My recent article about diving the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns during a weekend received many visits and good feedback. I also received many questions from my friends who were planning a trip up there. Many of them were asking about the best place to dive the Great Barrier Reef. I travel to the Reef a few times in different ways and talk to people a lot about scuba diving. These tips are based on my personal experience and recommendations from fellow scuba divers.
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For many travellers, a scuba diving Great Barrier Reef holidays = Cairns. Although it is the main and most accessible gateway to the Reef, Cairns is not the only place from where you can scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef.
Indeed, the Great Barrier Reef is composed of 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometres. So the area near Cairns is only a tiny portion of it! You can read more fun facts about the Great Barrier Reef here.
Based on personal experiences, this article aims toĀ open more destinations to visitors organising a trip to the Great Barrier Reef, rather than just the usual Cairns or Port Douglas getaways. Here are some suggestions of a few destinations (from South to North) that are often mentioned as the best place to scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef. Jump to the end for the cost comparison.
Responsible travel tip: Did you know that your sunscreen could harm the fragile ecosystem of the coral reef? It’s essential to be mindful of what you’re applying to your skin when snorkelling or swimming near the reef. The best way to protect your skin from the sun is to cover up with long sleeves and pants. If you must use sunscreen, choose a mineral-based one to avoid harmful substances (see the full list here). Mineral ingredients are less harmful to the environment and provide excellent protection. Apply the sunscreen at least 20 minutes before entering the water to ensure maximum effectiveness.
Why Cairns is not the best place to dive the Great Barrier Reef
I’m not saying you shouldn’t travel to Cairns to scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef. I’ve been there a few times and enjoyed my trips. You’ll even find it on the list below.
However, it’s where most people go and you may want to escape the crowd and have a different experience. The Reef you’ll see in Cairns isn’t better than the one you can see elsewhere on the following list. And a trip to Cairns isn’t always the cheapest option to visit the Great Barrier Reef if you’re coming from Brisbane!
Scuba diving in Australia? Check out this awesome list of the best scuba diving sites on the East Coast!
Lady Elliott Island (from Hervey Bay or Brisbane)
The trip to this small private island is not for budget travellers, but it’s one of the best Great Barrier Reef scuba diving trips I’ve done.
The scenic flight, departing from Brisbane or Hervey Bay, will cost you more than a return flight to Cairns.Ā Still, for those who can afford it, Lady Elliot Island marine attractions are hard to beat:
- the transparent lagoon is perfect for snorkelling
- the island welcomes turtles nesting and hatching
- in the deeper water, you can snorkel and dive with manta rays all year-round
Read my article about Lady Elliot Island for more information.
Lady Musgrave Island (from the town of 1770 or Bundaberg)
You can only be mesmerised when you see a photo of Lady Musgrave Island and its 3,000 hectares of surrounding reefs. Plus, it’s easier to access than Lady Elliot as you can go there by boat, so the price for a day trip drops (but it’s still pricey).
Don’t expect to explore the entire lagoon during your day trip there. The area open to visitors coming with the commercial boats is very limited, and it’s good to protect the lagoon. If you choose to scuba dive Lady Musgrave Island – which I highly recommend, go to the outer reef. When we meet divers that were disappointed by Lady Musgrave Island, they stayed in the lagoon.
Click here to read my article about our experience scuba diving Lady Musgrave Island.
Heron Island (from Gladstone)
Heron Island is another pricey option to visit the reef, but it’s worth spending the extra dollars. Plus, if you drive up there from Brisbane instead of flying, it becomes really affordable.
I did my first dive ever on this island, on one of Cousteau’s favourite sites in the world (Cousteau invented scuba diving – view his top 10 dive sites here).
After a three-hour boat transfer, you’ll arrive on a small and cosy island. Scuba diving is fantastic. Plus, there is a wreck that you can access from the shore which makes a fun snorkelling spot! And if you visit it at the right time, it can even be a lot of fun and marine life encounters without getting wet! Turtles come to shore for nesting and baby sharks come in very shallow waters so you can spot them while walking on the beach or on the jetty.
Click here to read my full article on Heron Island
During the peak season, Heron Island is often booked out. You can check availability here*, and make sure you book early!
SS Yongala (Townsville)
This dive is often on the list of the world’s best dives and some people state it’s the best wreck dive in the world.
The corals and the marine life that cover the shipwreck are incredible. It is one of my favourite dive sites in the world.
The wreck is 14-28m below the surface, so it’s better for Advanced divers and you’ll stay longer down there if you dive with Nitrox. Those who are only certified Open Water Divers will need to complete the Deep Dive training during their first dive on the wreck.
The boat trip from Townsville takes 3 hours but it is only a 30-minute boat ride from Ayr.
Click here to read my full article and view the video of our dive at the SS Yongala wreck
The Whitsundays
Most tours take you around the Whitsundays Islands and allow you to snorkel there. I did that, and the quality wasn’t comparable to the Great Barrier Reef level. If you want to experience the Great Barrier Reef while you’re in the Whitsundays, you need to go to the Outer Reef with a dedicated snorkelling and diving tour. That’s a great combo to enjoy the beauty of the Whitsundays and tick the Great Barrier Reef off the bucket list, in just one trip.
