Phillip Island Wildlife Cruise and Penguin Tour from Melbourne
Overview
Available languages
13 hours
Mobile ticket
The perfect Phillip Island day trip for nature lovers and ocean seekers, combining a scenic wildlife cruise, close-up koala encounters, and the world-famous Penguin Parade—all in one relaxed, small-group adventure.
Departing from Melbourne with your friendly local guide leading the way, our first stop is in San Remo where sweeping coastal views and pelican sightings await.
Then before boarding a 2-hour seal cruise around Phillip Island—where you’re guaranteed to spot hundreds of playful fur seals in their natural habitat.
Spend time in Cowes exploring boutique shops, beachside bars, or opt for a visit to the Koala Conservation Reserve—where koalas roam freely in the treetops.
As golden hour falls, discover Phillip Island’s wild southern edge—where rugged boardwalks and secluded beaches come alive with native wildlife and sweeping sea views.
Then, cap off your evening at the iconic Penguin Parade, watching thousands of Little Penguins waddle ashore at sunset.
Additional Info
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Authentic Small Group travel with an engaging Local Guide
2 Hour Wildlife Coast Cruise OR Hop on Hop off Bus
Entry to the famed Phillip Island Penguin Parade at Sunset
Premium Seating Ticket - Free WiFi
Explore and relax in the idyllic coastal village of Cowes
Nobbies Golden Hour Experience & Scenic Wildlife Boardwalk
Time in San Remo to explore and watch for wildlife
Food and Drink other than what is stated
Optional Extra: Koala Conservation Reserve
What To Expect
Melbourne
It will take us 2 hours each way to get to and from Phillip Island from Melbourne. At Local Way Tours, our Premium Ticket inclusions are designed to elevate your travel experience to the highest level. Enjoy the comfort of guaranteed window seats and travel in style aboard our modern, well-appointed vehicles. Our authentic small group tours ensure personalised attention from our engaging local guides, making every journey memorable. Stay connected with onboard WiFi and take advantage of convenient charging ports, all while relaxing in a setting that prioritizes your comfort and enjoyment. With our Premium Ticket, you receive more than just a tour; you gain a superior travel experience tailored to exceed your expectations.
San Remo
Take some time to explore the idyllic village of San Remo - from its golden beaches, to the larger-than-life Pelicans that frequent here, and of course the famed Phillip Island bridge
Options
Hop on Hop off Bus - No Cruise
Hop on Hop off Bus: Instead of the 2 Hour Cruise, Spend 3 Hours Exploring Phillip Island in your own time.
Mini Bus
2 Hour Wildlife Cruise
2 Hour Seal Cruise Included
Cruise Boat
Reviews
23 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Tour was excellent & Michael was a great guide, very enjoyable day
Leanne R,
Oct 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Apart from noisy trip home Tour was excellent & Michael was a great guide, very enjoyable day seeing the seals & penguins
Wildlife Tour
Selina B,
Oct 22, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Our day started well with an amazing tour guide, Rob. We were also blessed to have perfect weather for the day, which enabled us to see a lot of wildlife. Rob was very informative and friendly and our day was well organised. Lunch stop was yummy.
Don’t hesitate, book now. We loved it!
Trinh N,
Oct 19, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Don’t forget to use your free coffee voucher at the cafe like we did! Communication 5🌟 Prompt & trustworthy, from booking to tour guide. It’s really nice when we’re kept in the loop as to what’s going on and options available to us along the way. Price 5🌟 Considering the time involved, this tour was great value for us, plus the generous drop off service at the end of the night was really appreciated for two women. Highlights: 🌟 We were lucky enough to get retired drama teacher Rod who put on an epic show, entertaining us on the drive to and from the island. Rod was enthusiastic & patient with us all, creating a vibe that made the trip relaxed & friendly. My 69 year old mum felt included & I got all my queries answered. 🌟 Sunset drinks at Flynn’s beach: what a lovely time watching surfers sipping on champagne, enjoying an iconic Aussie beach scene before the penguins. 🌟 Tips provided: thanks to Rod, we fit in fish and chips, went penguin burrow hunting for baby penguins (we saw lots of babies, wallabies, native birds) landed a great spot to see penguins without having to upgrade and didn’t get lost back to the bus. Meanwhile, Rod is a globe trotter so make sure to squeeze him for tips on other places to visit in Australia & overseas. 🌟 Overall, I can see how this tour and its operators are winning all the awards. Well done guys, 👏👏👏 we loved the whole experience and would recommend you to our friends. Ps The cruise part to seal island was bumpy but well worth seeing baby seals. Take sea sick tablets. The cruise crew were young, professional & friendly which was refreshing.
