Ribbon Reefs (Northern Great Barrier Reef)Far North Queensland, Australia
June and July only. An undescribed subspecies of common minke whale. Interaction is governed by a Code of Practice: swimmers hold surface ropes, must stay 30m from a whale and may not swim toward one; the whale closes the distance or does not. Only a small number of GBRMPA-endorsed operators hold the permit, and trips feed the Minke Whale Project's research.
migratorynatural
Liveaboards run year-round. Dec-Feb is the wet season and cyclone window in Far North Queensland, when trips get cancelled and sea state deteriorates, hence 'limited'. The minke whale season is a hard two months, June and July, and those trips sell out a year ahead because only a small number of endorsed operators hold the permit.
Destination detail