I made this trip during my first visit to Australia. The three-hour boat transfer to Reefworld pontoon was a beautiful journey sight-seeing the Whitsundays. I had a great day full of options to explore Hardy Reef: diving, snorkelling, semi-submersible cruising, flying (to see the famous heart reef!)… I wasn’t as experienced as nowadays so I stuck to snorkelling and saw my first turtle ever. The semi-submersible and the underwater observatory are awesome for those who want to stay dry.
However, Reefworld is massive and touristy. It was okay for a solo inexperienced traveller, but I would not do it again. I prefer a lot a more intimate experience on the Reef. Still, if you don’t hate mass tourism as much as I do, or if you don’t want to get wet to explore the Reef, you may have a good day.
The Whitsundays is the best place to dive the Great Barrier Reef only if you are already exploring the Whitsundays and are short on time to make it to another destination.
ReadĀ my article about the Whitsundays for more informationĀ (focused on sailing, not diving)
Cairns (or Port Douglas)
Although this article is about finding other places than Cairns to dive the Great Barrier Reef, I could not entirely remove it from the list. It stays a great destination for experiencing the Great Barrier Reef. Plus, you don’t need to book too long in advance, which can make it a good Plan C if Lady Eliott and Heron Island are not available.
I’ve always taken the liveaboard option to maximise time spent in the water, and never regretted that choice. If you go there, make sure you dive the Outer Reef. From what I’ve been told by other travellers, corals closer to the shore like around Green Island were, unfortunately, not that impressive.
Read my article about diving the Great Barriere Reef from Cairns for more information
Next time I’m in this region, I hope to have time to dive the famous Ribbons Reef!
Lizard Island and Far Northern Reefs
I have dreamt many times of going to Lizard Island, or more specifically ofĀ joining the Spirit of Freedom in June or July to dive with Minke Whales. In this area, Cod Hole and Osprey Reef are two bucket list items for the incredible marine life that lives there.
I read feedback from a scuba diver who joined the Spirit of Freedom in October 2017 to scuba dive the Far Northern Reefs (Mantis Reef and Raine Island) of the Great Barrier Reef. He described, with photos to prove it, beautiful hard corals that have not suffered from the recent bleaching events.
Where to dive the Great Barrier Reef to avoid coral bleaching
We see scary images of the Great Barrier Reef dying. Still, I had a good time scuba diving during my latest trip in 2020 near Cairns. The Great Barrier Reef is struggling, and the ecosystems are in danger, but it’s not dead!
There have been four severe coral bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef, in 1998, 2002, 2016, and again in 2017. Corals can recover from bleaching, but it takes years and they’re more fragile during that time (consider them sick).
If you want to see the healthiest parts of the Great Barrier Reef, the southern part is still hosting a large population of corals that haven’t been too affected by bleaching events.
It’s extremely sad to see such a wonder of Nature being destroyed by human activities. And coral bleaching isn’t even the only danger the Great Barrier Reef is facing at the moment. If you’re interested in this topic, check out the Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report.
A scuba dive Great Barrier Reef experience: what budget are we talking about?
I don’t recommend going for the cheapest option when planning a trip to dive the Great Barrier Reef.
There’s a big risk of being disappointed if you end up at a not-so-good site. I hope the Reef will be here for a long time, but we cannot ignore it is badly impacted by climate change.Ā For many, a trip to the Great Barrier Reef will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience so it is worth spending a bit more to make it count.
This is a very rough attempt to give a budget idea and comparison of the different options listed above. It’s calculated for a couple travelling from Brisbane, for a long weekend (3 days), with snorkelling or four dives (when possible). Driving is preferred to flying when destinations are 6 hours away or less (economic and lower environmental impact). Liveaboard options include food, accommodation and transfers.
Many of these destinations also offer day trips (Lady Elliot, Lady Musgrave, Cairns, Whitsundays) that you may want to look into. Prices may have changed since I wrote the article.
If you’re travelling on a tight budget but you have time, you may be interested in getting extra days for free by being aĀ hostie on Reef Encounter. Read this article for more details.
