9 Best Tours and Day Trips Around the Great Barrier Reef
Experience the Best of the Great Barrier Reef
Check something marvelous off your bucket list by embarking on tours and day trips around the Great Barrier Reef. You’d never imagine the seemingly dark ocean could be so colorful. And yet, the vibrant coral varieties and the marine species that live among them prove us wrong. But what is the best way to take it all in?
Luckily there are numerous excursions around the Great Barrier Reef that allow you to experience this natural wonder. From helicopter tours over a heart-shaped island to scuba diving through an underwater museum, you won’t believe what’s in store. Read on to find out which are the best tours and day trips around the Great Barrier Reef.
1. Whitehaven Beach and Heart Reef
Called the “whispering sands” by the Ngaro Indigenous Tribe
Categoría: Foto, De aventura
Experience 2 Queensland treasures in 1 trip by touring Whitehaven Beach and Heart Reef together. Heart Reef is a photographer’s dream. Scenic flights take you over the adorable heart-shaped reef with its backdrop of pristine turquoise waters. Because the area is protected, the only way to see it is from the air.
Many tour companies offer a dazzling buzz over Heart Reef and will then include a stop at Whitehaven Beach to complete the day. The beach is located on Whitsunday Island and is known for its soft, white, and famously cool silica sand. Hike up to the Hill Inlet Lookout for another Instagram-worthy scene or stay down on the beach for some sublime swimming.
Ubicación: Whitsundays, QLD 4802, Australia
Whitehaven Beach and Heart Reef
2. Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation tours
The world’s oldest tropical rainforest
Categoría: Foto, De aventura
On a Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulations tour, you can experience sights you might otherwise only see in nature documentaries. Imagine whizzing through the lush canopy on a zipline. Then burst out of the verdant forest to the sandy shores of Cape Tribulation where you can take a boat out to the reef or ride a horse along the shoreline.
There are several companies offering Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation tours. You’ll want to choose one that fits your budget and your level of adventure. Some include fun add-ons like a crocodile cruise or a gourmet lunch. Most include a very informative and entertaining local guide.
Ubicación: 2333 Cape Tribulation Rd, Cape Tribulation, QLD 4873, Australia
Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation tours
3. Green Island
Part of Green Island National Park
Categoría: Familias, Foto
Green Island is an easy and delightful day trip around the Great Barrier Reef. It’s just a 45-minute ferry ride from Cairns. On the island, you can participate in a marine biologist reef talk and guided walk to learn about the area’s amazing biodiversity. Doing so is highly recommended since Green Island is the only sand cay within the Great Barrier Reef that has a rainforest.
Booking with a tour company is recommended if you don’t want to spend all day on the island. Hired boats will take you further out into the water to some of the best snorkeling and scuba destinations, while including a morning or afternoon stopover to Green Island.
Green Island
4. Fitzroy Island
Sunset-watching over Welcome Bay
Categoría: Familias, Foto, De aventura
There are a lot of reasons to spend a day at Fitzroy Island. First off, the tropical island is beautiful and worthy of any Great Barrier Reef itinerary. Part of Fitzroy Island National Park, it’s surrounded by reef and accessible by a 45-minute ferry ride from Cairns. Though it’s not required, it’s a good idea to book your ferry ticket in advance if you’re traveling in peak season.
So, what should you do on Fitzroy Island? Swim, snorkel, kayak, and hike, of course. Dine at one of the island’s 2 restaurants: Zephyr Restaurant and Foxy’s Bar. And you’ll definitely want to take a guided tour of the Turtle Rehabilitation Centre.
Fitzroy Island
5. Low Isles
An idyllic inner reef destination for the day
Categoría: Foto, De aventura
Low Isles is a secluded spot within the inner Great Barrier Reef and makes for a fantastic day trip for snorkeling. Picture two small coral cay islands, Low Isles and Woody Island, surrounded by more than 20 hectares of vibrant, living coral reef of many different species. On the island, don’t miss a photo op at the Low Isles Light, a 19th-century lighthouse that is still active today.
Low Isles is just a 30-minute boat ride from Port Douglas. However, you’ll need to book your transportation in advance. Some of the hire boats also have snorkel gear for rent, so consider that when choosing a company if you don’t have your own gear already.
Low Isles
6. Lady Elliot Island and Mon Repos
A haven for turtles in the southern Great Barrier Reef
Categoría: Familias, Foto
Combine two amazing Great Barrier Reef experiences with a day trip to Lady Elliot Island and Mon Repos. Lady Elliot Island is the reef’s southernmost coral cay. Snorkelers here are delighted by sightings of speckled carpet sharks, green and loggerhead turtles, an abundance of manta rays, and the endemic Lady Elliot shrimp goby.
Mon Repos Conservation Park is on the Woongarra coast near Bundaberg. It’s mostly known for its large concentration of nesting sea turtles. Visiting the Mon Repos Turtle Centre is a can’t-miss attraction in Queensland. Take a guided ranger walk for even more information about the important population of turtles that nest here.
Lady Elliot Island and Mon Repos
7. Townsville & Magnetic Island
Popular destination where fall offers the best weather with fewer tourists
Categoría: Parejas, Foto
Start your day in Townsville before heading to Magnetic Island for a Great Barrier Reef day trip you won’t forget. A big draw is the Museum of Underwater Art, a top snorkel destination that features unbelievable underwater sculptures. Spend the morning hiking up Castle Hill, made of sparkling pink granite, to see the entirety of Townsville, then continue on to Magnetic Island via a 20-minute ferry ride.
Magnetic Island can be quite a romantic destination. With many idyllic bays to hide away in with a picnic and watch the sunset. Hiking through Magnetic Island State Park can take you to scenic viewpoints above the flora where you can see the distant Palm Islands. Talk about a full, enjoyable day.
Townsville & Magnetic Island
8. Museum of Underwater Art
Public art viewable at the John Brewer Reef
Categoría: De aventura, Exótico
At the Museum of Underwater Art, you can learn all about what makes the Great Barrier Reef special, as well as the challenges it faces. But this isn’t a museum with 4 walls and a door. No, like its subject matter, it is also underwater.
The statues are bucketed into 3 main collections: the Ocean Sentinels plus the inner and outer portions of the Coral Greenhouse. The artwork depicts Australian figures who have contributed to marine conservation, geometric structures designed to serve as habitats for marine life, and an above-sea sculpture of an Indigenous girl warning about the warming of the sea, among others. Strap on your scuba or snorkel gear and take in this wondrous place.
Ubicación: John Brewer Reef, Townsville, QLD 4805, Australia
Teléfono: +61 (0)4 9953 5918
Museum of Underwater Art
9. Tangalooma Wrecks
A cluster of 15 wrecked boats
Categoría: Foto, Exótico
For a unique and worthwhile day trip, venture out to see the Tangalooma Wrecks. Don’t worry, the cluster of sunken ships was sunk intentionally to serve as an anchor spot for boaters. The slowly decaying boats make for great photos, especially with the marine life taking over them.
There are numerous ways to see the wrecked ships up close. Snorkeling may be the most popular, but sea scooters are also available if you want to try something more novel. Or you can take a helicopter ride and see them from above. For the best photos of Tangalooma Wrecks, visit at sunset or around low tide.
Ubicación: Port of Brisbane - Tangalooma Wreck, Tangalooma, QLD 4025, Australia
Tangalooma Wrecks
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