Island hopping · FERRY & ISLAND TRANSFERS
Sometimes the crossing is the trip. The 15 below cover the ferries and transfers worth taking in daylight, with fares, crossing times and which ones let you hop off and pick up a later boat.
Take a self-guided ferry trip from New Jersey to Liberty Island and Ellis Island. You’ll see Lady Liberty up close, visit the Statue of Liberty Museum and Immigration Museum, and use audio guides in 12 languages. Allow four to six hours, and note that crown and pedestal access are not included.
“It was so gorgeous on top! Dont think anything needs to be improved!!”
Take the ferry from Auckland to Waiheke, then use a day-pass bus to visit 16 stops at your own pace. Choose from Mudbrick, Cable Bay, Batch, beaches, villages, galleries, olive oil tastings, and nature walks. Guides such as Ruth, Aaron, and Tilly add local color along the way.
“Our driver/guide Aaron was exceptional! He was so knowledgeable about the area, the history, and the tour. Everything went so smoothly and he offered so much great information about New Zealand Highly recommend!!!”
Travel from Corralejo to Lobos Island aboard the family-run Barco Majorero, with a 20-minute crossing, several return times, and free time for beaches, swimming, and walks to La Caldera volcano or the lighthouse. Bring all food, water, and sun protection.
“it's just a ferry trip to lobos island. I have done this before, the island itself is gorgeous. takes around 2 and half hours to walk around it including going up the small volcano Montaña de La Caldera Isla de Lobos. I would come again”
Take a 45-minute ferry from Hillarys Boat Harbour to car-free Rottnest Island, with a bike, helmet, and lock ready for your day. Ride to quiet bays, Wadjemup Lighthouse, or West End, spot quokkas, and add snorkel gear for $15. Optional hotel pickup is available on selected routes.
“Well organised, prompt. The bus driver was great at the start and end, as was everything in between.”
Meet your English-speaking guide at 1 Bowling Green, then cross New York Harbor to Liberty Island and the Statue of Liberty Museum. Choose a two-hour express visit or a four-hour option adding Ellis Island, its immigration museum, and an official audio guide. Guides include Joseph, Joe, Charlie, Mindy, and Christian.
“Be prepared to do a lot of walking. The guide was wonderful. Gave a lot of information and was answering all our questions.”
Travel from Naples to Capri by prebooked hydrofoil, then explore Capri and Anacapri with a guide, island transport, and free time for lunch, shopping, and sights. Guides such as Gabriel, Sandra, and Anna have earned praise for clear advice and care. The Monte Solaro chairlift and boat ride cost extra.
“Once we found our tour guide which was challenging, we met up with our guide who was wonderful!! I wish I would of written her name down. She was extremely attentive to our group and always made sure she had us together. She was informative of Capri Island and brought us through some nice areas of Capri. Then we had some free time to shop & dine, making for a relaxing day!”
Meet at the Nelson Mandela Gateway, skip the ticket-buying line, and take a shared ferry to Robben Island. A bus tour covers the island before a former political prisoner leads you through the prison, including Nelson Mandela’s cell. English guides, return ferry, and museum entry are included.
“Nice tour to Robben Island by ferry. Ferry was fully enclosed and quite crowded. Once on the island after about a 45 minute ride, we boarded a bus with an ex-prisoner guide who provided details about the buildings and life on the island. After an hour we were dropped at the prison and did about an hour of walking and understanding of life inside by another ex-prisoner. The tour provided a very moving explanation of what actually happened to those who disagreed with segregation, and the goals of the Government to try to silence them.”
Take a 15-minute Trans Côte d’Azur ferry from Cannes to Sainte-Marguerite Island. Walk marked forest trails, visit Fort Royal and its Maritime Museum, watch migratory birds, or swim near the underwater eco museum. You choose how long to stay, with several departures and returns each day.
“Always friendly staff on the quick ferry to the island”
Ride the ferry from Cape Town to Robben Island, tour the island by bus, and visit the prison with a former prisoner as your guide. Hotel pickup covers central Cape Town and nearby districts. The tour lasts about five hours, but ferry delays and waiting time can stretch the day.
“Definitely a 5 star... and something that I believe everyone that visits Cape Town needs to experience. We are grateful for our guide which has shared such an intimate and difficult experience with us.”
Take a SeaLink ferry from Perth or Fremantle to Rottnest Island, then tour its beaches, salt lakes, lighthouse, and quokka country by air-conditioned bus. Guides such as Leah, Barney, and Jason are known for lively commentary. You also get free time for lunch, photos, swimming, or a short walk.
“It’s was good from start to finish very welcoming and helpful, clear instructions and a good sense of humour.”
Travel from Adelaide by coach and ferry to Kangaroo Island with guides such as Hamish, Jo, Will, and Scott. Visit Seal Bay, Flinders Chase National Park, Remarkable Rocks, Admirals Arch, and a wildlife sanctuary, with lunch included.
“Very nice Trip, very informative. Be Aware that the guides Change and you have to keep asking whether you are on the list for the specific tour”
You’ll ferry from Brisbane’s Holt Street Wharf to Tangalooma Island Resort for a self-guided day of kayaking, snorkeling, stand-up paddle boarding, and beach time. The pass includes equipment and resort access, but not meals, wetsuits, lockers, or guided wreck tours.
“We had thoroughly great day. We added quad biking to our days activities which was really good fun. The cost of the photos are very expensive!! We really enjoyed the day and would recommend a trip to the resort.”
Take the fast Rottnest Express ferry from Fremantle, collect a hire bike on arrival, and spend the day exploring Rottnest Island independently. Ride to beaches, bays, museums, and quokka spots, with time to swim, snorkel, picnic, and return on the same-day ferry.
“Fantastic place to visit. Although the ferry was completely full, once on the island the crowds thinned. It probably helped going clockwise and leaving the settlement/quokkas till last.”
Take Sunlover Reef Cruises from Cairns to Fitzroy Island for four-plus hours of beach time, snorkeling, and rainforest walks. Choose a picnic lunch, snorkel gear, or glass-bottom boat ride, then add guided kayaking, snorkeling, or a Turtle Rehabilitation Centre visit on the island.
“I enjoyed snorkeling at Fitzroy Island. Definitely recommend it and worth the money”
Take a 20-minute ferry from Corralejo to Lobos Island, then enjoy a drink on a 10-minute coastal cruise and 25 minutes of snorkeling near El Puertito. Choose your return time so you can hike to La Caldera, visit the lighthouse, or relax at La Concha Beach.
“Just as described, would be nicer if they stopped in a more closed off area as the water was quite choppy and you could struggle as a weaker swimmer, otherwise it was amazing!”
By hull, by landing, by how long you want to be out.
