Historical Tours
4–5 hours
Recommended by 93% of travellers
93% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
AU$149
per adult
Sea Darwin
Sea Darwin
5
Historical & Heritage ToursBoat ToursEco ToursNature & Wildlife ToursBus Tours
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Full view
About
Multi award winning marine based cruises on Darwin Harbour & the surrounding coastline. We specialise in Turtle habitat, history and intrigue, and offer Darwin's most affordable and unique sunset cruise.
Tours and Tickets by Sea Darwin
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Food & Drink
1–2 hours
Recommended by 96% of travellers
96% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
AU$109
per adult
Day Cruises
2–4 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 95% of travellers
95% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
AU$85
per adult
Ports of Call Tours
1 hour
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 96% of travellers
96% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
AU$65
per adult
Adventure Tours
1 hour
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 94% of travellers
94% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
AU$65
per adult
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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5.0
670 reviews
Excellent
569
Very good
67
Average
18
Poor
8
Terrible
8
Maria K
Darwin, Australia45 contributions
Oct 2020 • Family
Such a beautiful experience to go for a cruise on Darwin Harbour after a stormy afternoon. The seas were calm, the sky was a 100 shades of grey, the fish and chips were great, the welcome drink was very welcome, the take-home stubby coolers and cups were a great touch, and you couldn't ask for nicer guides. The seats were a bit wet from the earlier storm but this is Darwin in the build-up and it just added to the authenticity of this experience. Thoroughly recommend this if you want to see Darwin from the sea.
Written 10 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What a beaut review, thanks for taking time to share your thoughts and for daring to come out with us after a storm. We appreciate your recommendaiton.
Written 15 February 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Darlene W
Sydney, Australia367 contributions
Mar 2021 • Couples
5 ⭐️ + I’m not a good sea/ boat person and I highly recommend this tour
Before boarding a full safety brief and visual of the location and depth of the harbour
We had Rob as our guide amazing storyteller.
You are taken around the harbour and told the history of WW2 and the bombing of Darwin
It is fantastic just don’t wish for a full high tide and large swell.
Any way I lived
Thanks so much Rob
Before boarding a full safety brief and visual of the location and depth of the harbour
We had Rob as our guide amazing storyteller.
You are taken around the harbour and told the history of WW2 and the bombing of Darwin
It is fantastic just don’t wish for a full high tide and large swell.
Any way I lived
Thanks so much Rob
Written 6 March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fantastic! Thankyou for your five star review - we're not sure that there was a large swell, but it's great that you lived, and that you enjoyed the cruise. We will pass your thanks onto Rob!
Written 23 March 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mulva13
Cairns, Australia44 contributions
Apr 2021 • Family
We enjoyed the tour. The commentary was a bit hard for my girls to follow, mostly because of some of the terms and military jargon. I had to translate half of it to them so they could follow the tour. My husband and I enjoyed it though. It tied in perfectly with our trip to the military museum. The Anzac biscuits were a nice touch. Fast boat, friendly host. I’d recommend the tour to anyone interested in getting a look at the harbour and hearing the story of the bombing. Only suggestion would be to improve the mic quality.
Written 17 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Mulva, thankyou for your last minute booking and for bringing your family out on the boat. We will look into the mic quality - you're the first that we are aware of that has mentioned it as an issue.
Written 19 April 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Abbykat
Wollongong, Australia1,572 contributions
Mar 2021 • Couples
We did the above tour with Betty today and thoroughly enjoyed it. Even though it's not something I'd normally be interested in, a friend recommended this company and we're so glad he did. Betty was great and gave a good overview of Darwin as well as the war. Included is a 1 hour cruise giving the perspective of the bombing from the air and again, well worth it. Betty picked us up after the cruise and kindly offered to drop us off where we wanted to, so we chose Parliament house where we stayed for a few hours.
Highly recommend the tour.
Highly recommend the tour.
Written 17 March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Abbykat, thank you for your recommendation and your kind words about Betty. We will be sure to let her know.
Written 23 March 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
972stephp
Adelaide, Australia12 contributions
Aug 2020
This cruise was excellent. Rob, our guide was really informative and had lots of stories to tell from his own experiences and those of others. We initially wanted to do just a Harbour Cruise but this gave us the best of both worlds. The boat was comfortable (even when the wind picked up) and spotlessly clean. Highly recommended.
Written 26 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thankyou for your review. We are so lucky to have Rob as a skipper and guide on this cruise. His passion and humility is wonderful, and he also knows so much more about our harbour than just the WW2 history. We will pass on your compliments to him.
Written 15 February 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
aussiewanderers
Sydney, Australia607 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
The boat used is very sturdy and fast, making the tour feel safe even in windy and choppy conditions. The two staff on the boat do their best to give a good oral account of the initial bombing but the exhibits they have to work with are poor in the sense they are either no longer on the shore or in the water or are so distant, it is difficult to see any detail of them (gun placements, buildings bombed etc).
Overall, you will get a superior understanding of the bombing history if you skip the boat tour and just attend the WWII bombing experience on Stokes Hill Wharf (see separate review).
Overall, you will get a superior understanding of the bombing history if you skip the boat tour and just attend the WWII bombing experience on Stokes Hill Wharf (see separate review).
