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Reef Experience

4.8 (26 Reviews)

FROM

$245

100

Select Date and Passengers

Selected Date

Adult (12+)

Child (4-11 years)

Family (2A + 2C)

Infant (0-3 years)

Inclusions

Snorkel + Dive Gear Provided

Drinks

Drinks For Purchase

Cairns

Gorgeous Day Trip From Cairns

Snorkelling

Guided Snorkel Tours

Marine Life

Great Barrier Reef

Scuba Dive

Intro + Certified Divers

Locations

visit two reef sites

Meals

Lunch + Snacks

Overview

For an affordable, all-inclusive tour to the Outer Great Barrier Reef from Cairns, choose Reef Experience! Spend up to 6 hours on the reef where you can snorkel or scuba dive until your heart's content. Visit two pristine locations where you can experience the stunning diversity of corals and marine life. You're guaranteed to see a kaleidoscope of tropical fish, giant clams, vibrant coloured corals and more! If you're lucky you might even spot a turtle or two! The ideal reef trip for the whole family which also includes a marine biology presentation, BBQ lunch and transfers to and from your Cairns accommodation.

Spend the day exploring two locations on the Outer Great Barrier Reef
Enjoy one FREE introductory or certified scuba dive
Listen to an informative marine biology presentation
All-inclusive meals plus coffee and refreshments

Your Sample Itinerary

Snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef

You will have the opportunity to visit two unique reef locations with Reef Experience. The exact locations will be determined on the day of your tour depending on the weather conditions for the day. Some of the reefs that you might see include Hastings Reef, Norman Reef, Saxon Reef or Breaking Patches. Your snorkelling equipment is included in your ticket so be sure to make use of it! Dive into the depth and search for turtles, eels, giant clams rays, tropical fish and more!

Try out Scuba Diving if you haven't already

A perk of booking with Reef Experience is that you have the chance to go scuba diving whether you're a beginner or you're an experienced diver. If you're opting for an intro dive, the experts will be with you the entire time and will run you through a 'how to' session before you get your gear on! If you're certified, ensure you have your dive cards with you. Just note that you need to be 12 years and above to scuba dive!

Two young women holding plates of food in swimwear

BBQ Lunch

Enjoy a delicious BBQ lunch, served buffet-style with Reef Experience. Choose from freshly made salads, seafood, meats, pastas, bread and more. Just be sure to let the team know of any dietary requirements when you book to ensure food for you will be there on the day!

What's Included?

2 Outer Great Barrier Reef locations
Guided snorkel tours
Wetsuits
Buoyancy vests and noodles
Stinger suits during stinger season
Snorkelling equipment
FREE Certified Scuba Dive (licenced) or Intro Scuba Dive (no-experience necessary)
Marine biology presentation
Breakfast
BBQ lunch
Cheese and fruit platters
Tea and coffee
Water drinking fountain
Bus transfers for those staying in the Cairns city area
Reef tax, fuel levy & national park fees
Complimentary ginger Tablets for seasickness

What's Extra?

2nd Introductory/Resort Scuba Dive - $70.00
2nd Certified Dive - $60.00
Dive Guide for Certified Diver - $15.00
Marine Biologist Tour - $35.00
Prescription Masks - $10.00
Underwater cameras are available to hire for $89
Drinks and snacks (that aren't part of morning/afternoon tea)

Important Information

A surcharge of $100 per person applies to 25 December - Christmas Day (payable on board)
A surcharge of $50 per person applies to all other Queensland public holidays (payable on board)

Terms and Conditions

Please read through our Terms and Conditions before booking your tour.

FAQs

Where does the boat depart from and what time?

Check in starts at 7:30 am on board the Reef Experience boat located at A Finger, Cairns Marlin Marina. Departure is at 8:00 am. No need to go to the Reef Fleet Terminal.

Which reef sites does the Reef Experience visit?

Depending on the day, the crew will decide which reef sites are the best based on the weather conditions and visibility. You’ll have 2 stops at either Norman, Saxon or Hastings Reefs.

How long does it take to get out to the reef?

The journey out to the first reef site takes about 90 mins.

