Snorkeling with Turtles – Cook Island Marine Reserve
Overview
Available languages
6 hours
Mobile ticket
Swim with Turtles: Get up close with majestic turtles and other fascinating marine creatures in their natural habitat.
Calm-Clear Waters: Enjoy exceptional visibility, offering you the perfect view of the underwater paradise.
Short and Scenic Journey: Just a short boat ride from the Gold Coast, Cook Island offers a serene escape into nature.
Safe and Fun for All: Whether you’re a seasoned snorkeler or a first-timer, our professional guides ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone.
Additional Info
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Public transportation options are available nearby
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Swimming Ability: Basic swimming skills are required for this activity as you’ll be snorkeling in open water.
Age Requirement: Suitable for ages 10 and above. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Weather-Dependent: The tour is subject to weather and sea conditions. If canceled due to unsafe conditions, alternative dates or refunds will be offered.
Bring Essentials: Please bring swimwear, a towel, sunscreen, and water. Snacks and beverages are allowed but must remain on the boat.
Seasickness: If you are prone to seasickness, we recommend taking medication before the trip.
Punctuality: Arrive at the specified time to ensure the schedule runs smoothly. Late arrivals may miss the tour.
Health Restrictions: This tour is not recommended for travelers with serious medical conditions or limited mobility.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
During your snorkeling adventure at Cook Island, here’s what you’ll do: Arrive & Gear Up: We’ll check you in, fit you with snorkeling gear (mask, fins, wetsuit, snorkel), and brief you on safety. Boat Ride to Cook Island: Enjoy a comfortable bus ride to the jetty before boarding our boat for a scenic ride to Cook Island. Take in stunning coastal views and surrounding waters. Snorkel at Cook Island: Upon arrival, we’ll moor the boat and get you into the water. You’ll swim among vibrant coral reefs, sea turtles, tropical fish, and maybe even spot some rays. Our crew will show you the best spots and teach you about the underwater ecosystem. Explore Marine Life: Spend up to 2 hours snorkeling in the calm waters around Cook Island. Whether you’re exploring colorful coral gardens or relaxing on the surface, there’s so much marine life to discover at your own pace. Return to Shore: After your snorkeling session, we’ll head back to the boat and make our way back to the jetty, where we’ll transport you back to the dive center. This tour offers a relaxing yet exciting way to explore Cook Island’s beautiful marine environment, with plenty of opportunities to learn and discover.
What‘s Included
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Use of Snorkelling equipment
Pickup points
Meriton Suites Broadbeach
2669 Gold Coast Highway, Broadbeach Australia
voco Gold Coast by IHG
31 Hamilton Avenue Surfers Paradise Australia
Meriton Suites Surfers Paradise
86 Esplanade Surfers Paradise Australia
Options
Arrival time
Duration: 4 hours: Arrival times can not be added as thes are managed by the tide times, that change on a daily basis.
customers will be adv
Pickup included
Reviews
17 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Almost killed my daughter
johnwV8721WM,Jan 27, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00Almost killed my daughter. The tour booking was from 6.30-11am. She was sick from 8.30am the captain yelled at my 11 year old daughter for not throwing up over the side when she could not even move. They moved the boat so the divers could have a dive on the other side of the island not caring my daughter was on the ground dehydrating while they are having fun. The boat decided to return about 1 pm after my daughter being on the floor of this boat for 4.5 hours. She then spent 10 hours in hospital for them not showing due diligence and almost killing my daughter. Do not go here!
