BY FERRY · ISLAND FERRY TRIPS
Twenty minutes of open water and the sea changes colour. These 15 island hops are compared on crossing time, what waits on the jetty and how tight the last boat back really is.
Take the ferry from Cape Town’s Nelson Mandela Gateway to Robben Island, then tour the island by bus and walk through the prison with a former political inmate. The four-hour shared experience includes return ferry tickets, an English-speaking guide, and Nelson Mandela’s cell. Bring identification and a coat for the boat.
“Guides were great, the whole experience was so interesting”
You’ll be collected from central Cape Town, taken to the Nelson Mandela Gateway, and ferried 45 minutes to Robben Island. A bus tour covers the island, followed by the prison visit and Mandela’s cell. Former prisoners, including guides such as Tom and Sipho, may explain life inside the prison. Return transport ends at the V&A Waterfront.
“Definitely a 5 star... and something that I believe everyone that visits Cape Town needs to experience. We are grateful for our guide which has shared such an intimate and difficult experience with us.”
Take a SeaLink ferry from Perth or Fremantle to Rottnest Island, then join a 105-minute air-conditioned bus tour with live English commentary. See Wadjemup Lighthouse, Henrietta Rocks, Cathedral Rocks, and Cape Vlamingh, with free time for food, quokkas, beaches, or a swim. Guides may include Leah, Barney, Robbo, or Woody.
“Brilliant trip. The guide on the bus was particularly good. Overall, from boarding the ferry to getting off at the end of the trip everyone and everything was first class. Thanks.”
Take the fast Rottnest Express ferry from Fremantle’s B Shed, collect your included bike on arrival, and spend about nine hours exploring Rottnest Island independently. Ride to beaches, bays, snorkelling spots, and quokka areas at your own pace. Bring water, allow for hills and wind, and plan your route before leaving the settlement.
“Rottnest is a beautiful island with lots to see and do. Bike hire is great to get around. I’m not very fit but managed to get around ok, some of the hills were very steep but you just stop and take in the scenery. The quokkas were very cute. Had a nice lunch at one of the hotels. Some of the beaches were very busy- salmon bay was the nicest. I think $120 is a lot of money for a 30 min ferry ride however the island was beautiful and must be done while in Perth.”
Take Sunlover Reef Cruises from Cairns to Fitzroy Island for four-plus hours of swimming, snorkeling, beach time, and rainforest walks. Choose a basic ferry day or add lunch, snorkel gear, and a glass-bottom boat ride. Guides such as Georgina and Carmen explain the reef and its fish during the glass-bottom cruise.
“Brilliant snorkelling - saw turtles and many Fish Great vegetarian boxed lunch”
Take a fast ferry from Perth to Rottnest Island, including a Swan River cruise with commentary, then collect a bike and explore independently. Ride to beaches such as the Basin, Parakeet Bay, and Little Armstrong Bay, stopping for swimming, quokkas, and lunch before your same-day return ferry.
“We loved this day trip! Honestly wasn’t expecting much initially but it turned into such a great adventure day!! We rented bikes and loved riding around the island, even if it was WAY harder than expected. So please keep that in mind if you’re not a big bike rider. We got tons of cute quokka content too!! The restaurant Frankie’s was amazing!!”
Spend the morning touring District Six, Langa, Bonteheuwel, and Gugulethu with Sam’s Cultural Tours. Walk through Langa with a local guide, visit a school, shebeen, healer, and beer brewer, then take the ferry to Robben Island for a prison tour led by a former inmate. Hotel pickup is included, but you make your own way home.
“The Township tour was excellent. Sam gave detailed history of township..”
Take the 25-minute ferry from Fremantle to Rottnest Island, then circle the island on a 90-minute guided bus tour. Guides such as Ella, Eli, Jess, and Richard have been praised for their stories and humor. Afterward, swim, eat, see quokkas, or explore the settlement before your return ferry.
“A fabulous day with confident , efficient, highly knowledgeable staff. Amazing day, best tour ever. New love for the whole island. Big Thank you to Malcolm and Larry.”
Take the ferry from Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront to Robben Island, then tour the island by bus and walk through the maximum-security prison. An ex-prisoner leads the prison visit, sharing firsthand memories of detention, including the conditions faced by inmates and Mandela’s former cell. The 210-minute tour is in English and wheelchair accessible.
“The information was very good and gave us a good understanding and insight into the conditions”
Start at Battery Park, pass airport-style security, and ferry to Liberty Island and Ellis Island. Choose basic audio tours, a local guide, or an added Wall Street and 9/11 Memorial walk. Guides such as LeAnn, Nina, Vivian, Sami, and Cesar have led past departures, but the exact guide varies.
“Cesar was a great guide. He provided us with some historical information. We didn’t had to do any lines to get through”
Take Sunlover Reef Cruises from Cairns to Fitzroy Island for about 4.5 hours of free time. Swim from the beach, snorkel, walk to Nudey Beach, or follow rainforest trails. Choose a simple ferry ticket or add lunch, a glass-bottom boat ride, and snorkel gear. This is a self-guided island day, not a guided tour.
“Snorkeling with a turtle! Lunch not available. No tour.”
Spend six hours touring New York by climate-controlled bus, with short guided walks at Central Park, Rockefeller Center, Fifth Avenue, and the 9/11 Memorial. Your English-speaking guide adds city stories along the way, then you ride the Staten Island Ferry for Statue of Liberty views. Lunch at Gansevoort Liberty Market is on your own.
“Steve was very knowledgeable of all NY related history. Betty is the best driver ever!”
Travel by shared ferry from Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront to Robben Island, then tour the island by bus and visit Nelson Mandela’s cell with a former political prisoner. Allow about four hours. You must arrange your own transport to the Nelson Mandela Gateway, and the experience is for international visitors.
“The museum guide is an ex-prisoner, which adds a lot to an already extremely interesting tour of the jail facility”
Take the Catalina Flyer from Newport Beach’s Balboa Pavilion to Avalon in about 75 minutes. You’ll ride a three-deck catamaran with indoor seating, snack and drink service, a full bar, restrooms, and an open-air top deck. Arrive early for better seats, and book the return ferry separately.
“I took my family from Cincinnati to Catalina Island and they loved it. We and took the glass bottom boat tour and the buffalo tour. Unbelievable scenery but we didn’t see any buffalo! Anyway, it still was gorgeous and we loved it.”
Take an 80-minute ferry from Auckland to pest-free Tiritiri Matangi Island, then spend several hours walking among regenerating forest, rare birds, beaches, and New Zealand’s oldest working lighthouse. English-speaking guides such as Tina, Vishnu, and Malcolm have helped make the island’s conservation story come alive for many visitors. Bring lunch, water, swimwear, and sturdy shoes.
“Absolutely couldn’t have asked for more. Our guide Tina was the best and was so friendly. Just loved the whole experience. We managed to see all species of birds bar one which was the Takahe. One of the highlights was seeing a big Tuatara which really made our day and the big Punga Weta also was a great sight to see.”
Pick a port, an island or a kind of ticket.
