On the hunt for the best Great Barrier Reef Tours and not sure what options are out there or how to pick?
We’re not surprised – the Barrier Reef is one of the top bucket list ticks for any Australia trip and there are heaps of options to choose from. Day trips, dive boats, dive courses, scenic flights…a combination of them…it’s all on offer!
So to help you decide which Great Barrier Reef tour is best for you here’s a run down of the options and our personal favourites…
The Best Great Barrier Reef Tours – Which Should You Pick?
Great Barrier Reef Snorkelling
From $140
Great Barrier Reef snorkelling tours are by far the most popular ways to see the Barrier Reef – which run out of Cairns daily (weather permitting!) and these are the best choice for those on a limited time frame but also those looking for a budget friendly way to check out the barrier reef too.
Our personal favourite for is a Great Barrier Reef day trip with the Deep Sea Divers Den – with their snorkel package coming in at $140AUD, which is great value for money.
You’ll kick back on their beautiful and spacious boat, enjoy unlimited snorkelling at a variety of dive sites and feast on their lunchtime buffet.
If you’re looking for something even more memorable and have a bit of extra budget to play with then the “Get High & Dive Package” is the way to go.
This epic day trip includes unlimited snorkelling, an introductory scuba dive and even a scenic helicopter flight back to Cairns – it doesn’t get much more action packed than that!
Diving The Great Barrier Reef – Day Trips
From $210
For anyone interested in scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef holds heaps of appeal. For experienced divers it’s a huge bucket list tick and it’s also the ideal place to try scuba diving for the first time with an introductory scuba dive.
Again our pick of the bunch is with Deep Sea Divers Den who have a great range of dive moorings to choose from, a friendly crew and even an underwater photographer who’ll help snap your next Facebook profile picture next to Nemo!
Their dive trips include all gear, however we strongly recommend paying the extra for a dive guide – you’ll get even more out of your time underwater.
For those looking for an introductory scuba dive their crew of experienced and certified instructors will teach you all the basics needed to be safe under the ocean and guide you around. With a max depth of 12m it’s the perfect way to test out if scuba diving is for you and discover some of the amazing marine life that calls this part of Australia home.
Learn To Scuba Dive On The Great Barrier Reef & Cairns
From $599
And of course if scuba diving is something you’re really keen on why not learn to scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef and do your open water dive course in Cairns, as well as ticking off a Great Barrier Reef tour?
For those on a tighter budget you can complete your course based out of Cairns which takes 4 days and includes 2 Great Barrier Reef tours, complete with diving.
But if you want to go all out why not combine it with a 1 or 2 night Barrier Reef live aboard and spend a couple of nights on the reef?
Either way you’ll work your way through the theory lessons, written exam and pool skills before putting your knowledge into practice with the open water modules.
On successful completion you’ll be a fully certified open water scuba diver with a world recognised certification!
Yewwwwww!
Diving The Great Barrier Reef – Liveaboards
From $560
For those already certified scuba divers and wanting to make the most of their time in Cairns a Great Barrier Reef Dive Liveaboard is the ultimate option – allowing you to squeeze in even more dives and even some night diving too.
Trust us, jumping into the water with a torch and surrounded by reef sharks is something you’ll never forget for all the right reasons!
Sure it’s not the most budget friendly of all the Great Barrier Reef tours on offer, but it’s certainly the way to go if you want to pack in heaps of diving!
If you’re really serious about diving and have the budget then a longer trip out to the Cod Hole and Ribbon Reefs is well worth the splash (pun intended!) where you’ll discover pristine dive sites, less crowds and a whole array of incredible marine life – including the famous Giant Potato Cod.
Scenic Flight Over The Great Barrier Reef
From $249
Don’t fancy getting wet or looking for some alternative Great Barrier Reef tours that check out this natural wonder from a different perspective? Well a scenic flight over the Great Barrier Reef will pack your camera full of incredible photos and give you a whole new appreciation of the vast size of this natural wonder.
From a quick scenic helicopter flight to a a longer scenic aeroplane flight there are a number of options for all time frames and budgets.
Keep your eyes peeled for manta rays cruising along the currents, turtles chilling on the reefs and of course the annual whale migration too.
Skydive Over The Great Barrier Reef
From $275
If you like your day trips with a bit more adrenaline then why not take in views across the reef from a skydive at Mission Beach?
Available as a day trip from Cairns or of course from Mission Beach itself, it’s the most popular jump zone in Australia for a reason!
With a guaranteed beach landing and stunning views across the coastline, ocean and reef this is certainly one of our favourite bucket list items that the East Coast has to offer!
Comments