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Port Arthur Cruises & boat tours

Our most recommended Port Arthur Cruises & boat tours

From Port Arthur: Tasman Island Wilderness Cruise

1. From Port Arthur: Tasman Island Wilderness Cruise

Embark on a cruise that sails beneath the highest vertical sea cliffs in the Southern Hemisphere at Cape Pillar. Discover waterfalls, rock formations, archways and deep-sea caves. Cruise along the coastline which is part of the Tasman National Park. Discover the home of a diverse range of wildlife including hundreds of seals, migrating whales, and abundant sea birds in their thousands. At any time of year, you're likely to see the feeding frenzy of diving gannets, albatross and sea eagles wheeling on the wind, cliff-nesting cormorants and peregrine falcons, or a pod of playful dolphins surfing the bow wave of the boat. Enjoy a cruise on a vessel that has covered open-air tiered seating for an excellent all-round view and connection with the environment.

Port Arthur Historic Site Entry Ticket

2. Port Arthur Historic Site Entry Ticket

Explore the award-winning iconic attraction, the Port Arthur Historic Site. Just a short 1.5 hour drive from nipaluna / Hobart in turrakana / the Tasman Peninsula, the Port Arthur Historic Site has over 30 buildings, ruins and restored period homes set in 40 hectares of landscaped grounds. Allow plenty of time to fully experience all that Port Arthur has to offer. Site entry tickets are valid for daytime entry for two consecutive days and includes a harbor cruise, a self-guided audio experience, and complimentary site talks by expert guides throughout the site. Start your experience in the Port Arthur Gallery where you can select a character card to connect with one of the convicts, soldiers, or free settlers that spent time in this secondary punishment station. Listen to personal histories of the people of Port Arthur and explore the collections of artifacts that have been uncovered there. Stream the Port Arthur Experience as you venture through the convict ruins and lush gardens at your own pace. Wander through meticulously curated house museums and engage with expert guides with free presentations throughout the day. A short harbor cruise will present the site to you as the convicts would have experienced back in the 1800s. Enjoy historical commentary as you cruise around the Isle of the Dead and past the Dockyards and Point Puer the site of the first Boys Prison in the British Empire.

Tasman Peninsula Tour, Cruise & Port Arthur Historic Site

3. Tasman Peninsula Tour, Cruise & Port Arthur Historic Site

Experience the best of the Tasman Peninsula on an informative and entertaining day trip from Hobart.  Journey 1.5-hours from Hobart to Port Arthur by comfortable coach. Enjoy morning tea on the Tasman Peninsula. Climb aboard a custom-built boat for an unforgettable 3-hour wilderness cruise. Explore the spectacular coastline between Port Arthur and Eaglehawk Neck. Look for seals, migrating whales, seabirds, or even dolphins.  At the end of your cruise, spend 3-hours at the Port Arthur Historic Site. You will have time for lunch on site and to explore before the return journey to Hobart. Be dropped back to Hobart or your hotel around 6 pm.

Tasman Peninsula Day Trip with Cruise & Devils from Hobart

4. Tasman Peninsula Day Trip with Cruise & Devils from Hobart

Experience the highlights of the Tasman Peninsula on a day trip from Hobart. Journey 1.5 hours from Hobart to Port Arthur by a comfortable coach. Enjoy morning tea on the Tasman Peninsula. Climb aboard a custom-built boat for an unforgettable 3-hour wilderness cruise. Explore the spectacular coastline between Port Arthur and Eaglehawk Neck, from rugged sea cliffs to waterfalls, rock formations, archways, and deep-sea caves. You might see seals, migrating whales, seabirds, or even a pod of playful dolphins surfing the boat's bow wave.  At the end of your cruise, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before heading to the Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park. Spend part of the afternoon at the Park before the returning journey to Hobart for hotel drop-off.

Port Arthur Tour & Cruise Day Trip from Hobart

5. Port Arthur Tour & Cruise Day Trip from Hobart

Depart Hobart on a full-day tour exploring Tasmania’s ruthless convict past and experience the rugged landscapes of the Tasman Peninsula. Start with a visit to the well-preserved colonial village of Richmond. Admire sights like Australia's oldest bridge that is still in use. Head south to the Tasman Peninsula and enter the Tasman National Park for some amazing views of the coastline and sea. Upon arrival at the Port Arthur Historic Site, learn the story of the convict settlement. Listen to stories about the chilling realities of life as a prisoner amid the preserved jail ruins on a guided tour. Hear more about the penal colony's terrible past. Take a cruise of the harbor to see the site from a different perspective, and get a look at the Isle of the Dead where those who died at the prison were laid to rest in mass graves. Return to Hobart and benefit from the opportunity to stop by the remarkable geological formations of the Tasman Arch, Devil's Kitchen and Blow Hole. Get dropped off in Hobart in the early evening.

Port Arthur: Tour with Isle of the Dead Cruise

6. Port Arthur: Tour with Isle of the Dead Cruise

Cross the Tasman Bridge, and head out on the Tasman Highway over the Pittwater Causeway onto Forestier Peninsula. Admire the pristine beauty of Pirates Bay, Eaglehawk Neck, and Norfolk Bay. Visit Abel Tasman National Park, where you’ll marvel at the spectacle of the Tasman Arch and enjoy superb views of the rugged coastline. You’ll be amazed at the magnitude of the Devil's Kitchen. Explore Port Arthur, where you’ll take a guided walking tour of the historic convict site, with access to over 30 restored buildings and ruins. See the penitentiary, the separate prison, the commandant's house, and the church.

Other Sightseeing Options in Port Arthur

Want to discover all there is to do in Port Arthur? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about Port Arthur

Gliding along the bays and ocean was fabulous! We were lucky to be blessed with a beautiful day! The driver had been given permission by his boss to take us so very close to the dolerite cliffs called the blade! Magical! Spectacular! We also saw an albatross! A rare sight so near to the coast. We continued to view the seal Colony on Tasman Island playfully arguing about the funniest spot in the rocks. Comical! Then more beautiful natural coast towards Eaglehawk Neck.. on the way we were spoilt by getting very close to the pinnacle of Rock called the Candlestick some people climb! A magical day I’ll always remember!

Prepare yourself for a wild ride! The coastal scenery is absolutely stunning. We loved the peeks into mysterious caves, the soaring cliffs, and spying lazy seals and swooping sea birds. We were not expecting such a heart-thumping adventure upon the giant swells of the Tasman sea. But, we felt safe and enjoyed every minute... even the cold and wet ones.

A wonderful experience for us. Worth the money spent! We watched a whale hunting other small fishes, so many dolphins, jellyfish, seals, and a person slack lining(!!!). staff were friendly and considerate. Not sure if young kids <4 yr old would be greatly entertained. But our kid just stayed at the back of the boat and even slept off for a bit!

Very fun and wonderful experience. I saw seals whales and dolphins ! The guides were very informative and funny and I would love to come again! Yan Gao, Bo, Grace

Amazing trip with so much wildlife … dolphins, seals , whales, albatross…. Incredible!! Along with the scenic views of the rugged tassie coastline.