Great Barrier Reef
- Address:Pier Marina, Pier Point Road, Cairns
- Hours:Open daily
- Admission:Free
Must-Do Experience, Nature & Wildlife, Scuba Diving, Swim & Snorkel, Water Sports, Monument - Natural, Reef
2:58 AM Saturday, May 26
Passing clouds. Mild.
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The Great Barrier Reef is Australia's greatest natural treasure, and the world’s largest coral reef. This underwater wonderland stretches for 2,300 km (1,426 miles) from Bundaberg to Australia's northernmost tip. At its closest, it's only 30 km (18.5 miles) away from the Queensland coast.
The Great Barrier Reef encompasses almost 3,000 individual reefs. Their multicoloured beauty is made up of 400 types of living and dead coral polyps, home to around 1,500 species of fish, 4,000 breeds of clams, 500 types of seaweed, 200 species of birds, 1,500 different sponges and half a dozen varieties of turtles.
The Great Barrier Reef is also dotted with around 900 islands, including coral cays such as Green Island and Heron Island, along with the Whitsundays sand islands. Fringing reefs surround the islands, while the outer reef faces away from the mainland and islands and out to sea.
Latest Reviews All Great Barrier Reef Reviews »
This was a fantastic day and one of our favorite tours we took while in Cairns. My only comment would be that there is NO time to shop in Kuranda because you only have a half hour to get off the train and walk through the town. The helicopter was fantastic...they took you out to the middle of the reef and landed by a snorkeling boat and we were treated as VIP's and were fed a fantastic lunch when we were finished snorkeling. The crew were so nice and helpful!!
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A first class way to visit the reef. The ship was clean and modern, the staff helpful, friendly and knowledgable, a great experience overall. There were many things to do, even for the non-swimmer. We tried scuba for the first time and loved it. Verra was a great guide. She trained us, went at our pace, and even held our hands until she knew we were comfortable. An Excellent adventure! We stayed in Port Douglas after reading that the bus made so many stops along the way to pick up passengers. That was a good experience as well.
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This 2 day package was ideal for our short stay in Cairns.
Day 1. Barrier Reef - Excellent organisation, the staff were friendly and helpful especially Kylie Davies from the Cruise service desk. My daughter and I got our days mixed up, so, on this day we were dressed for the Rainforest, she quickly made arrangements for us to be taken back to our hotel to change into our beach wear. Thanks to Kylie we were able to fulfil our main reason for the trip - to snorkel in the reef and face our fears of the sea. Everything about the day was brilliant, could have done with at least one more hour on the Island.
Day 2. Kuranda, Rainforest – Be prepared for a very full day, also note this package does not include lunch – therefore either purchase something in the short time you have in Kuranda market or take a picnic and eat it in the tranquil Tropical Fruit Orchard of the Rain Forest Station. The train ride up to Kuranda and Skyrail down to Cairns was brilliant and the vista is breathtaking. The rainforest tour guide was very informative; my favourite plant was Hairy Mary. The Zoo keeper was also knowledgeable about the Wildlife. After the Panagirri Aboriginal dancer’s performance, make sure you have a go at the boomerang throwing.
One suggestion I would make to the tour company is for each of the tours to be extended by 1 hour so that there is a little more time on the Green Island and in Kuranda Market.
Practical Info
The best way to experience the Great Barrier Reef is on a snorkeling day cruise from Cairns, Cape Tribulation, Port Douglas or Townsville. The water is at its clearest from April to October. Sightseeing cruises also sail out to sea for a day of fish feeding, reef education and underwater safaris.