Written 19 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BLACHFORD
Melbourne, Australia11 contributions
Four of us up in Darwin on business found ourselves with a spare two hours in the afternoon during the rainy season. Everyone says don't bother going out during the wet. But we did with Jim Smith skipper of Sea Darwin, a fast and comfortable boat especially designed for the shallow areas of Darwin Harbour and the waters around the mangrove swamps. Our trip was two of the best two hours I have spent on the water. Sunny skies, dramatic clouds and a very pleasant skipper. Jim showed up all the local places of interest and was a font of knowledge about local history. Forget your sunset cruises on bigger boats. This is the way to see Darwin from the water.
Written 7 December 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fiona M
Perth, Australia5 contributions
Nov 2011 • Couples
Did the one hour history tour along the waterfront. Really good value, informative experience and presented by a guide with a lot of local knowledge and a passion for history. Would highly recommend for those who are interested in the war history, and even those who just want to get out on the water. $35 well spent.
Written 4 December 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thankyou to you Fiona and your partner for the two recent reviews. When I read the update from Trip Advisor on my phone, we had just completed another Sunset Dreaming last night, being the only tour operator out on the harbour! - fantastic sunset by the way. Earlier in the day we also had run the 'Australia's Frontline' tour which covers our maritime WWII history. It continues to surprise me how few Australians know so little about our war history in Darwin and Australia and the fact that today it is still 'The Frontline' with all of the defence and customs activity here.
Back to the Sunset Dreaming and our star guide 'Roque', - one of our guests asked him about christmas with his family; his reply was that with 6 brothers, 7 sisters, 37 nieces and nephews and 17 great nieces and nephews, his mum and all of the partners that it is a huge party!
Thanks again for your time to write a review, except for our turtle product, we operate year round so if you come back to Darwin we would love to take you out on the water again. -We look after repeat customers.
Written 6 December 2011
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
00TravelinGirl00
Melbourne, Australia1 contribution
Aug 2013 • Friends
My friend and I did the turtle tracks tour and it was terrible. Specifically, these people are crooks who are more concerned about taking your money than they are making sure you get a good tour. On our tour a few weeks ago it rained and poured, which is fine because I realize no one controls the weather but one of the staff members said about twenty times "this has been all over the forecast all week." "I just knew it was going to rain because it has been forecasted"......okay, still fine, we can deal with rain. During the turtle walking on the beach. The staff member says "I would have been 10 grand that we would see any turtles tonight because they don't come out when it rains".....what? I then asked them why did we come out here if they knew it was going to rain and we probably wouldn't see turtles.....the response "If we don't come out we don't get paid" WHAT!?!?!?! They are happy to take you out and risk showing you an empty beach with no turtles....have a terrible time and they will NOT give you any of your money in return. They could care less about your time.....just your money!
Written 3 September 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear TravelinGirl,
We are so sorry that you had a terrible time on Turtle Tracks, so much so that you didn't mention in your review that you witnessed a nesting turtle on a remote island. Yes it did pour that night, and yes a possible shower had been forecast. Unfortunately the extent of the downpour was not forecast, and many Darwin businesses were caught off-guard including the Darwin Festival which had major events disrupted.
Sea Darwin has been operating Turtle Tracks for 5 years, and in this time has never experienced a dry season down pour. Consequently we had no knowledge if turtles would nest in rain, which we now know they do. We do know that it is unlikely that turtles nest if there are storms around, and we have cancelled cruises for that reason (5 in 2012). Our call to the weather bureau that afternoon affirmed that there was no storm activity, just scattered rain. We are well aware that the journey back to Darwin was very unpleasant in rain that was relentless. This is not the experience that we would have liked you to have, and we apologise for your discomfort. We are thankful that you had a calm journey down, that you walked the island and saw a sunset made all the more spectacular by the clouds, and that you had a turtle experience. In the 26 photos of the evening placed on our Facebook page the next day, 23 August by another passenger, you would not guess that the experience was marred by the rain.
As you were informed on the evening we offer a return journey for the cost of your meal in the event of no show of turtles, and that night we offered drink from the bar free of charge during and after dinner while it was raining. Your ticket covered the costs of the boat journey, your meal, your drinks, the boat crew and the staff who guided your turtle experience and business on costs. In this context we are confused as to why you would consider us “crooks”, or that you would be deserving of a refund.
We have discussed your review with our staff, and while there is some discrepancy in information between their recollections and yours, your comments have alerted us of the constant need to be sensitive and professional. Additionally, it is clear that we need to ensure that prior to booking all guests are aware that Turtle Tracks is for those with the spirit of adventure, and that nature dictates the experience.
Written 9 September 2013
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Curiosity207219
15 contributions
Oct 2019 • Couples
This was a good introductory tour. Time was very limited at the museum but you do have the ability to return later that same day if you want to. The entire tour was enjoyable and informative.
Written 27 November 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thankyou Curios for taking the time to post a review. Yes, 4.5 hours does fly by, but we're pleased that you mentioned that the Darwin Military Museum entrance is a day entrance, so pass outs are offered. We're glad that you enjoyed your morning with us.
Written 2 December 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Do they have any Gluten Free options at the Fish N Chip shop?
Written 19 January 2020
Hi, yes there are gluten free options provided. It depends which Fish'n Chip shop we visit. Mal at La Beach provides fresh prawns and chips as a gluten free option.
Written 2 February 2020
Definitely! We welcome many older people every day. We hope to see you aboard.
Written 16 August 2019
Hi. Is it possible to bring a baby on board with us?
Written 19 May 2017
Hi Gillyroos, yes for all cruises expect the Turtle Tracks tour. Infants travel free of charge on Sunset Fish'n Chips, Darwin Harbour HIghlights and our Bombing of Darwin cruise.
Regards
Sea Darwin
Written 20 May 2017
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