By the time we decided to go, all the tickets were sold out, except for the public viewing ones, so make sure you book early! It's very pricey though, and in the end, we did manage to see the penguins swim ashore, but they were smaller than I had expected. The staff there kindly told us to move to another trail to get a better view. It's a shame that photos were not allowed after sunset, and being a law-abiding citizen, I didn't take any but I did see other people sneaking a photo here and there..... I was pleased to see the cute penguins but they were a LOT more smaller than I thought......we didn't have to wait too long either, as some of my friends had to when they went before us.

This was one of the highlights of our trip to Melbourne. However by the time we decided to go, the tickets for the seats with the best views were all sold out and we got the public viewing seats. Nevertheless, what an amazing experience it was for all of us, sitting in the dark (remember to bring warm clothes), waiting patiently and eagerly to see groups of little penguins emerge from the sea to make way for land. The silence, the absence of distraction of cameras and cell phones clicking away, makes this a magical, wondrous experience where you experience nature in its purest form! When you leave, you get to see the penguins up close from the walkway which was great! Also a shout out to the park staff who were very informative and helpful, with their explanations and information on where to sit to get better views.

We booked the underground experience and... WOW.... It gets really cold at night, so underground was great as you were protected from the elements. The Penguins run right past the windows, so you get a really up close look at these cute little guys. This is definitely a must. The rangers and staff were lovely and a wealth of information.

Absolutely wonderful experience! Seeing the penguins come in from the sea to feed their babies and settle for the night... Great shop and exhibition inside. Definitely recommend taking a coat, wrapping up warm! It gets very cold with the ocean wind as it gets dark. My 5 year old and 16 year old loved this experience.

It was magical to get so upclose with the penguins, watch them waddle, and be part of their nightly journey back home to their burrows. I purchased the Penguin Plus upgrade (outdoor viewing platform), so my tips below on the recommended sitting spot are be based on that. - Some background info: You'll be able to spot some lone penguins (who probably remained in their burrows in the day and didn't go out to sea) *before* sunset. This is the perfect opportunity to take photos of these creatures, given that photography is banned after sunset, as the penguins' eyes are very sensitive to light. The huge groups of penguins come in only *after* sunset, and the number increases as it gets darker. The whole process lasts about 50 min. - Advantages of sitting at the right side of the viewing platform: This is right next to the "highway" where penguins waddle inland, so you would get to be more upclose with the penguins. - Advantages of sitting at the left side of the viewing platform: This is next to a grassy mound, where a few lone penguins in their burrows may emerge before sunset, so this is a good spot for taking photos of lone penguins upclose. From here, you would also have a better view of the penguins coming ashore in the distance. My recommendation is to start by sitting at the left side, and take all the photos you can *before* sunset. Some 15 to 20 mins into the penguine parade *after* sunset, people will usually start to leave as they can't bear the cold. This would then be a good time to move to the right side to take up the spots that they vacated. This also happens to be the time when penguins approach in droves, so you get the best of both worlds. I don't think the Underground Viewing upgrade is worth it, as you see through only a tiny window.

Great for the kids & adults the staff were very helpful as my wife struggled due to disability with the long walk to the general viewing platform so they let her in roped off section & buggy transport for the return. My first visit was 10 years ago & the place has really developed over that time we saw plenty of penguins come in & even more on the walk back as they go the their nesting areas. It’s disappointing that many people ignore the photo request & still take pics but my tip is to go in between the 2 general viewing areas & you might see a Penguin or 2 before sunset like we did so you can take a pic next time I will try & get the penguin plus upgrade they were sold out when we purchased our tickets.

Phillip Island was always high up on our list. And of course, the Penguin Parade is the main highlight. We opted for a private tour, sourced from Tours By Locals and this really made our trip. Our guide James really made the experience exceptional. He upgraded us to the underground viewing area (well worth the money) and showed us all the hot spots of where to look out for the penguins. I must say, the bathroom facilities outdoors were not great but the inside facilities were excellent. The cafe food was below average but you don’t get much choice for eateries in the local area.

I used a local company for a private tour from Melbourne to Phillip Island and couldn't have been happier! We stopped at a wildlife preserve on the way, and then had dinner before going to see the little penguins. At dusk hundreds of the little guys came out of the island and flowed over the sand toward their burrows. We were not allowed to take any photographs as the actions of a few (in the past) have ruined it for the many by using flashes and frightening the little guys. But, the memory is vivid in my mind and will last forever. So glad I went!

This is a protected area but they sell thousands of tickets each night. You have to be patient and wait for the penguins to come out of the ocean. On the night that we went, they arrived at 9:20. After they arrive, it's fun to walk along the boardwalks that lead back to the visitor center. You can see many penguins as they make their way to their burrows and you can hear all of the different sounds that they make. It was not cold on the night that we were there, a light jacket was fine. But there are many nights when the wind kicks up so we had brought coats just in case. It was a nice experience.

The penguin parade was amazing and great to hear about all the good work being done to protect the environment and wildlife. Alas the experience in the restaurant was very poor, substandard food and highly inflated prices was shocking and staff appeared uninterested and unfriendly. Following the parade (windy and cold so bring a coat) nowhere to get a hot drink as they had already "turned off" the coffee machine!! We were early through this area with still hundreds of people behind us. Also it would be helpful if it was clearly stated before entry that cash is not accepted.