Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef had been on my bucket list for so long. As soon as we decided we would be taking a trip to Australia, I just had to make it happen! We spent quite a few days in the Whitsundays in Queensland and one of those days was spent at the Great Barrier Reef. This is everything you need to know for a day trip to the Great Barrier Reef from the Whitsundays in Australia.
About the Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the largest reef system on earth. It’s not only one of the seven natural wonders of the world, but it’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an endangered one at that. More than half of the Great Barrier Reef (which stretches for more than 1,400 miles) is already dead or badly damaged and it’s likely that it will never recover. This is mostly because of a rise in sea temperatures which has killed much of the coral.
The Great Barrier Reef consists of thousands of different reefs and you’ll find all kinds of living creatures here: fish, turtles, whales, corals, and more! We saw so many different types of fish while we were snorkeling that we lost count. All of the colorful fish and coral make the Great Barrier Reef one of the most exciting places for snorkeling.
Choosing a Tour Company
There are tons of tour companies that you can choose from. You can do day tours or overnight tours, a snorkeling or a scuba diving trip, or you can even just do a helicopter ride to see the Great Barrier Reef from above. I would suggest a day trip where you can go snorkeling or diving as I think it’s one of the best ways to experience the Reef up close and personal. However, whichever tour you choose to do, it’s guaranteed to be the experience of a lifetime.
Our tour was with Cruise Whitsundays and I would highly recommend them to anyone booking a tour! We met at the Port of Airlie early in the morning for our tour but Cruise Whitsundays does provide transportation from your hotel if needed. Our tour cost $279 AUD (about $180 USD) and included the boat ride to and from the Reef, snacks on the way there and back, an amazing lunch, snorkeling gear, and various activities while we were at the Reef.
Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef
Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef was a once in a lifetime experience and by far the highlight of my time in Australia. We had a long boat ride out to the Reef and the waters on the way out were anything but calm! But, as soon as we made it there we couldn’t wait to get in the water. After snorkeling for a few hours we were even able to take a semi-submarine to see the Reef from a different perspective.
Extra activities available with a Cruise Whitsundays day tour:
- Introductory Scuba Dive
- Certified Scuba Dive
- Underwater Observatory
- Semi-Submarine
- Group Snorkel Safari
- Heli-Scenic Flight
Some of these activities are free and some are available at an extra charge. You also have the option of cruising out to the Reef on the ship and then flying back on a helicopter. Professional souvenir photos are available for a small charge and in my opinion they were definitely worth it!
After snorkeling, partaking in a few of the extra activities, enjoying a great lunch onboard, and then snorkeling a second time, we finally headed back to Port of Airlie at the end of the day. The cruise back was not fun for a lot of people as the waters were very rough and everyone seemed to be seasick. Make sure you take some medicine for motion sickness before you head out even if you don’t typically get sick!
Tips for Visiting the Great Barrier Reef
- Make sure to use reef safe sunscreen. You’ll definitely want to use sunscreen while you’re there but you don’t want to harm the Reef in doing so!
- Take motion sickness pills before you go. Trust me on this one. The waters can get very rough especially on the way back. I don’t think there was a single person on our boat that wasn’t feeling sick when we went.
- Book your tour with Cruise Whitsundays. Our experience with them was amazing, all of our guides were awesome, and the food was great!
- Bring a GoPro or an underwater camera. You’ll definitely want to take tons of pictures of all the colorful coral and fish while you’re snorkeling.
- Look but don’t touch! Admire the Reef from afar but avoid touching it as it can cause harm. Even just touching a coral can kill it.
Is snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef on your bucket list? Share in a comment below!
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Don’t forget to check out these other posts:
- Why You Should Plan a Trip to Australia
- Traveling As a Couple
- The Best Airbnb’s I’ve Stayed In
- Road Trip Essentials and Tips
Would love to have and see some road landscapes – we don’t get much road trip here in Australia! Loved watching the new posts and so happy it did well!