Great Barrier Reef
Snorkeling, diving and glass-bottomed boat trips over more than 2,900 reefs, with day trips and longer voyages from the Queensland coast.
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The Great Barrier Reef is a coral reef system off the coast of Queensland, Australia, and the largest of its kind in the world. It includes more than 2,900 separate reefs and roughly 900 islands, spread over about 2,300 km of the Coral Sea. A channel more than 160 km wide in places, and over 61 m deep, separates the reef from the coast. The reef has been a World Heritage Site since 1981 and is a Queensland state icon.
Most visitors see the reef on boat trips from cities along the Queensland coast. Cairns and the Whitsunday Islands are the busiest departure points. Day trips work well for a first visit, while longer voyages and live-aboard boats reach more remote reefs. Snorkeling and diving are the main activities. Glass-bottomed boats and underwater observatories let you see the reef without getting in the water, and helicopter flights offer an aerial view. Choose your departure port and boat type before you book, because they decide which reefs you can reach.
Great Barrier Reef in five
- Pick your base by the reef you wantCairns has the most boats and flights. Port Douglas is closer to the outer reef and the Daintree. The Whitsundays are for islands, sailing and Whitehaven Beach.Whitsundays or Cairns
- Compare outer reef trips by journey timeOuter reef boats travel farther than inner reef and island trips. Port Douglas puts the outer reef 60 to 90 minutes from town, per Tourism Queensland; ask each operator for its own time and what the ticket includes.How to choose a Cairns reef trip
- Check stinger rules before beach and reef daysMarine stingers are present in tropical Queensland waters all year, with a higher-risk season. The dates, what to wear and the crocodile warnings are in the Queensland guide.Queensland swim safety
- Expect the reef charge in the tour priceOperators collect the marine park charge for the Reef Authority: $8.50 per full-day passenger and $4.25 per part-day passenger, rising on 1 April 2027 to $9.00 and $4.50. Compare totals, not headline fares.Reef Authority charges
- Plan around the wet seasonFrom about December to March, heavy rain and cyclones can cancel boats for days. Leave a spare day in your plans in these months.
Need to know
- Airport
- Cairns (CNS); Proserpine and Hamilton Island for the Whitsundays
- Getting there
- Flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane; long drives
- Getting around
- Day boats from Cairns, Port Douglas and Airlie Beach
- Best base
- Cairns for choice, Port Douglas for a quieter stay
- Time needed
- 3–5 days, with 2 days on the water
Weather by month
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryWet, stinger season
- FebruaryWettest, cyclones
- MarchWet, cyclone risk
- AprilRain easing
- MayDrier
- JuneDry, mild
- JulyDry, mild
- AugustDry, calm seas
- SeptemberDry, clear water
- OctoberWarm, calm
- NovemberHot, stingers return
- DecemberWet starts
Right now in Great Barrier Reef
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
26
- Feels like
- 28°
- Humidity
- 75%
- Wind
- 14 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
Great Barrier Reef
10:58 AM
Tuesday, November 3
- Today27°26°0%Tuesday: Clear. High 27°, Low 26°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Wed27°26°0%Wednesday: Clear. High 27°, Low 26°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu27°26°0%Thursday: Cloudy. High 27°, Low 26°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Fri27°26°0%Friday: Clear. High 27°, Low 26°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Sat27°26°0%Saturday: Cloudy. High 27°, Low 26°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Sun27°26°0%Sunday: Clear. High 27°, Low 26°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Mon27°27°11%Monday: Partly cloudy. High 27°, Low 27°. Chance of rain 11%.
Updated 07:11 AM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 1.423 AUD
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Day trips by train
- Cairnsthe main gatewayMost reef boats and flights, plus Kuranda and the rainforest; see the Cairns guide.Read the guide
- Port Douglasan hour north of CairnsLow Isles and outer reef boats, with Mossman Gorge and the Daintree close by.Read the guide
- The Whitsundaysislands and sailingReef days alongside Whitehaven Beach, island stays and sailing trips.Read the guide
Before you go to Great Barrier Reef
We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.
Rules for Great Barrier Reef, checked
- Reef Authority charge per passenger: $8.50 full day, $4.25 part day; $9.00 and $4.50 from 1 April 2027. Glass-bottom boats and sightseeing flights: 40 cents.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
Plan around Great Barrier Reef
Which base suits your time and budget
Read the guideHow to choose a Cairns reef tripPontoon, snorkel boat or island day
Read the guideQueenslandWhere the reef fits a coast trip
Read the guideAll of AustraliaETA, regions, flights and money basics
Read the guideETA and eVisitor explainedWho needs which and where to apply
Read the guideTours and ticketsReef trips, snorkeling and dives
Read the guideTravel insuranceCover for dives and boat cancellations
Read the guideGreat Barrier Reef FAQ
When is the best time to visit the Great Barrier Reef?
June to October is dry, mild and outside the main stinger season, with good water clarity. It is also the busiest time, so book boats a few days ahead.
Cairns or the Whitsundays?
Cairns and Port Douglas are best for diving and snorkeling the outer reef. The Whitsundays suit sailing, island stays and Whitehaven Beach, with reef trips as a longer day out.
Can I see the reef without diving?
Yes. Most day boats include snorkeling gear, and many offer glass-bottom boats or semi-submersibles. You can also take a scenic flight.
Is it safe to swim in the sea near Cairns?
Follow the Queensland guide: swim in netted enclosures and patrolled areas, between the flags, and wear a stinger suit when your operator advises one. Obey crocodile warning signs near rivers and estuaries.
How do I get to the Great Barrier Reef?
Fly to Cairns, or to Proserpine or Hamilton Island for the Whitsundays, then take a day boat. Departures run from Cairns, Port Douglas and Airlie Beach, and most trips need a morning start.