One of the highlights of visiting Australia is a trip to the Great Barrier Reef, the largest living thing on earth. It stretches over 1400 miles and contains over 1500 species of fish. June through October are the best months to visit the reef as there is less rainfall and thus clearer waters. Port Douglas and Cairns are popular spots to catch a catamaran out to the reef.
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Visa for Australia
In order to visit Australia as a US Citizen (and many other countries), you need a visa to enter. I recommend buying one through iVisa prior to visiting so it will be one less thing you have to worry about.
Where to Go When Visiting the Great Barrier Reef
The first major decision you must make is how you would like to visit the Great Barrier Reef. Visitors can choose to see the reef by air via seaplane or helicopter, by sea vessel via submarine or various boats, or by actually getting in the water via snorkeling, scuba diving, or helmet diving (a helmet that enables you to breathe).
Next, choose which part of the reef you would like to visit. The inner part of the reef is much quicker to get to and more easily accessible. However, this part of the reef may not have as much coral and might be busier. The outer reef is a minimum two-hour journey each way, but you will see a lot more fish and sections of coral. Also, the only people at the site will be the people part of your tour.
How We Visited the Great Barrier Reef
We opted to depart from Port Douglas and to visit the outer reef. There are many tour companies to choose from. I recommend one that has multiple activities for you to partake in while out on the reef. We used Quicksilver Tours because it took us to the outer reef and included everything needed for snorkeling (mask, snorkel, life jacket, lycra suit), a semi-submersible ride, a viewing platform, and lunch. They also had the option (for an extra fee) of going on a snorkel tour with a biologist, scuba dive (introductory and certified), helmet dive, and a scenic helicopter flight.
Our excursion began at the dock in Port Douglas. We boarded a catamaran and were served tea and coffee. Once everyone was boarded and settled we spent about two hours gliding through choppy waters to get to the outer reef. During this time, the marine biologists gave a presentation about the reef. You could also use this time to sign up for any optional activities you wanted to partake in. We decided to sign up for the introductory snorkel tour with the marine biologists.
Activities at the Reef
Upon arrival at the reef, it was up to you to figure out how to spend your time. We opted to first see the reef in the semi-submersible. We got a spectacular first look at the reef through the windows. Then, we grabbed some lunch to ensure we had time to digest before our snorkel tour. Prior to our snorkel tour, we picked out our lycra suits, mask, and fins. The lycra suits help protect you from jellyfish stings and from bumping into the coral. We also were able to get wetsuits for our snorkel tour.
The snorkel tour lasted about 45 minutes. Our guide explained to us about the different types of coral and pointed out the various wish. We were even able to see a clownfish in a sea anemone. I had met my goal of finding Nemo! The water was very choppy, which made it hard to snorkel. I would put my head underwater and then find myself 20 feet away from where I started.
Next time, I would opt to not do the snorkel tour. It was hard to hear the guide and I felt it was not worth the amount of money we paid. However, I did like the use of the wetsuit and felt more comfortable snorkeling having a guide.
After the snorkel tour, we had some free time to snorkel around the reef. I liked that everything was roped off, so you could not accidentally be pushed out further into the ocean. They also had a chart to show where jellyfish were so you did not swim into them and get stung.
We had time to change out of our swimsuits before reboarding the catamaran. It was then another choppy two-hour journey back to Port Douglas. During this time, there were some pictures and other souvenirs for sale. Overall, I was very content with the tour we chose. I felt it was worth the price we paid and felt the staff was very attentive. I would highly recommend taking the journey out to the outer reef.
There is no “cheap” way to visit the reef. However, if you have the time and a flexible schedule, you can wait to book your tour once you arrive at your destination. You can save a few dollars by doing this, but run the risk of all tours
Teacher Tip: Remember to wear reef-safe sunscreen and do NOT touch the coral. We were instructed to stay 5 feet away from it at all times. It is up to us to help preserve our natural wonders.