Lady Elliot Island
Lady Musgrave (day trip)
Heron Island
The Whitsundays (day trip)
Cairns Outer Reef (2-day liveaboard)
4 dives:
approx. $1,110/p
2 dives:
approx. $430/p
4 dives: approx. $905/p
2 dives: approx. $875/p
4 dives: approx. $1,085/p
Snorkelling (3 days):
approx. $710/p
Snorkelling (1 day): approx. $310/p
Snorkelling (3 days): approx. $505/p
Snorkelling (1 day): approx. $720/p
Snorkelling (2 days): approx. $700/p
Details:
3.5-hour drive from Brisbane to Hervey Bay: $30
Flight from Hervey Bay: $330/p
Two nights: $350/p
Snorkelling: from shore – no extra cost
Diving: $75/dive + $50/equipment per day
Details:
4-hour drive from Brisbane to Bundaberg: $40
Snorkelling: $220
Diving: $290 (double dive)
Diving equipment: $50/day
One night in Bundaberg*: from $50/p
Details:
6-hour drive from Brisbane to Gladstone: $55
One night in Gladstone*: $40/p
Boat transfer: $60/p
Two nights: $330/p
Snorkelling: from shore – no extra cost
Details:
Flight to ProserpineĀ (return): $400
Day tour snorkelling: $245/day
Day tour diving: $400/double-dive
Two nights in Airlie Beach: many options, from $75/p
Details:
Flight to Cairns (return): $230/p
One night in Cairns*: from $25/p
Liveaboard: $450/p
Snorkelling: no extra cost
Diving: $95/dive (up to 6)
Have you dived the Great Barrier Reef? Where did you go? Leave a comment below to share your experience!
Map of the best places to dive the Great Barrier Reef
Here’s a quick map of all the Great Barrier Reef diving destinations mentioned in this article.Ā The Great Barrier Reef stretches for over 2,300 km on Australia’s East Coast in Queensland – that’s the size of Japan or Italy!
If you’ve explored an area that isn’t listed here and you liked it, I’d love to hear about it! Please leave a comment below.
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It’s a dream of my to go to the Great Barrier Reef!! It’s looks so beautiful! I would probably snorkel though (as I’ve never dived before).
Hello, Eryn. I hope you’ll make your dream come true! It’s really a beautiful place. Snorkelling there is amazing but if you feel like diving, it’s a fantastic place to try for the first time.
Wow this exactly what I needed. I was thinking of doing a live aboard. Do you have any suggestions for that.
Hello, Yana. I’m glad it helps š
For the liveaboard, if you don’t have date pressure and are already a certified diver, have a look at this option for Lady Elliot: http://www.professionaldiveservices.com.au/explore-the-tranquil-waters-of-lady-elliot-island-aboard-the-mv-adori/
If you have more time pressure, the Outer Reef from Cairns could be the option. We went twice on Reef Encounter (one night) and had a great time (see blog article here: https://www.myfavouriteescapes.com/great-barrier-reef-cairns-weekend/)
My friends went with ProDive – who are certified by EcoTourism Australia – and had a great time too! But they have a minimum of two nights.
Don’t hesitate to come back here after your trip to share your experience š Enjoy!
Awesome. Thanks so much Eloise. I’m going to check these out!
Hi I wanted to ask you more about lady Elliot vs heron island. Heron island is a much cheaper option(by $800) and I am a diver and would like to see a variety of dealing. However I really also want to see rays. What dive sites are at heron and lady Elliot? What would you recommend? My husband is a snorkeller.
Hi Elizabeth! You may be interested in reading my article about Heron Island, where I compare a bit my experience at Heron Island vs Lady Elliot Island: https://www.myfavouriteescapes.com/heron-island-great-barrier-reef/
For snorkelling and seeing manta rays, I would recommend Lady Elliot Island without hesitating. When we went there, snorkelling the lagoon was fantastic and way better than Heron Island lagoon. Heron Island has a wreck where you can snorkel and we also saw many juvenile creatures near the beach – so it’s not a bad choice if your budget doesn’t allow you to go to Lady Elliot.
I feel there is no wrong choice between the two islands for scuba diving, we loved every dive we did. Seeing manta rays is never guaranteed, but you will have more chances at Lady Elliot as it’s reputed for this (we even saw one while snorkelling) whereas I think it’s rare to see them at Heron Island.
Another thing to consider is that the timing for the boat transfers to Heron Island is frustrating and makes you lose a day during your trip (you arrive late in the afternoon, and you have to leave in the morning – so basically you pay two nights to stay one full day). You may have more luck with the flights to Lady Elliot to optimise your stay.
Loving your blog. Iām booked on mike ball in July to see the minkies. Also planning on heading to alva beach to dive yongala and moua and possibly go to magnetic island for a few days. Your blogs had some great advice to help me with planning. Thank you
Bec, it sounds like you have some fantastic dives planned! I’m quite envious š I’m glad you found my articles helpful. Have a lovely trip!
I did my PADI open water and adventure courses during a liveaboard on the Great Barrier Reef, and can definitely relate when you say it’s one of the best dive sites! During my adventure course we did a deep dive, and since then I’ve never done another deep dive with such clear visibility and light. I’m based in Townsville and get to visit the reefs all year around, and it seems to be almost crystal clear diving no matter the season!
I think it’s interesting you note where to go to avoid seeing coral bleaching. I actually think it’s important we DO see that sort of thing. As divers, we’re pretty well-positioned to advocate for the ocean and enter the conversation around environmental conservation, and seeing the damage we’re all doing to our oceans is going to jumpstart our position in that discussion! It’s sad to see, but I don’t think it can be ignored.
Overall, the GBR offers the perfect introduction to diving, which is a great way to get more people involved in becoming “ocean ambassadors”, as PADI puts it. I’d be keen to hear what everybody else thinks!