Great Barrier Reef Tour Activities
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the top adventure destinations in Australia. This is the place where you can experience one of the natural wonders of the world, with an abundant variety of colorful coral and marine life!
Listed as a World Heritage Site, the Great Barrier Reef is truly a remarkable place that must be seen to be appreciated. And it offers a wealth of activities that can be enjoyed by everyone - young and old. Great Barrier Reef tours can be organized from a number of popular seaside resorts along the Queensland coast.
Cairns, Port Douglas, Townsville and the Whitsunday Islands are great places to organize a Great Barrier Reef tour - these locations offer easy access to many different areas within the Marine Park. There are many different ways to experience and enjoy the Great Barrier Reef. Let’s look at some specific activities available to you on a Great Barrier Reef tour:
Adventure Activities on a Great Barrier Reef Tour
The best way to see the reef is by snorkeling or diving in it!
Snorkeling or scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef is an unforgettable adventure! Much of the coral is only a few metres below the water's surface which allows even novice snorkelers the ability to enjoy the beauty of this magnificent reef!
From Cairns and Port Douglas, there are many day trips that include snorkeling and sightseeing out to the various islands within the reef. Another tour involves boarding a jet-catamaran and visiting different locations along the reef, with opportunities to snorkel and dive throughout the day. It's on tours like these that many operators offer introductory scuba diving courses to all snorkelers.
Many tour operators in Cairns and Port Douglas offer introductory scuba diving courses. These are run in conjunction with the many day trips snorkellers take out to the reef! These courses are highly supervised and are always limited to small groups, usually to a maximum of 4 people. Having done this ourselves, it is something that we really think should not be missed! Don't worry if you've never tried this before - the depth of the dive is limited so that even novice divers or first timers can enjoy the wonders of the reef up-close! For the expert or experienced diver, there are many excursions offered on the reef. These can range from single day to multi-day trips in both high season and low season. Some spectacular diving locations include Osprey Reef, Cod Hole and Ribbon Reefs - with opportunities for drift dives in remote areas as well as deep diving! In October and November during Australia's spring it's possible to explore the far northern part of the Great Barrier Reef, with spectacular marine wildlife viewing including tiger sharks and sea turtles! Other dives in December include coral spawning excursions, with lots of night time diving.
No problem - Tours and excursions from Cairns and the Whitsunday Islands visit the reef daily and offer viewing on large floating platforms with underwater observatories. You can also take trips out to the reef on a glass bottom boat, which provides an excellent opportunity to learn about reef and marine life from an experienced guide!
Most flights are around 30 - 60 minutes in duration and take in all of what the Great Barrier Reef has to offer. Low level flights over Green Island, Arlington Reef and Fitzroy Island as well as the various areas of coral systems around the reef are sure to impress!
Great Barrier Reef Tour - Best Time To VisitIn this region, like the Northern Territory - there are two seasons - Wet and Dry! From May to October it's fairly dry with lots of sunshine during the day and cool evenings. This is the best time of year to plan a Great Barrier Reef tour. There's always good visibility on bright sunny days out in the water.It's also OK to visit the reef in the wet season - November to April. We went snorkeling and diving here in February and experienced only occasional rain throughout 1 or 2 days. If you’re planning on visiting during this time consider these few reminders: Although swimming is not recommended on mainland beaches during this time of year due to the deadly box jellyfish - the outer reef and the beaches off the islands within the reef are considered safe year-round. Also if there happens to be a lot of rain in a short period of time, a large amount of mud can be washed out into the ocean which can affect visibility.
Great Barrier Reef Tour - Where To StayCairns is a popular boarding point for trips and excursions out to the reef. There are a number of accommodation choices in Cairns - everything from backpacker style rooms to bed and breakfast, boutique and five star hotels, as well as serviced apartments.Port Douglas is another popular choice - as access to the Great Barrier Reef is only 13 kilometres from shore. It's also close to Mossman Gorge which offers outstanding hiking and walking trails throughout the beautiful lush rainforest in the area. Sightseeing tours and other adventure activities can all be arranged here! Again, all types of accommodations are available as well - from budget to five star!
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This area provides some of the best and most cost effective opportunities to learn how to dive.
Looking for adventure on a Great Barrier Reef tour, but you don't want to get into the water!
A spectacular scenic helicopter ride over the Barrier Reef is something you'll never forget! Helicopter tours operate out of Cairns several times each day, and are fun for all ages.