Trip cancelled, nightmare to seek refund
lisacW9681MH,Nov 7, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00Trip was cancelled. Still waiting for refund. No communication. Tour company unhelpful. Do not recommend the tour company, or booking through TripAdvisor
Highly recommend
Kymberly Y,Jun 26, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Had a fantastic snorkeling tour. The guides were great - friendly, patient, and knowledgeable. Saw lots of turtles and even some whales!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 🚨
jaydek2025,Jan 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I went snorkelling with these guys today and had the MOST AMAZING EXPERIENCE! The team was so friendly and helpful. I saw so many amazing creatures including a manta ray, turtles, leopard sharks and a bunch of eagle rays AND FISHIES! 🐟 special shoutout to Diego for being the BEST host, he made my time so special. Another special shoutout to Rafael for taking so many amazing photos of my group that we will cherish forever: HIGHLY RECOMMEND this snorkel experience, I will definitely be returning on my next trip. Thank you Gold Coast dive centre for a once in a lifetime day.
Overall, very happy
Krissy46,Dec 30, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00The snorkeling experience itself was amazing, I saw turtles of all different sizes, wobbegong, leopard shark, octopus and more! Only thing I’d improve is communication as when we arrived for the experience no one approached us or engaged with us to help get us kitted up for the experience or gave us a rundown.
Worst snorkeling experience
riran2023,Dec 18, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00Snorkeling Tour Review This snorkeling tour was incredibly disappointing. While I understand that some things, like weather and ocean conditions, are out of the operator’s control, the lack of organization and planning made the experience far worse than it needed to be. For starters, the team forgot to give me a wetsuit at the beginning, and I had to remind them—a frustrating oversight that didn’t inspire confidence. The team was very disorganised and late from the beginning The biggest issue, however, was combining the snorkeling and scuba diving groups on the same boat. With the strong currents, snorkeling wasn’t even possible, so we snorkelers had to to stay on the boat for hours while the scuba divers finished their dives. The boat’s constant rocking made this unbearable, and almost everyone on board became seasick. Even some of the scuba divers appeared miserable, as the rough conditions made their dives challenging. While I understand that bad weather can’t always be avoided, it’s the company’s responsibility to plan better in such situations. If they know the conditions aren’t suitable, they should either offer to reschedule the tour or provide refunds. Forcing people to endure such a poorly planned and uncomfortable experience is unacceptable. I cannot recommend this tour to anyone specially snorklers.
Disappointing experience
Romina N,Dec 17, 2024
- Review from Viator
1.00Snorkeling Tour Review This snorkeling tour was incredibly disappointing. While I understand that some things, like weather and ocean conditions, are out of the operator’s control, the lack of organization and planning made the experience far worse than it needed to be. For starters, the team forgot to give me a wetsuit at the beginning, and I had to remind them—a frustrating oversight that didn’t inspire confidence. The biggest issue, however, was combining the snorkeling and scuba diving groups on the same boat. With the strong currents, snorkeling wasn’t even possible, so we snorkelers were forced to stay on the boat for hours while the scuba divers finished their dives. The boat’s constant rocking made this unbearable, and almost everyone on board became seasick. Even some of the scuba divers appeared miserable, as the rough conditions made their dives challenging. While I understand that bad weather can’t always be avoided, it’s the company’s responsibility to plan better in such situations. If they know the conditions aren’t suitable, they should either offer to reschedule the tour or provide refunds. Forcing people to endure such a poorly planned and uncomfortable experience is unacceptable. I cannot recommend this tour to anyone.
Thieves
S4531MRdavidj,Dec 15, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00Trip didn’t go ahead due to weather which is understandable and unavoidable. Called as requested, since I couldn’t reschedule due to our return date to the UK agreed they would refund within a week. They did not refund and ignored subsequent emails asking for the refund. Therefore I made a claim against my credit card company, and they have had the cheek to try and dispute this, presumably pretending the trip went ahead, unfortunately for them I have email evidence it didn’t. I would avoid this company like the plague.
Great trip
Jasmine J,Nov 6, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Was amazed by how many turtles we got to see! Staff were nice and friendly. We got picked/dropped off to and from our hotel which made it super duper handy. Recommend ⭐️🌟🌟🌟
Amazing 🤩
Veronica M,Nov 3, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00An incredible experience! From the attention to the scenery and the turtles. I would repeat it a thousand times. 🫶🏻
Related Experiences
Operated by Gold Coast Dive Centre & Marine Training College