmers on underneath.
Every listing in the grid allows free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start, and the card shows the rule. Snorkel guides call off sessions for big swell or storms. Ask the operator what happens on a rainy but safe day, because one Manly reviewer says a refund was refused for rain alone.
The full detail on payment and refunds is on the page that explains what happens after you book.
What’s included and what’s not
Included on the grid tours:
- A guide in the water with you, who knows where the groper and wobbegongs sit
- Mask, snorkel and fins, in child sizes on the kids’ tour
- Flotation: foam noodles at Manly, flotation support and weight belts at Clovelly
Not included as a rule:
- Getting to the meeting point. Some listings show hotel pickup, but every one gives a beach or car park to meet at, so plan to make your own way and confirm with the operator
- Towels and food
- Lockers
Where the listings differ:
- The Manly tour starts with a 30 minute walk on the headland, with binoculars, before anyone gets wet. That’s why it runs 2.5 hours against 1.5 at Clovelly.
- At Manly you choose a full wetsuit, a short suit or a rash shirt, all included. At Clovelly the group listing names wetsuit rental, but some reviewers say they paid extra, and the private listing doesn’t mention wetsuits. Ask before a winter booking. Jemima Skelley, snorkelling self-guided at Gordon’s Bay in early September, said her toes went numb.
- The Clovelly tours include underwater photos of you and the marine life. The Manly listing doesn’t.
- The private and kids’ trips move at your pace. The group trips follow the guide’s route.
- The Bondi listing runs 4 hours from a dive shop on Bondi Road, with transport, gear and lunch. Its handful of reviews means less to judge it on.
The day, hour by hour
Neither operator publishes start times on its listing; you pick a slot when you book. This is how each tour runs, from the listings.
At Manly, on the 2.5 hour small group tour:
- 5 to 10 minutes before the start. Meet on the sand at Shelly Beach, in front of the Boat House Cafe near the palm trees. Look for the staff member with a flag.
- The first 30 minutes. A guided walk on the headland, with binoculars, covering the wildlife, Aboriginal heritage and colonial history of the area.
- Back at the water’s edge. A swim test, then gear and wetsuit fitting and a safety briefing.
- About an hour in the water. Snorkelling in Cabbage Tree Bay, starting in the shallows and moving deeper as the group gets confident.
- The finish. Back at the meeting point on Shelly Beach.
At Clovelly, on the 1.5 hour tours:
- Before the start. Meet at the Clovelly free car park, in front of the Clovelly Surf Life Saving Club.
- The session. Two stops, Clovelly Beach and Little Bay. The guide picks the route around recent marine activity, through kelp, reef and fish.
- The finish. Back at the car park, with your underwater photos to follow.
Little Bay is further south than Clovelly, so ask the operator how the group gets between the two.
What you’ll see depends on the day. Randwick Council says a large blue groper known as Bluey lives at Clovelly. The Sydney tourism channel says a blue groper at Shelly Beach is “almost guaranteed”, and also films wobbegongs, eagle rays and cuttlefish there. Jemima Skelley found heaps of fish in the rocky shallows at Gordon’s Bay but said they blend into the seagrass, and that it’s “not like Great Barrier Reef”. That’s the honest picture: cool, green and full of life, not tropical and bright.
Meeting point and getting there
Your voucher names the spot. There are two, on opposite sides of the harbour, so check which one you’ve booked.
Shelly Beach, Manly. The meeting point is on the sand in front of the Boat House Cafe, 1 Marine Parade. Take the Manly ferry from Circular Quay, which is how the Sydney tourism channel gets there, then walk from Manly Wharf through The Corso to the ocean beach and south along Marine Parade to Shelly Beach. Leave time for the walk.
Clovelly. The meeting point is the free car park in front of the Clovelly Surf Life Saving Club. Randwick Council lists free parking around the beach and a large free car park on the southern side, plus toilets, change rooms and showers. Jemima Skelley took a bus to Clovelly and walked round to Gordon’s Bay.
Bondi. The single Bondi listing meets at Dive Centre Bondi, 198 Bondi Road, and includes the vehicle to the water.
Check ferry and bus times on Transport for NSW trip planning the night before. Early weekend services run less often.
If you’re late, a group tour starts without you, and a missed start is usually treated as a no-show with no refund. Call as soon as you know, before the start: the Manly operator says its guide may not answer once the tour is under way.
What to bring
- Swimmers, worn under your clothes. Changing space at Shelly Beach is limited. Clovelly has change rooms.
- Closed shoes for the Manly walk. The operator asks for closed-toe walking shoes for the headland section.
- A towel and warm clothes for after. You’ll be cold getting out, even in summer, once the wind picks up.
- Sunscreen, a hat and a rash vest. Your back is out of the water the whole time.
- Prescription mask, if you need one. Ask the operator before the day.
- Leave behind valuables. There are no lockers on the beach.
Don’t take anything from the water. Cabbage Tree Bay is a no-take reserve. In the Bronte-Coogee reserve, most shells, invertebrates and plants are protected, and taking blue groper is banned across NSW.
How to choose
| Type | Tours | Good for | Trade off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manly small group, 2.5 hours | Manly snorkel tour and nature walk | First-timers, the most proven option, wetsuit included | A 150 metre swim test, and the walk takes time from the water |
| Clovelly small group, 1.5 hours | Sydney’s Underwater Wonders | A shorter session, photos included | Ask about wetsuit cost |
| Clovelly private, 1.5 hours | Private tour in the marine reserve | Nervous swimmers, couples, anyone who can’t meet a group swim minimum | Fewer reviews, costs more per person |
| Kids, private | Snorkeling adventure for kids | Families with children | Only 10 reviews so far |
| Bondi, 4 hours | Guided snorkelling from Bondi | Staying at Bondi, wanting transport and lunch | Very few reviews |
The dearer private trips add your own guide and your own pace. The Clovelly operator also says private tours are the route for anyone who can’t meet its group swimming requirement.
