Reef Cruises and Great Barrier Reef Trips
THERE ARE SOME VERY GOOD SPECIALS FOR REEF TRIPS AND LEARN TO SCUBA DIVE COURSES FOR SOME MONTHS
Live aboard snorkel and dive trips - Sleep a night or more at the reef Helicopter reef trips - Fly by helicopter to or from the reef Great Barrier Reef Sailing cruises - 1, 2 or 3 day trips sailing the reef Great Barrier Reef Tour Specials of the month
Save $100 per adult on an over night snorkel or scuba dive excursion to the Great Barrier Reef – valid until 29 February 2012. Now $300 per adult snorkeller and $350 per adult scuba diver. Twin share cabin with ensuite.
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Cairns Live aboard Trips to the Great Barrier Reef
Cairns live aboard is the option whereby you can turn your reef cruise into an overnight reef trip and “live aboard”. These types of reef trips can vary from one night to seven nights in length. This is a popular way for snorkelers and scuba divers to see the best of the Great Barrier Reef. You can see more reef and more pristine reefs if you go on a Cairns live aboard compared to a day trip to the reef. On a Cairns live aboard reef trip you should be willing and able to either snorkel or scuba dive, because that is the main purpose of the trip. |
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Cairns Helicopter Tours to the Reef
Helicopter reef trips suit people who want to see the most amount of reef in as short a time as possible. There are scenic flights to the reef from Cairns which are 30 minutes in length, and there are half day trips to the reef which leave after lunch, allow time for snorkelling or scuba diving, and you can cruise back to Cairns from the reef that same day. It takes around 15 – 20 minutes to fly each way from Cairns to the reef. There is various times at which you can fly to and from the reef each day. |
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Cairns Snorkelling and Scuba Diving Trips to the Reef
A one day snorkelling or scuba diving trip to the reef is overall the most popular type of Cairns reef trip. This involves taking a fast catamaran or a sailing trip generally to an outer reef location, (some times up to three sites in a day) and snorkelling or scuba diving from the back of the boat. On this type of reef trip you should be willing and able to either snorkel or scuba dive, because that is the main purpose of the trip. All outer reef cruises take the whole day because the trip to the reef by boat takes around one and a half hours each way. The reef cruises generally depart at between 7.30am – 8.30am and return between 4.30pm – 5.30pm. |
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Cairns Great Barrier Reef Pontoon Tours
The Great Barrier Reef Pontoon tours are ideal for people who want to see the reef but perhaps someone travelling in their group is unable or unwilling to snorkel or scuba dive. From the pontoons, one can see the reef through an under water observatory, semi submarine coral viewing tour, glass bottom boat tour, snorkelling or scuba diving and in some cases, by under water helmet diving or an under water motorised bike. The pontoon tours depart daily from Cairns at between 9am – 10.30am (which is later than the outer reef cruises) and they each visit their very own floating, multi-level pontoon at the Great Barrier Reef, and return at around 5pm. |
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Great Barrier Reef Island Cruises
Great Barrier Reef Island cruises are ideal for people who want a shorter boat ride to the reef, and are also ideal for people who want to see the reef but perhaps someone travelling in their group is unable or unwilling to snorkel or scuba dive. The islands on the reef off the coast of Cairns are easily accessed, with regular departures and cruise itself generally taking less than an hour’s travel time. The advantages of island tours is that the cruise is shorter and you can get off the boat onto solid ground if you are feeling sea sick, and in the case of Green Island trips there is a choice of departure times, and once you get to the island, there is an under water observatory, semi submarine coral viewing tour, glass bottom boat tour there are optional helicopter, sea plane and under water helmet diving tours available. The disadvantages of island tours is that you are only seeing a glimpse of what the Great Barrier Reef is all about. The islands are all located on the inner reefs of Cairns and you are likely to see a better variety of corals and marine life at the outer reefs. |
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