Great day
veronika A6793CS,
Aug 25, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00It was a great day. It was fully packed with activities, but well organised by the Guides. If you want to see a lot in one day, you should do the Tour. But if you can, split it in two days in Order to have more time at every place.
Small tour but Personal
wendy w,
Aug 25, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Yuri our tour guide was fabulous, explained the history of many landmarks and ensured we arrived at our destination safely.
Super enjoyable day!
427mayl,
Aug 14, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our guide Yuri is professional, knowledgeable and very friendly! Excellent service and patient too! Weather was amazing for our day out, sea was calm for our boat trip. Amazing fur seals and cute little penguins, we took loads of photos! Group was small enough for dedicated attention. Highly recommended!!
Great Phillip Island day out and cruise
cpmdoc,
Jul 25, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Trip booked through Tripadvisor and facilitated by local tours! Rod, our guide, was amazing and kept us all entertained! The weather was against us but he turned what could have been a drab trip in to an adventure! Seal Rocks well worth a visit!! Little penguins are sooo cute!!
How wonderful the seals are!
I2367PA,
Jun 30, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was amazing time. I was lucky to see two whales in the cruise. There are a lot of seals as well in the Seal rocks. I haven’t seen many seals before. It was very impressive. Thanks to Russell. He gave me many information during tour.
Amazing day trip
Niru N,
Jun 21, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Overall, it was an amazing day, and both staff members were really lovely and attentive.I had an amazing time.Both seal watching and the pengun parade were awesome.
Great experience, made much more personal and memorable by an incredible tour guide (Sue)
AsawariShirodkar,
Jun 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We were a family of 5 - 3 adults and 2 kids - with ages ranging from 77 y/o to 5 y/o. We had landed in Melbourne a day before and this was the first tour we had planned for our 4 week trip. We were the only customers that day, so it was like a private tour for us and we had an incredible time. Sue, our tour guide was very warm, friendly and knowledgeable. She made the entire tour much more fun and memorable. The complimentary coffee / hot chocolate at the start of the tour set the tone for an incredible day ahead of us. Sue's uncomplaining unscheduled stop to rest my fathers legs at a rest stop, when he suffered leg cramps in the bus at the start of the journey was very touching. We saw the Pelican Feeding and had an incredible lunch of fish & chips and oysters (at the Co-op recommended by Sue). We saw wallabies in their natural habitat at very close range. We got an accidental upgrade for 2 members to the much more expensive and incredible Penguin Plus - which the kids used. Sue's tips ensured we got front row seats on the beach for spotting the penguins at the Penguin Parade. We also got some delicious cookies and a glass of bubbly each. Sue shared many anecdotes and background about several locations. We got ample time at each spot to cover all the sights. And we also got dropped off at our hotel door (not the pick up point which was 20 mins away), which was very thoughtful of Sue and made the trip even more comfortable with us considering ages of some of our group. Overall a very enjoyable experience made better by Sue. Would 100% recommend! Unfortunately, on account of the weather conditions, the wildlife seal cruise was cancelled. However Sue made it up to us by taking us around several other points of interest which were not otherwise on the itinerary. And we were given a full refund for the portion of the price we paid for the seal cruise - which was processed by Filip very fast.
From A$165.00
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Operated by Local Way Tours