One thing the listings don’t say outright: the guide matters more than the format. A good guide finds the wobbegong under the ledge and the cuttlefish in the weed. On your own, you’ll swim straight past both. If you only snorkel once in Sydney, pay for the guide.
Pick this if:
- You’ve never snorkelled in Sydney and want someone to show you where to look
- You’re travelling with kids who need watching
- You want the wetsuit and gear sorted for you
Skip it if:
- You’re a confident snorkeller with your own gear. Shelly Beach and Clovelly are public beaches and you can swim them yourself
- You want warm water and coral. Sydney’s sea is cool and green
The free spots, including Gordon’s Bay, Clovelly and Shelly Beach, are covered in free swimming spots in our Sydney guide.
Our pick
If it’s your only shot at this: the small group Manly tour with the headland walk. It has 301 reviews at 4.82, more than all the other Sydney snorkel listings on Viator combined, takes 8 people at most, and includes the wetsuit.
If you’ve done one before: the Clovelly group snorkel. It’s a different reserve with two stops, rated 4.89 across 70 reviews, and you come home with underwater photos.
The one we’d skip: the SEA LIFE Shark Dive Xtreme, if snorkelling is what you came for. It rates 4.92, but it’s an aquarium tank, not the sea.
Season and timing
You can snorkel in Sydney all year. The difference is the water temperature and the swell.
| Season | Water | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| January to April | Warmest of the year | Best visibility on calm days, busiest beaches, book weekend tours ahead |
| May to August | Cold | Wetsuit essential. Fewer people, and quieter tours |
| September to October | Still cold | Jemima Skelley’s numb toes were in early September. Spring swells can cancel trips |
| November to December | Warming up | Good shoulder months, before the summer crowds |
Time of day matters less than the conditions. A calm morning after a few days without big swell gives the clearest water. Rain washes run-off into the bays, so a day or two after heavy rain is a poor time to go. NSW Beachwatch publishes daily water quality for Sydney beaches, and the Bureau of Meteorology forecast for Sydney waters gives the swell.
If the ocean side is rough, the harbour beaches stay calmer. The Sydney channel’s scuba video says Clifton Gardens can be dived when the sea is up, and its snorkel guide puts seahorses there at 2 to 3 metres.
In winter, when the water is cold, whale watching from the harbour is the better way to see big marine life. In summer, the same beaches suit surf lessons at Bondi and Maroubra.
FAQ
Where is the best snorkelling in Sydney?
The best-known snorkelling in Sydney is at Cabbage Tree Bay in Manly, a no-take aquatic reserve running from Manly Beach to Shelly Beach, and at Clovelly and Gordon's Bay in the Bronte-Coogee Aquatic Reserve. The guided tours on this page use those two reserves.
What are the best snorkelling spots in Sydney for beginners?
Shelly Beach in Manly and Clovelly are the usual beginner spots. Both are sheltered and have easy entry from the shore. The Sydney tourism channel also names the Wattamolla lagoon in Royal National Park as beginner-friendly, though it's a long way from the city.
Do you need a tour to snorkel in Sydney?
No. The beaches are public and you can snorkel them with your own gear. A tour adds a guide who knows where the animals are, the gear, and someone watching out for you. For a first time in cold water, that's worth it.
Is the water cold for snorkelling in Sydney?
Yes, for much of the year. The water is warmest from about January to April and cold from May to October. One traveller we compared, snorkelling in early September, said her toes went numb. The Manly tour includes a wetsuit; at Clovelly, ask whether it costs extra.
What will I see snorkelling in Sydney?
Expect blue groper, which are large and curious, along with wobbegong sharks, eagle rays, cuttlefish and schools of small fish. Clovelly even has a resident groper the council calls Bluey. The water is cooler and greener than a tropical reef, and the fish are well camouflaged.
Which Sydney beaches are good for snorkelling?
Shelly Beach and the rest of Cabbage Tree Bay in Manly, Clovelly and Gordon's Bay in the eastern suburbs, and Clifton Gardens in the harbour. Bare Island, entered from Congwong Beach at La Perouse, has sponge gardens on clear days. Conditions change daily, so check the swell first.
Where can I go snorkelling near Sydney?
Outside the city beaches, the Wattamolla lagoon in Royal National Park and Bare Island at La Perouse are the usual picks, and the Clovelly tour also stops at Little Bay. Further away, Jervis Bay and Port Stephens have their own snorkelling.
Can kids go snorkelling in Sydney?
Yes. The kids' tour in the grid is private, uses child-size gear and moves at their pace. The group tours have swimming minimums, 150 metres at Manly and 100 metres at Clovelly, and children must be with an adult. Ask the operator about minimum ages.
Is snorkelling in Sydney safe?
It's safe in the right conditions with sensible care. Snorkel in sheltered bays, stay close to the rocks, and don't go in a big swell or after heavy rain. Wobbegong sharks rest on the bottom and leave people alone if left alone. On a tour, the guide makes the call on conditions.
Can I snorkel at Shelly Beach without a tour?
Yes. Shelly Beach and the rest of Cabbage Tree Bay are public, and many locals snorkel there with their own gear. Go on a calm day, stay near the rocky edges, and bring a wetsuit outside summer. A tour adds the guide, the gear and someone watching you.