We’re avid snorkellers and divers, but our backyard waters off Sydney just don’t have the same “wow” factor as the tropical Coral Sea off the coast of Queensland. That’s why we make the pilgrimage up to Queensland at least once a year to explore different parts of the 348,000 square kilometres that make up the Great Barrier Reef.
We’re so lucky to have this UNESCO World Heritage pretty much our doorstep. Okay, it’s still a flight away from Sydney for us, but we’re grateful to be able to access the reef in just two or three hours.
Over the years, we’ve checked it out in a range of different ways, and still have plenty more unique experiences on our bucket list. So, even if you’re not a diver, there’s still many ways to explore the Great Barrier Reef.
Liveaboard diving trips
Where is it? Most trips depart from Cairns, but there are a few departing Townsville, too.
Best for: Divers and snorkellers (however divers get the best experience as they can also experience the reef at night)
Price: From $659 per person
We took our first liveaboard trip from Cairns back in 2012 and there’s been no looking back. Since then, we’ve returned for many repeat trips, trying a few different vessels along the way.
Perfect for those looking to do multiple days of diving or snorkelling, these trips save loads of time on the return 1.5- to 2-hour journey to and from the mainland of each day. Prices also include accommodation and all meals while onboard, which works out cheaper than booking multiple day trips plus paying for somewhere to stay and food back in town.
The best bit? Liveaboards let you dive the Great Barrier Reef at night. Yep. You read that right! Armed with a waterproof torch, certified divers can jump into the waters after dark for a truly bucket-list experience on the reef. If you’re not certified, you can do that out on one of these boat too.
✅ We did this quite a few times since 2012 on a few different boats! Read more about it:
Book a full-day sailing trip around the Whitsunday Islands
Where is it? Airlie Beach, with day trips also available from resort islands like Hamilton Island.
Best for: Classic tropical island experience, with island views, beautiful beaches and snorkelling in one trip
Price: From $188 per person
For an idyllic combination of beaches and reefs, head to the Whitsunday Islands. About 600km south of Cairns, this chain of 74 islands sits between the mainland and the Great Barrier Reef and has plenty of fringing coral around many of the islands. Hop on a day trip from Airlie Beach and explore the best of the region; that usually means Hill Inlet, Whitehaven Beach and a snorkel spot or two.
We will admit, compared to the outer reef (which you’ll visit on most trips from Cairns), the visibility tends to not be quite as good. But it’s still a great day, guaranteed.
We’ve done day trips in the Whitsunday Islands twice, once with Ocean Rafting and, more recently, with Providence, a classic schooner. But plenty of other sailing options are available, including boats that are much steadier on the water. This type of boat does tend to rock around quite a bit if there are heavier swells, so may not be a great option for young kids or anyone with mobility issues.
✅ We did this!
Sleep at sea aboard a multi-day trip
Where is it? Airlie Beach
Best for: Being rocked to sleep beneath a starlit sky
Price: From $489 per person
The perfect combination of a liveaboard and a day trip, these adventures also in the Whitsunday Islands are a poorly kept secret that many backpackers have been in on for years. Surprisingly affordable, overnight sailings (ranging from one to three nights, usually) are a great way to explore what’s above the water and below it, and enjoy the incredible display of stars best seen offshore.
There’s a few different options here, too. Backpacker-style adventures aboard boats like Powerplay (which we went on more than a decade ago!) or Atlantic Clipper, private catamaran trips or the unique Reef Sleep option where you’ll essentially be camping on the deck of a pontoon in the middle of the sea.
✅ We did a multi-day sailing, but are yet to try Reef Sleep!
Escape to an island resort
Where is it? Various locations
Best for: Private island escapes
Price: From $7.50 per person
You don’t need to leave the country to escape to a small, pristine island surrounded by turquoise waters and coral reef. Usually on postcards of Fiji or the Maldives, these types of islands are scattered throughout the Great Barrier Reef too. From Lady Elliot Island in the south to Lizard Island in the north, these one-resort islands also come in a nice range of budgets, too. Heck, you can even go camping on Lady Musgrave Island from just $7.50 per night! Getting there, though, is another thing…
Read more about them, or book a stay at these island resorts:
- Lady Elliot Island: Book directly with the hotel
- Heron Island: Book directly with the hotel | Agoda | Booking.com | Expedia
- Green Island: Book directly with the hotel | Agoda | Booking.com | Expedia
- Fitzroy Island: Book directly with the hotel | Agoda | Booking.com | Expedia
- Lizard Island: Book directly with the hotel | Agoda | Expedia
- Lady Musgrave Island: Book via Queensland National Parks’ website
🔜 We haven’t been to any of the Great Barrier Reef island resorts yet, but it’s on our list!
Fly high above it with a scenic flight
Where is it? Airlie Beach, Townsville, Cairns or Port Douglas
Best for: Non-swimmers
Price: From $239 per person
Probably the most extravagant on this list, yet not the most expensive, a scenic flight over the Great Barrier Reef certainly hits the “wow” factor we’ve been talking about.
… but it’s what’s underwater that you want to see here, right?
Not always! The endless hues of blue, patterns the reefs make in the water and, if the season is right, breaching whales make the views of the reef from above totally different to what you’d see when diving into the sea.
You can usually book either just the scenic flight or a combined trip of both a boat-based tour plus a helicopter flight to see the best of both worlds.
Tip: Want to see the iconic heart-shaped reef? Then do a scenic flight from Airlie Beach. This part of the reef is in the Whitsundays, not Cairns.
🔜 We haven’t done a scenic flight over the Great Barrier Reef, but it’s on our list!
Check out an underwater art gallery
Where is it? Townsville (also accessible from Magnetic Island)
Best for: Unique snorkel and diving experiences
Price: From $394 per person
If seeing the Great Barrier Reef alone wasn’t enough, this unique spot off the coast of Townsville adds a creative element to the experience.
After years of planning, The Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA) was installed in 2019 and opened a year later. It’s designed to be an ever-changing exhibit, the Guinness World Record-holding structures placed underwater are designed to be taken over by the sea. Plants, corals and sea creatures will slowly call the pieces home and change the texture, colour and, eventually, shape of each item placed.
🔜 We haven’t seen MOUA yet, but it’s on our list!
