Cairns Scuba Diving & Snorkeling
The Great Barrier Reef is considered to be the most beautiful reef in the world so its no surprise that Cairns, with the Great Barrier Reef in it's backyard, is a major hotspot for snorkeling and scuba diving in Australia. Known worldwide for breathtaking sights of coral, an assortment of tropical fish and aquatic life, the Great Barrier Reef is the perfect location for both professional and amateur divers alike.
As a result Cairns is not short of scuba diving courses, tour operators, tutors, day trips, equipment suppliers and everything you could need to enjoy scuba diving in Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef. See our list below for some Cairns scuba diving companies that can help you plan you dream diving holiday.
Cairns Scuba Diving & Snorkeling
Great Barrier Reef Diving and Snorkeling Cruise from Cairns
Enjoy five hours of snorkeling or diving at two outer Great Barrier Reef locations on a premium cruise from Cairns. You'll be served a typically Aussie barbecue lunch aboard the fully equipped Osprey V and go on a guided snorkeling tour or learn to scuba dive.
Special Offer - Save over 25% on the recommended retail price on all tour options. Special offer valid for travel until March 31, 2012. BOOK NOW! - Book Now!
Green Island Day Trip from Cairns
Cruise to Green Island from Cairns and find a tropical paradise on the Great Barrier Reef. You'll spend either four or five hours at Green Island, with plenty of time to snorkel or scuba dive, tour the reef on a glass-bottom boat or view coral from a semi-submersible submarine.
Outer Great Barrier Reef Snorkel Cruise from Cairns
This Outer Great Barrier Reef Snorkel Cruise is great for beginners, non-swimmers and first-time visitors to Tropical North Queensland. You can watch fish feeding, go on a snorkeling expedition, try scuba diving, see the coral and marine life on a semi-submersible submarine, and enjoy a tasty buffet lunch. Transport between Cairns and Port Douglas is included.
2-Day Best of Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef
Spend two days exploring the very best of Cairns. Enjoy a full day in tropical Kuranda and on your second day discover why the Great Barrier Reef is one of the world's a natural wonders. Including a reef cruise and a scenic helicopter flight, this two day package is the ultimate reef and rainforest experience, leaving you with plenty of time to fully appreciate Australia's tropical north.
Day 1 - Kuranda Scenic Railway with optional Rainforestation Tour
Enjoy a scenic, historical train journey through the Barron Gorge past cascading waterfalls to Kuranda, the village in the rainforest. Spend the day wandering the unique township, exploring the markets, unusual handicrafts and all that Kuranda has to offer.
Outer Great Barrier Reef Dive and Snorkel Sailing Cruise from Cairns
Never dived before but fancy giving it a try during your Tropical North Queensland holiday? There's no better place to scuba dive than the Great Barrier Reef, and the Outer Great Barrier Reef Dive and Snorkel Sailing Cruise from Cairns is perfect for both first-time and certified divers. Complete one or two dives on a relaxing day trip to two Great Barrier Reef sites onboard a luxury catamaran.
Green Island Half Day Trip from Cairns
Explore the tropical paradise of Green Island on a half day trip from Cairns. Enjoy around two hours exploring the Great Barrier Reef island with time to snorkel and take a glass-bottom boat. You can even take an optional semi-submersible submarine tour to get close to the reef without getting wet.
Outer Great Barrier Reef Dive and Snorkel Cruise from Cairns
View the colorful underwater world of the Great Barrier Reef on this full-day trip from Cairns. Whether you are a snorkeler or a scuba diver, experienced or a novice, this snorkel and dive cruise from Cairns is the perfect day out on the Great Barrier Reef. Visiting three different dive sites you'll discover the abundant marine life and diversity of coral which the Great Barrier Reef is world-famous for.
3-Day Green Island Great Barrier Reef Trip from Cairns
Escape to a tropical paradise surrounded by reef and rainforest with a short break on beautiful Green Island. Enjoy luxury accommodation, daily breakfast, roundtrip catamaran transfers from Cairns and a full day Outer Great Barrier reef cruise on this relaxing 3-day getaway.
Low Isles Great Barrier Reef Sailing Cruise from Cairns
Not a confident swimmer, but want to experience the Great Barrier Reef? At Low Isles you can snorkel straight off the beach, enjoy coral viewing on a glass bottom boat, take a leisurely guided walk around the island or simply relax on the sandy beach. Do as much or as little as you like!
