Day Trip to Tangalooma & Snorkeling at the incredible Shipwrecks.

If you’re looking for an incredible day trip from Brisbane or the Gold Coast, Tangalooma Island Resort needs to be on your list! Tangalooma is on Moreton Island and only a 75-minute ferry ride from Brisbane. And the best part is, Tangalooma has one of the most unique and easily accessible snorkeling spots in southern Queensland. 

Recently my husband and I celebrated our two-year wedding anniversary, and for occasions like this, we always like to go away. The original plan was to be in Italy but then of course COVID ruined that. So taking advantage of the beautiful state we live in, we thought a day trip to Tangalooma would be perfect. Tangalooma Island Resort was absolutely stunning, the water (although a little cold) was amazing, so blue and crystal clear. 

There’re so many options when it comes to visiting Tangalooma. You can simply just book the ferry over and do your own thing for the day, or there are heaps of tour & accommodation options. We booked the ‘Beach Day Cruise’ through Tangalooma Island Resort for $89 each. This pack is basically a look after yourself kind of day. Which was perfect for us! Also, it’s the best value for money because it covered your ferry tickets, use of the resort facilities, and includes lunch vouchers, that could be used at any of the cafes & restaurants. 

How to Get to Tangalooma

The ferry departs from the Holt Street Wharf in Brisbane. We drove up from the Gold Coast and that took us just over an hour. There’s plenty of free parking on Holt Street or it’s $15 a day to park at the ferry terminal. If you’re flying in, the ferry terminal is only a 10-minute drive from Brisbane airport. 

When we first arrived on the island all I could think about is getting to the beach, the water looked incredible. Luckily the pier is right in front of the resort. The beach is really long so there was plenty of room for everyone to have their own space. The ocean was calm, very clear, and the most amazing color. 

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Snorkeling at the Tangalooma Shipwrecks

The best part about the day was snorkeling at the shipwrecks. There are 15 shipwrecks laying only a short swim from the shore. In 1963 these ships were deliberately sunk to create a break wall for smaller boats.

There are snorkeling tours you can book but honestly, you don’t need to! From the resort, it’s a 25-30 minutes walk, straight down the beach to the shipwrecks. Then from the shore, we swam out in under 5 minutes.

The only thing you’ll need to do is check the tide times, generally, the best time to snorkel is around 1.5 hours before low tide. Our plan was to go then but the wind was starting to pick up so we decided to go a bit earlier. By the time we got in the water it was about 2.5 hours before low tide and it was actually the most perfect time. In most areas, the visibility was very good and the currents weren’t too strong. We snorkeled for about an hour, didn’t see any turtles or dolphins but so many fish, and the wrecks looked awesome.

If you’re not keen on getting in the water, Tangalooma Island Resort offers glass-bottom boat and kayak tours. And, we took our own snorkeling gear but it’s possible to hire some on the island.

Day Tours & Accommodation at Tangalooma Resort

If you wanted to stay on the island for longer the accommodation at Tangalooma Island Resort looked beautiful and the rooms have the most gorgeous ocean views. There are also so many tours and activities available. Moreton Island is the world’s third-largest sand island, so during my next visit, I definitely want to go 4 wheel driving and sand tobogganing.

If you’re there in the evening you could take part in the unique opportunity to hand feed, wild bottlenose dolphins!

Book tours & activities on Moreton Island here.

Have you visited Tangalooma before? Comment below and tell me what you love most about this island. 

Thanks for reading, 

Happy Travels