Luncheon Bay is one of the string of north-facing bays on northern Hook Island that Whitsunday day boats use when choosing the best-sheltered snorkel and dive site for the conditions. It sits in the same Marine National Park zone as Manta Ray Bay and the Pinnacles, with public moorings and no-anchoring areas. The bay's fringing reef slopes from shallow coral flats to sand at around 12–15 m, with coral heads and small bommies along the edge.

Fish life is typical of the northern Hook sites – fusiliers, parrotfish, damsels, wrasse, coral trout and batfish – and Maori wrasse and turtles are frequently seen. In winter manta rays move through the northern Hook bays. Luncheon Bay was among the sites the ABC reported as 'partially destroyed' by Cyclone Debbie in March 2017, with snapped and pulverised coral on the bottom and bleached survivors.

Since then, the reef has been regrowing, and it is back on operator rotations, but coral cover is likely to vary from patch to patch, and earlier descriptions predating the cyclone should be read with that in mind. Specific published dive-site detail for Luncheon Bay is limited compared with Manta Ray Bay or the Pinnacles, and depths and features here are drawn from the general profile of northern Hook fringing reefs and news reports. It is a gentle, shallow site suited to snorkellers, Discover Scuba and Open Water divers, and is useful as an alternative when Manta Ray Bay is crowded.

Operators including Ocean Rafting and the dive boats use it depending on wind and tide.

Boat only. Northern Hook Island is about 22–28 nautical miles from Airlie Beach – roughly 45–75 minutes by fast day boat from Coral Sea Marina or Port of Airlie, or about 1 hour from Hamilton Island marina. Day tours that stop here include Ocean Rafting, Red Cat Adventures (Thundercat), Whitsunday Dive Adventures and Explore Group (from Airlie and Hamilton Island); overnight sailing and bareboat charters also visit.

Private and bareboat skippers must use the public moorings (time-limited, first come first served) and observe no-anchoring areas marked by reef protection markers; bareboat operators restrict where hirers may go. Parking at Airlie is available near Coral Sea Marina and the Port of Airlie.

The northern Hook Island bays face north and are sheltered from the dominant south-east trades (15–25 knots April–September), but they are open to northerly winds and swell (common October–March) and to very strong south-easterlies that wrap around the headlands. Tidal currents through the islands are strong on spring tides (tidal range up to about 4 m) and can make points and bay entrances difficult – plan dives at slack water and neap tides where possible. Visibility is usually 5–15 m, dropping after strong winds, big tides and wet-season rain.

Manta rays visit May–September. Marine stinger season (box jellyfish and Irukandji) runs roughly November to May – wear a full-length stinger suit or wetsuit with hood and gloves, carry vinegar. Cyclone season November–April; tropical lows and cyclones can close sites and damage coral (TC Yasi 2011, TC Debbie 2017).

Severe Tropical Cyclone Debbie (March 2017) badly damaged the fringing reefs of northern Hook and Hayman islands; recovery is ongoing.

From the mooring, follow the fringing reef edge at 5–12 m with the reef on one shoulder, turn at half gas and return in the shallows.

Ocean Rafting (Northern Exposure/Southern Lights – daily snorkel stops on northern Hook), Red Cat Adventures Thundercat (daily, Mantaray Bay/Stonehaven), Whitsunday Dive Adventures (certified and Discover Scuba day trips, several times a week), Explore Group (dive and snorkel from Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island, daily), plus overnight sailing vessels and bareboats.