The Great Barrier Reef is on many people’s bucket list when visiting Queensland. And why wouldn’t it be? Throughout the area, you can laze on stunning Queensland beaches, enjoy plenty of water sports, snorkel or dive into the coral reefs and stay in first class resort accommodation in this pristine part of Australia.
So how can you visit the Great Barrier Reef? In this post, I’m going to cover some of the best options for discovering the Great Barrier Reef. No matter if you are a solo traveller, in a couple, with friends or visiting the Great Barrier Reef with kids, one of the best ways is to undertake a day trip to visit the Great Barrier Reef.
There are different types of day trips too. You could go on a day trip cruising over the reef. Perhaps a visit to an island for the day. Go on a flight in a plane or helicopter. Or maybe you want to spend time in the water snorkelling or diving the reef seeing the coral and maybe a Nemo (clownfish) or two! There are many tours so you can experience the Great Barrier Reef your preferred way.
Some great Great Barrier Reef Trips
Best for divers: SS Yongala Wreck ex-Townsville
Fly to see the outer reef including ‘the coral heart’: Outer Edges Flights ex-Cairns
Spend a day on Green Island: Green Island Full-day Snorkelling or Glass Bottom Boat ex-Cairns
A Day Sailing the Whitsundays: Full-day sailing around the Whitsundays ex-AirlieBeach
Table of Contents
About the Great Barrier Reef – Things to know before you go
map of Queensland showing where Great Barrier Reef lies
Where is the Great Barrier Reef?
The Great Barrier Reef stretches over 2,300 kilometres (1,400 miles) along the Queensland coastline from Bundaberg to Port Douglas. See on my map. This makes it one of the largest reef systems in the world.
What is the Great Barrier Reef?
The Great Barrier Reef is a marine park. It is made up of some 3000 individual reef systems, 600 continental islands, 150 mangroves, 300 coral cays and home to some 1,625 species of fish. It’s one of the largest reef ecosystems in the world and, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It is officially recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site. No wonder why, when visiting Queensland, a visit to the Great Barrier Reef is a must!
What is the best time to visit the Great Barrier Reef?
In general, Queensland is a state closer to the Tropical of Capricorn making it better to visit during the winter months, or dry season – May to October. Days are often warm and dry during this time. During the warmer months, there can be a lot of rain and a cyclone or two. It can also be very humid. And usually things are cheaper and less crowds.
The dry season is considered the best time to visit because there are fewer dangerous jellyfish, less rain and better visibility for snorkelling and diving.
How do you get to the Great Barrier Reef?
If coming from overseas you will probably fly into a major city along the Queensland coastline. Even locals will probably fly into a major city if they haven’t driven or taken a bus or train. You can drive yourself along the Bruce Highway linking Brisbane to Cairns. This is a great road trip. As the Great Barrier Reef lies offshore, you will then take a boat to spend your day on the reef.
How long to spend on the Great Barrier Reef?
This will depend on you. This post is about day trips to discover the Great Barrier Reef which could be part of a longer holiday somewhere in Queensland, like a week in Cairns.
What are the Best Ways to See the Great Barrier Reef?
Once in a gateway city, there are four ways to discover the Great Barrier Reef.
- Liveaboard tours – Multi-day diving and snorkeling trips where you live aboard a boat. Check out this Reef sleep if interested to sleep aboard a boat overnight on the reef.
- Stay on an island – there are a number of islands in the reef you can stay at. Fitzroy Island, Lizard Island and Hamilton Island.
- Scenic flights – Helicopter or small plane tours for aerial views of the reef.
- Day trips – This is the best way to visit the Great Barrier Reef and this is what this post is about. Boats take you to outer reef pontoons, islands or diving/snorkeling sites to discover the reef.
Best Day Trips to Discover the Great Barrier Reef
Although the reef stretches along most of Queenslands coastline, there are three regions making it easy to visit the Great Barrier Reef. They are Cairns, Whitsundays and Townsville.
Day Trips from Cairns to the Great Barrier Reef
Cairns is top of my list as a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. Cairns is a mere 10 minute drive from the Cairns airport and has plenty of different styles of accommodation available. You can check out options here. People often spend at least a week in Cairns as there is plenty to see and do including a visit to the reef. There are a number of tour operators offering great day trips to the Great Barrier Reef.
My top day trip pick ex-Cairns: Day trip to Green Island for snorkelling or glass bottom boat.
Day Trips from Whitsundays to the Great Barrier Reef
The Whitsundays are a collection of 74 islands known for pristine white-sand beaches, crystal-clear waters, vibrant marine life, and luxurious resorts. The region is home to diverse wildlife, including sea turtles, manta rays, dolphins, and even migrating humpback whales (July–September).
Airlie Beach is the mainland gateway to the Whitsunday Islands. Airlie Beach has many accommodation options, a great nightlife scene, lagoon-style swimming pools and is great for solo travellers to families. You can organise day trips from the tour operators here for island-hopping tours, helicopter flights and boat trips to the reef.
My top day trip pick: Flight over Whitsundays and outer Great Barrier Reef seeing ‘the Heart’
Day Trips from Townsville to the Great Barrier Reef
Last on my list of best places to take a day trip to the Great Barrier Reef is Townsville. As one of the largest regional cities in Queensland, Townsville is a great place to base yourself for trips to the reef. As well as great fishing, snorkelling and diving there are a number of includes you could visit: Hinchinbrook Island, Orpheus Island, Palm Island, and Magnetic Island.
The easiest one to visit is Magnetic Island, a 20 minute ferry from Townsville. Magnetic Island is known for its koala population. So if you want to see koalas in trees – this could be the place!
Diving enthusiasts may want to dive the SS Yongala Wreck. This wreck is widely considered one of the best wreck dives in the world. Sunk in a 1911 cyclone, this 110-metre ship lies in 16–28 meters of water, offering spectacular marine life, including giant gropers, turtles, rays, and sharks. You can book your dive trip to dive the SS Yongala here.
My top day trip picks: Magnetic Island Koala Encounter
Are You Ready to Discover the Great Barrier Reef on a Day Trip?
0 Comments