Gold Coast's Most Trusted Turtle snorkeling tours.

You don't need to be a strong swimmer. We provide flotation devices for all guests who need them, and our crew is constantly watching you during the turtle tour. If you're comfortable floating and putting your face in the water, you can join us.

Cook Island is home to resident Green and Hawksbill turtles year-round, and we see turtles on the vast majority of our tours. While wildlife is never 100% guaranteed, our 25 years of experience in these waters means we know exactly where to look and our turtle sighting rate is exceptionally high.

Your safety always comes first. If conditions make it unsafe to operate, we'll contact you as early as possible and offer a full rescheduling or refund. The Tweed Coast can be unpredictable, so we recommend booking with some flexibility in your travel plans.

We welcome guests of all ages. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. For very young children, please contact us before booking so we can make sure the experience is right for them.

Wear your swimwear under your clothes. Bring a towel, sunscreen (apply before arriving not in the water), water, and a snack for after. We provide all snorkel equipment, wetsuits if needed, and flotation devices.

We depart from Tweed Heads. Exact departure point details are sent with your booking confirmation. Cook Island is a 15–25 minute boat ride from the departure point.

We keep groups small maximum 8 guests per tour. This means you get personal attention from your guide and a genuinely intimate wildlife experience, not a crowded boat.

We recommend checking with your doctor before booking. Please let us know at the time of booking so we can ensure we have the right equipment and can look after you properly on the water.

Yes, Cook Island is accessible year-round and turtles are resident throughout the year. Whale watching opportunities are seasonal (typically June to November), so check our charter page if that's of interest.

We do our best to accommodate guests with varying needs. Please contact us before booking so we can discuss your specific requirements and make sure we can give you a great experience.

On a typical tour you can expect to encounter leopard sharks resting on the sandy bottom, eagle rays gliding across the reef, wobbegong sharks tucked into rocky ledges, and vast schools of colourful reef fish. The reef itself is home to octopus, nudibranchs, sea stars, and a wide variety of coral species.

Absolutely, Cook Island is one of the best places in Australia to try snorkeling for the first time. The reef is just 600 metres offshore, the water is generally calm and clear, and the marine life comes to you.

If you'd like to build your skills and confidence before your tour, we also offer a beginner Learn to Snorkel course ask us about combining both for the ultimate first ocean experience.

Snorkeling and diving are two very different experiences and for Cook Island, snorkeling is genuinely the better choice for most people.

With snorkeling, you stay on the surface and breathe naturally through your snorkel. No training, no equipment certification, no equalising pressure you just float, look down, and explore. It's relaxed, accessible, and suitable for almost anyone from age 5 to 85.

Diving takes you deeper, but Cook Island's magic happens in the shallows. The turtles, leopard sharks, eagle rays, and reef fish are all found in 3–8 metres of water well within snorkeling depth. You don't need to go deeper to have an extraordinary encounter here.

Snorkeling also means you spend more time in the water actually exploring, rather than managing buoyancy, equipment, and air supply. For wildlife encounters with turtles specifically, being on the surface is often an advantage turtles regularly come up to breathe, bringing them right to you.

If you're curious about going deeper, our freediving and PADI snorkel courses are a great next step, no scuba certification required.