About this tour
Spend seven hours exploring Australia's Great Barrier Reef aboard a fast catamaran from Cairns, with three hours on an anchored pontoon platform. Snorkel the coral gardens, peer through the underwater observatory, or take a semi-submersible tour without getting wet. The day peaks with a ten-minute scenic helicopter flight over the reef. A hot and cold buffet lunch, morning and afternoon tea fuel the adventure. Non-swimmers and swimmers find equal appeal here—choose your level of engagement with the marine environment.
Highlights
- Ten-minute helicopter flight over the reef
- Snorkel live coral and tropical fish from the platform
- Underwater observatory and glass-bottom semi-submersible viewing
- Hot and cold buffet lunch with prawns included
- Optional 2-hour Green Island rainforest and beach stop
- Snorkel gear, vests, and instruction all provided
- Suitable for non-swimmers and all fitness levels
What to expect
You'll board a fast catamaran in Cairns for the journey to the Outer Reef platform—an anchored facility where you spend three hours. Gear up and enter the water at your own pace; the reef drops away in vibrant hard and soft corals, schools of tropical fish, and occasional larger marine life. Prefer staying dry? The underwater observatory descends below the platform, and the semi-submersible vessel glides you through the shallows with windows at water level. Between snorkelling sessions, grab tea or lunch from the buffet. Late afternoon, you board the helicopter for a brief but striking aerial perspective of the reef's patterns and colours before returning to Cairns by catamaran.
Good to know
Book the optional Green Island extension in advance; it costs extra but adds rainforest walks and clearer snorkelling waters. If you plan to dive, wait 12 hours before the helicopter flight, or 24 hours if doing multiple dives. Hotel transfers aren't included—arrange your own to the Cairns departure point. Snorkelling can be tiring; tell crew about any health concerns.
Tour sold and operated by its supplier via Viator. Descriptions on this page are original BugBitten summaries, not copied from the operator. Prices and availability are confirmed at checkout.