Are coach transfers included from my accommodation?

If you are staying in the Cairns Business District area, bus transfers to and from your accommodation to the boat are included on your day trip.

How many hours do we spend at the reef in total?

You will spend up to 5.5 hours enjoying snorkelling, scuba diving and relaxing on the reef.

Are special dietary requirements catered for?

Yes. If you have any special dietary requirements such as vegetarian or any food allergies, please let us know at the time of booking to ensure the crew can cater to your request. All food is locally sourced and prepared fresh by the onboard chef.

What if I can’t swim? Can I still snorkel and scuba dive?

The crew aim to show all guests the Great Barrier Reef at its best. If you can’t swim or are nervous, please speak to the crew on board who can provide you with flotation devices to support you while in the water. When you are scuba diving, you wear a jacket that inflates, helping you with buoyancy.

I’m a certified diver and I’m travelling with people who don’t want to dive. Can we travel on the same trip?

Absolutely! Reef Experience caters to a mixture of people wanting to do different activities. It’s common for divers and snorkelers to travel together on the same trip.

Is this trip suitable for somebody who has a disability?

Reef Experience is a family and disability friendly trip and the crew are able to cater to most people’s needs. If you are unsure or have a specific question, please get in touch with us.

If we have children, is there someone to watch them while we go diving?

Unfortunately, the Reef Experience doesn't have child-minding on the boat, so the crew cannot cater to infants, or anyone needing close supervision. However, if your children are old enough to go snorkelling on their own, they do have lifeguards watching the snorkelling area, so they will be in good hands. If you just let the lifeguards or any member of staff know that your children are entertaining themselves while you are heading off for a dive, they will be happy to keep a close eye out. You can also organise for your scuba dives to be at different times, so there is always one of you with your child or children.

Customer Reviews

Harrison Murphy

Nov, 17 2024

Insane value for money! Can't believe we could go for a dive for that price!

Matt Hurst

Nov, 16 2024

What a great trip to the reef! My first time going to the outer reef and it was so beautiful.

Bobby Baines

Nov, 10 2024

Went with my mates on a budget. We've all been over here now for like 2 months so running a bit tight on cash but this boat's nice and cheap. Got to go diving as well so that's a good extra thing on top.

Adele Clayton

Nov, 10 2024

What a nice time on the water. The staff were really nice and the sea was so beautiful. It was lovely being out on the sea and seeing all the fish and turtles. One of my Australia highlights.

Martina Meister

Oct, 30 2024

Amazing day, met some really nice people and we got friends, it was nice that we went diving on our own just with a buddy but it was very unorganised, some people haven‘t received wetsuits or they didn‘t have the right sizes, you didn‘t know when you hopp in the ocean the rest was very ingeresting

Sabina Gunvor Filippini

Jun, 17 2024

Awesome day out

Paula Roth

May, 03 2024

Looking forward to that!

Tom Langford

Apr, 18 2024

Wow, just wow.

Amanda Wallin

Mar, 18 2024

Amazing day trip!

Liam Cassey

Jun, 05 2022

I had such a good time. I saw loads of fish and the price was so cheap

Julie Blackmore

May, 29 2022

Won't lie it wasn't the best dive I've ever done, but when you take into account the price of it you would expect MUCH worse. When you take into account the price it's honestly mad how good a trip this is. I would recommend to anyone with a really tight budget that wants to dive, if you have a little more money you can get better diving on other boats.

Dieter Fuchs

Mar, 20 2022

A very good day.

Sofie Payne

Feb, 04 2022

What a great day! Saw my first ever sea turtle and loads of really pretty little fish. It was amazing doing my first ever scuba dive and now I want to get my license

Blake Gillespie

Jan, 29 2022

We are visiting up from Adelaide and had a great day out on the Reef Experience boat. Had a brief showing from a little reef shark so that was really exciting.

Toby Higgins

Nov, 05 2021

1st time id ever done scuba diving and it was really good. going to try do more in cairns but none are as cheap as this one!

East Coast Tours acknowledges all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traditional Owners of Country and recognises their continuing connection to land, sea, culture and community. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and extend that respect to all First Nations peoples.

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