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The Great Barrier Reef, one of the wonders of the world, is the largest coral reef system on the planet. Located off the northeastern coast of Australia, more than 2 million people visit the area to witness and experience all the nature adventure it has to offer. With about 3,000 coral reefs, 600 continental islands, and 300 coral cays, the Great Barrier Reef is one stunning marine park. The beauty does not end with the reef, as there are also amazing beaches and lush rainforests that surround the reef.
Cairns and Port Douglas are two of the most popular destinations if you want to experience the Great Barrier Reef. Cairns is considered as the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. A one-hour drive from Cairns is Port Douglas, which is a popular place to enjoy beach holidays.
The reef is so huge and there are a lot of things to do there. If you are having a challenging time choosing where to start, Cairns and Port Douglas are our best pick.
Here are some Great Barrier Reef tours to consider to help you get started:
Sunlover Reef Cruises
Sunlover Reef Cruises offers daily trips to enjoy an adventure-filled day at the reef. Sunlover Reef Cruises offers one of the best Great Barrier Reef Tours where tourists get a whole day of reef ventures. The cruise offers 40 kilometers onboard an air-conditioned catamaran, which will bring you to 4-hours of fun at the outer reef pontoon. It has a guided coral viewing from its semi-submersible vessel and glass bottom boat, an onboard touch tank, fully enclosed kids pool, underwater observatory, and a theme-park style water slide. It also provides snorkeling enclosure with rest and view stations, with snorkeling equipment and expert instruction included.
Reef Magic Cruises
Also departing from Cairns is Reef Magic Cruises, which provides private access to a breathtaking coral reef location that has pristine clear water, coral quality, and diverse marine life. Its catamaran has a semi-submersible reef viewer, glass-bottom boat, and underwater observatory. It also offers a relaxing massage therapy while enjoying the heat of the tropical sun on its spacious deck.
Passions of Paradise
A tour with Passions of Paradise will take you to two unique outer reef locations onboard a 25-meter high-performance catamaran. The trip will enable you to enjoy a swim with turtles, colorful fishes, and various corals. It offers a free guided snorkeling tour with all snorkeling equipment provided, a tropical buffet lunch, and a relaxing time at its upper deck or netted deck trampoline at the bow of the boat.
Quicksilver Cruises
From the Reef Marina in Port Douglas, Quicksilver Cruises’ Wavepiercing Catamaran will take you to Agincourt Reef at the very outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef where you can enjoy a wide range of activities. You can dive and snorkel and experience the abundant marine life at the pontoon. But if you’re not a swimmer, Quicksilver’s semi-submersible and underwater submersible will surely enable you to still enjoy the breathtaking view of the reef.
Read: One Week in New Zealand: What to See and Do?
Reef Sprinter
Just 15 minutes from Port Douglas, Reef Sprinter will take you to enjoy the Low Isles instead of the outer reef. You can have 1.5 hours of fun snorkeling and swimming among the colourful marine life and coral formations and then head back to the port. This tour is perfect for those who don’t find it appealing to spend a whole day out in the sea. Reef Sprinter also has a glass-bottom boat, so you can still enjoy the breathtaking view of the Great Barrier Reef without having to swim.
The Great Barrier Reef is truly a place of natural wonders, and there’s so much to try and experience here. Starting with the reef tours would be a great introduction to adventures one can do in this place.