Green Island Sailing Cruise from Cairns
Swim, snorkel or dive in the pristine waters off Green Island on the Great Barrier Reef. From Cairns, sail to the island in style on a two-mast schooner and enjoy a delicious buffet lunch on board. Explore the beauty of Green Island, see the rainforest or laze on the white sandy beaches and swim amongst the magnificent coral reefs.
Ultimate 3-Day Great Barrier Reef Cruise Pass
For the ultimate Great Barrier Reef experience, grab an Ultimate 3-Day Great Barrier Reef Pass. Save money and see the reef from every angle on three cruises over seven days. Sail to Low Isles or Green Island, or explore the reef from below on a snorkel and scuba diving catamaran cruise to the Outer Great Barrier Reef. The Ultimate 3-Day Great Barrier Reef Cruise Pass is your great value ticket to the reef.
Customize your own Great Barrier Reef experience. Choose three cruises from the following list to make up your Great Barrier Reef pass. Your pass is valid for three full-day cruises starting from the first time of use over seven consecutive days. You'll be required to enter a travel date at time of booking, this is only required as an indication and you'll be required to re-confirm your selected cruises at least 24-hours prior to first departure.
Special Offer - Save over 20% off the recommended retail of Great Barrier Reef Cruises price by booking the 3-Day Ultimate Reef Pass - Book Now!
Michaelmas Cay Dive and Snorkel Cruise from Cairns
Spend the day on Michaelmas Cay, a small sand island on the outer Great Barrier Reef. You'll cruise from Cairns aboard a luxury catamaran, see the reef's brilliant coral and marine life from a semi-submersible submarine, try scuba diving or go on a snorkeling tour. Lunch at the cay is a superb hot and cold buffet, including seafood, fresh salads and a selection of desserts.
Special Offer - Save 20% on the recommended retail price of the cruise. Special offer valid for travel until January 20, 2012 - Book Now!
About Diving in Cairns
Getting your Scuba Diving license is like getting a passport to the most amazing adventure imaginable. Instead of travelling to another country you can dive, deep below the ocean and see a whole other world.
There are two general rules for Scuba Diving and that's to always be safe and always be responsible. To learn how to be the best diver you must receive a diving certificate. That isn't to say you can't dive without one, you can but it's a beginners course and with an instructor.
There are all sorts of courses you can choose from but the most prominent course in Australia and throughout the world is PADI scuba certification. Millions of people follow these courses to gain their scuba diving certificate and learn to dive in open waters. Once you are a little more experienced you can graduate to a PADI Adventure Diver courses and then to Advanced Open Water courses. After that you can take your Divemaster Course and become a career professional.
Before you get a little too ahead of yourself get some experience by diving the different dive sites in Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef. There's heaps to choose from with some of the best visibility in the world. It's always a good time to dive in Cairns as the waters are warm and the reefs are extremely healthy and swarming with marine life. There's literally dozens of dive sites to choose from so it is no wonder that Cairns pulls in diving enthusiasts from all over.
When we say the dive sites are covered in marine life we mean it. There are more than 400 species of technicolour soft and hard corals, 125 species of sharks, dolphins, dugongs, whales and that's just the big ones. It's also a breeding ground for six species of turtle, 1500 different species of reef and tropical fish, giant clams, seahorses and even the odd confused saltwater crocodile. With such great visibility and the enviable array of fish diving with an underwater camera is an absolute must! Plus, you can show off the snaps to all your friends once you get home.
You can take a tour and be taken with a group to a few different dive sites throughout the day. These tours take care of travel, food, equipment and shed some local knowledge of the region. You may not be keen on the regimented nature of these organised tours so you can also hire a boat and take yourself and a buddy to a less crowded site. Many places hire out equipment but if you're a real pro you might have already packed it all in the suitcase!
Diving The Great Barrier Reef is a once in a life time experience - although we think after you've done it once you'll always be itching to come back for more - however, to make sure you keep yourself and reef safe please take a look at some of our tips.
- Take your Scuba Diving license with you on holidays if you plan to dive
- Before you hop on board the boat make sure you put on some sunscreen and hat
- If you need medication please take it on the boat with you
- Make sure you lay off the booze the night before a dive
- If you are a beginner dive with licensed teachers
- Plan your dive and dive your plan
- Never dive alone
- If you are hiring a boat follow the hiring and general boating rules
- Do not disturb the fish or coral
- Take your rubbish with you
- Have fun!
This is by no means an exhaustive list of tips as we’re sure if you're diving well aware of all the risks and rules. Keep safe and be responsible both to yourself and the environment around you.
More Cairns Scuba Diving
- Visit GreatestDiveSites for more about the dive sites in Cairns.
