Port Stephens Tour 2026: Dolphin Cruise, Sandboarding & Winery

Recommended Australian Travel

Port Stephens MooHan Tour Review

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© Ssoejini

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Hello everyone! I'm Ssoejini, your traveling companion :)

Port Stephens is a coastal resort town located north of Sydney, in New South Wales, Australia.

While it's about a 3-hour drive from downtown Sydney, it's one of

Australia's most iconic natural travel destinations.

Many of you planning a trip to Sydney might be wondering,

“Is Port Stephens worth a day trip?”

right?

Since it's a long-distance route, I had a ton of worries:

should I rent a car or take a tour? Will it be satisfying?

So, after carefully considering everything, I decided on a tour that included a

dolphin cruise, sandboarding, and the Murray Winery

as my itinerary!

To give you the conclusion upfront,

“it was the tour of a lifetime, absolutely worth every penny and every moment.”

Thanks to our guide, I laughed all day,

didn't waste energy waiting in lines at the attractions,

and even captured some incredible 'life-shot' photos!

Let's dive into my Port Stephens tour review right now!

Table of Contents

1. Types of Port Stephens MooHan Tour Courses in Sydney, Australia

2. Wild Dolphin Cruise Review

3. Desert Sandboarding & 4WD Review

4. Murray Winery Tour Review

1. Types of Port Stephens MooHan Tour Courses in Sydney, Australia

I used HojumooHan Tour.

Honestly, there were so many tour companies to choose from that I was torn.

I even considered going DIY, but since I'm now in my 30s (literally 'the number in the tens place changed to 3'), I thought about my stamina and

decided with my friend to go for a tour instead. LOL.

HojumooHan Tour is already famous, with celebrities like baseball player Lee Dae-ho and

Girls' Generation's Kwon Yuri having used it!

It's one of the reasons I chose them out of so many tour companies!

Of course, they also had the most reviews, great course itineraries, and high ratings!

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And personally, I tend to focus on reviews about the guides, and this tour had glowing reviews for its guides!

I was completely sold~~!

The tour operates with various programs, but for the 'Value Tour' I chose,

while traveling to Port Stephens,

→ I got to enjoy a dolphin cruise,

→ a 4WD experience and sandboarding in the desert,

→ and even a winery tour!

Since it's a packed itinerary covering the sea, desert, and a winery all in one day,

be sure to check the overall schedule and timings!

(Subject to change based on local conditions and weather)

You can choose according to your preferences.

Many people also opt for the zoo to see koalas and quokkas!

> See the Value Tour Ssoejini Chose <

2. Wild Dolphin Cruise Review

The first stop in Port Stephens is

the dolphin cruise, departing from Nelson Bay.

The most important things here are

'getting in one step ahead of everyone else' and

'choosing the right spot.'

Don't worry, our guide practically has superpowers when it comes to speed...!

💡 Pro Tip for the Best Spot, Shared by Our Guide

As soon as you board, don't head indoors!

Our guide advised us to secure a spot at the front or side railings of the 1st-floor outdoor deck!

Standing at the bow of the cruise, you can see wild dolphins leaping and swimming right alongside the boat!

It's the closest view you'll get!!

It's just full of people screaming 'Kyaaaah!' with excitement. Haha.

They say the frequency of dolphin sightings can vary depending on sea conditions and weather,

but judging by reviews, everyone seems to have a 100% chance of seeing them!

3. Desert Sandboarding & 4WD Review

After seeing the dolphins, our next stop was

the Worimi Sand Dunes (Anna Bay).

For me, this was the highlight of the tour!

Actually, it's not a desert but sand dunes formed by the sea!

Bumping along in a 4WD vehicle,

the thrill began even before we crossed the sand dunes.

Ah, I guess I really am an activity lover!

It was SO much fun!!

(I was having too much fun driving to take any photos... oops...)

Was it 55m high?

Sandboarding down from the top of the dune

was as much fun as going down a slide!

But going back up was a bit, haha...

Everyone was groaning, wondering 'Is this really worth it?'

But even parents on family trips were walking up,

so I zipped my mouth and followed along. Lol T_T

After getting completely covered in sand from sandboarding

and having a blast, you're pretty much out of energy, right?

That's when I truly thought choosing this tour was a great idea...

(Yes, I did!)

Because you can just pass out on the bus and sleep all the way back! LOL

4. Murray's Winery Tour Review

We finally arrived at Murray's Winery, our last stop.

Our guide told us that the owner was genuinely wealthy in the area,

and sitting there amidst the sprawling green lawns and vineyards,

we got to sample four types of local wines.

After the sandy (and slightly gritty?) thrill of sandboarding,

the wine just slid down my throat so smoothly – ahh!

Even if you're not a wine connoisseur, you can easily enjoy the lighter sparkling wines

and sweet dessert wines without any pressure!

It was also a big hit with families traveling with parents or children!

Everyone really enjoyed it!

This wine with the two 'eyes'(?) on the label is their signature!

It had a coffee aroma, smelled wonderful, and tasted great!

Even my friend, who isn't usually a big drinker, said it was genuinely delicious.

Highly recommend as a gift! Make sure to pick one up!!

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💬 Ssoejini's Tour Review

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If you felt a little like city sightseeing in Sydney wasn't quite enough,

this tour lets you experience the sea, desert, and wine all in one day!

It was a highly satisfying tour where not a single dollar of the tour fee felt wasted!

Our guide, Danny, has absolutely incredible patter, seriously!

He kept us entertained with lively chatter the whole time, haha.

And his insider tips were insane, plus he was super fast!

We arrived before the boat, and we were first at the sand dunes,

so when others were just starting to wait,

we were already enjoying ourselves! LOL

He also took amazing photos for us, so next time

I'll definitely go with Guide Danny again T_T

Australia Unlimted Tour is SO good.

Especially for family trips, or those traveling with parents,

and there were a lot of honeymooners too!

I went on a friendship trip with my friend...

but someday I'll go again with my boyfriend! 😉

So, I hope you have a wonderful trip to Sydney, Australia! :)

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