The beautiful coastal town of Jurien Bay is known to be one of the main breeding grounds for the Australian Sea Lion. They are the rarest species in the world with only about 12,000 of them remaining along the country’s southern coastline.
Jurien Bay Sea Lions are an incredible species! Watching these graceful swimmers show off their picture-perfect, cute faces with their big eyes and visible ears that in fact might remind you more of a Labrador dog than a sea lion, will definitely be an unforgettable experience.
Hundreds of the Jurien Bay Sea Lions live just a few kilometers offshore on the isolated Buller and North Fisherman Island. They can also be found on Essex Rock, where the sea lions come to rest from their foraging expeditions.
Boat tours operating out of Jurien Bay and Green Head are the perfect way to get to watch large colonies of the sea lions in the wild while maybe also getting lucky and spotting some dolphins and/or whales migrating along the coast.
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WHERE IS JURIEN BAY?
Jurien Bay is located 220 kilometers north of the capital city of Western Australia, Perth (roughly a 2.5-hour drive).
Click here to see the location on Google maps.
It is known to be a serene fishing town endowed with long stretches of empty beaches and vibrantly colored reefs teeming with marine life.
An arc of small islands and limestone reefs protect the bay, making its shallow, crystal clear waters one of the best snorkel spots along the coast.
The fascinating array of rainbow-colored fish, sponges, and unreal-looking corals will make visiting Jurien Bay an unforgettable experience before you even get to the highlight, which will be interacting with the playful, friendly Jurien Bay Sea Lions.
WHERE TO BOOK A JURIEN BAY SEA LION TOUR
There are multiple tour operators to be found in Jurien Bay. The leading one is Turquoise Safaris, who are specializing in Jurien Bay Sea Lion Tours.
They take pride in all their guides being long-term residents, sure to know every secret spot in and around the area. Their knowledge and experience ensure customers get the most unique offshore experience Jurien Bay has to offer.
Boat tours can be booked directly through their website, via email or you can simply give them a call as well.
All details can be found on their website www.turquoisesafaris.com.au.
WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE TOUR
The Jurien Bay Sea Lion Safaris are 2.5 hours long and it’s completely up to you if you want to relax and enjoy watching the sea lions from the boat or if you are up for a bit more of an adventure and want more interaction and get up close with the puppies of the sea, then you get the chance to grab a mask, snorkel, and fins and jump in the turquoise water.
Guidelines are in place regulating the exceptional experience with the Jurien Bay Sea Lions. These guidelines will be explained in detail once on the boat, but they include maintaining a good distance, never landing on an island occupied by sea lions, and never trying to touch them.
The minimum number of people aboard the Turquoise Safari boat tours is 2 and the maximum is 12. The price per adult including snorkeling is $115, without snorkeling it is $85. Children under 12 years pay $85 and infants under 2 years are free of charge.
Boats depart out of the Jurien Bay Boat Harbor, where plenty of parking can be found. Tours are offered twice a day, one early morning and one later morning boat.
Jurien Bay Sea Lion tours are not depending on seasons, they operate year-round. Nevertheless, bookings are essential at all times.
WHERE TO STAY IN JURIEN BAY
There are dozens of accommodation options to choose from in Jurien Bay so I have narrowed it down to a few of the best places to stay to fit the needs of budget backpackers, luxury travelers, and everyone in between.
See below for a list of accommodation in Jurien Bay that I personally recommend:
LUXURY: BLUE SKY APARTMENT
MID-RANGE: JURIEN BAY MOTEL
BUDGET: JURIEN BAY TOURIST PARK
FOR ALL OTHER PLACES TO STAY IN JURIEN BAY, SEARCH ON AGODA OR SEARCH ON BOOKING.COM
AIRBNB JURIEN BAY
Another option for accommodation in Jurien Bay is to stay in an Airbnb, which generally has some great deals!
WANT TO SAVE $$$ ON AIRBNB? GET MY AIRBNB MONEY SAVING GUIDE
MORE WESTERN AUSTRALIA TRAVEL GUIDES
- Broome: 10 Awesome Things To Do In Broome
- Exmouth: 15 Awesome Things To Do In Exmouth
- Coral Bay: 5 Awesome Things To Do In Coral Bay
- Monkey Mia: 5 Awesome Things To Do In Monkey Mia
- Margaret River: 15 Epic Things To Do In Margaret River
- Esperance: 17 Awesome Things To Do In Esperance
- Kalbarri: Kalbarri Skywalk
- Kalbarri: Nature’s Window Kalbarri
- Pink Lake: Pink Lake Visitor’s Guide
- Hamelin Bay: Hamelin Bay Visitor’s Guide
- Albany: Little Beach Albany
- Albany: Granite Skywalk (Castle Rock)
- Denmark: Elephant Rocks Visitor’s Guide
LONELY PLANET AUSTRALIA
One of the best books to take on your trip is the Lonely Planet Australia Guide!
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MY SHOP
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FINAL THOUGHTS
I hope you enjoyed reading this article and if you have any questions about the Jurien Bay Sea Lions tour, please leave a comment below this post and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Happy Adventuring!
This trip was in association with Tourism WA and Backyard Bandits.