Reef Experience the best way to see the Great Barrier Reef
- Adults $245
- Children (4 to 11 years old) $165
- Family (2A + 2C) $655
| Reef Experience tour Summary |
| Round trip transfers from Cairns City accommodations |
| Hot Breakfast |
| Wetsuit or stinger suit |
| 2 Outer Barrier Reef locations |
| Marine Biologist presentation |
| Certified or Introductory scuba dive |
| Up to 5 hours at the Outer Reef |
| Lunch |
| Afternoon Tea |
| Boarding at 7:30 am Berth 8, Finger A, Marlin Marina |
| Returns at 4:30 pm (approx.) |
Our family-owned and operated tour departs daily from Cairns, visiting two outer barrier Reef locations. Our all-inclusive price includes bus transfers, breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea.
Scuba diving for certified and introductory divers, snorkelling, meals and reef levies with one all-inclusive price of $245, making it the best value Great Barrier Reef tour.
Best Great Barrier Reef Tours
Don’t miss the chance to see the World’s largest living thing. Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is a destination that will take your breath away.
A 90-minute catamaran ride from Cairns will transport you to the vivid underwater world of the Great Barrier Reef.
Our Great Barrier Reef tours offer the best value for money at one all-inclusive price. Day trip allows you to snorkel, scuba dive, relax, eat, all for one price.
During the day, we visit two different Cairns Great Barrier Reef locations and show off the breathtaking beauty of this World Heritage-listed wonder to swimmers and non-swimmers alike.
Next, see our other fantastic Great Barrier Reef tours.
Highlights
About your day at the Great Barrier Reef
- Up to 5 hours at two pristine Outer Great Barrier Reef Tour locations
- Unlimited Snorkeling at morning and afternoon locations. All equipment, including wetsuit hire.
- Scuba Diving (Certified Dive qualified OR Resort Dive no-experience necessary at the first reef location for everyone over age 12 and medically fit scuba) Reef Experience Medical Questionnaire
- Pick up and Return to Cairns City Accommodation
- Marine Biology Presentation
- Breakfast consisting of barbecue bacon and egg rolls and also coffee, tea and fruit platters
- Lunch delicious bbq with an assortment of fresh salads
- Cheese, fruit platter and complimentary wine on the return journey
- All dietary requirements catered for. (Vegetarian/gluten-free etc.: please advise upon booking).
- All food is locally sourced where possible and prepared fresh by the onboard Chef.
- FREE Crew assistance for non-confident snorkelers (flotation aids available). Friendly and professional crew are ready to jump with everyone who requires assistance to have fun and experience the reef’s magic!
- Large Sun Deck with padded loungers and air-conditioned indoor areas
- Reef tax, fuel levy and national park fees. Unlike other operators, mandatory levies for visiting the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park are included in this trip cost, so there won’t be extra charges on the day.
- No hidden costs
Itinerary
- 07:30 – Board Reef Experience boat at the Cairns Marina ‘A-Finger’ for check-in
- 08:00 – Approximate departure and Safety Talk with snorkel briefing
- 08:30 – Marine Biology presentation,
- 09:00 – Scuba diving briefing
- 09:30 – Arrive at our first spectacular reef site, snorkel and/or scuba diving.
- 12:30 – Lunch
- 13:00 – Cruise to our second location to explore forests of coral, large sea fans and black coral trees in its shallow lagoons
- 15:00 – Depart the Great Barrier Reef
- 15:30 – Glass of wine, tropical fruits, cheese and biscuits
- 16:30 – Arrive back in Cairns
Included
Shuttle BusFor those staying in the Cairns Business District area, bus transfers to and from your accommodation to the boat are included on your day trip. |
BreakfastBBQ bacon and egg rolls are served. Your dietary requirements will be met; please advise upon booking. All food is locally sourced and prepared fresh by our onboard chef. |
Marine Biology Presentationis a great way to learn about the marine life on the Great Barrier Reef from our resident onboard expert as you journey to your first reef destination. |
Free scuba diveAll scuba dive equipment hire is included in your trip along with one free scuba dive (certified or resort dive)!* |
LunchBuffet style lunch is served with a wide variety of meal options with healthy salads on the side. Your dietary requirements will be met; please advise upon booking. All food is locally sourced and prepared fresh by our onboard chef. |
SnorkellingUnlimited morning and afternoon snorkelling at two reef locations. Non-swimmer snorkel tours are also included throughout the day for those who require assistance in the water. |
Wine, cheese and crackersEnjoy a light snack with wine on the journey back to Cairns. |
RefreshmentsTea and coffee are served throughout the day except when the boat is moving. |
SunscreenA reef-friendly sunscreen is provided onboard free of charge. |
Reef LevyWe include mandatory reef tax and fuel levies for visiting the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park in the trip cost, so there won’t be extra hidden charges on the day. |
Optional Extras
- Underwater Digital Camera Hire
- Snack Bar Purchases: Soft drinks, chocolate, chips, alcohol etc.
- Marine Biologist Guided Snorkel Tour of the reef: Snorkel with an experienced Marine Biologist and learn about the marine life you see on an educational and interactive tour
- Great Barrier Reef souvenirs – T-shirts, hats etc
- Dive Guides for already qualified ‘Certified’ scuba divers (dive guides included for beginner divers)
- Prescription Mask Hire if you require stronger lenses to see (contact lenses can be worn in most circumstances)
- Bus transfers from accommodation outside of the Cairns Business Area
- Second Scuba Dive at our beautiful afternoon reef location
What to bring
- Cash and/or credit card for purchases
- Swimming Clothes
- Towel
- Hat
- Sunglasses
- Camera
- Proof of qualification if you’re a Certified Diver
This is a barefoot tour. Once onboard, no one wears shoes.
How to get there
Reef Experience departs from
Cairns Marina: ‘A-Finger’ View map
Boarding commences at 7:30 am for check-in directly on the vessel ‘Reef Experience.’
Arrive back at Cairns Marina at approximately 4:30 pm
Where Can I Park?
Several parking stations throughout Cairns are within walking distance of the Marina.
Click here to see where
Important Information
Scuba diving Information
We have a passion for showing you Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, so please make sure you understand the scuba diving laws.
Queensland, Australia, has some of the strictest scuba diving rules globally and the safest scuba diving record. We are regulated by the Queensland Government Code of Practice and comply with all regulations, including medical as is the law.
To avoid disappointment on your day of travel, we strongly recommend that all of our passengers complete our dive medical questionnaire before booking as some medical conditions, age and/or medications may prevent you from scuba diving. It is always our mission to provide our passengers with the very best Great Barrier Reef experience.
Reef Experience Medical Questionnaire
We are happy to help you with any questions you may have.
Please get in touch with our office on 07 4037 2700 or email us.
Flying after Scuba Diving
It would be best if you did not fly or go to altitude for at least 18 hours after a scuba dive for a single no decompression scuba dive. For multiple dives, you should not fly for 24 hours after your last dive.
If Skydiving or Hot Air Ballooning, you must wait 24 hours after your dive.
We recommend waiting a minimum of 24 hours whenever possible.
Add your review for Reef Experience
Kate Erith Davies
5Attentive, friendly, and very professional crew. Snorkelling with Georgia (marine biologist) was the best part of my day. The food was great and overall it was a very well explained trip.
Cody
5Amazing day! Did both intro scubas and had 2 separate instructors who were both incredible! Food was great! Loved seeing FRANK!
James
5Everyone was a legend, all very chilled. Swimming with turtles was the best. Definitely would recommend.
Koorin
5I have the biggest love for the ocean, and this tour offered a lovely day out. The crew were so good! Thanks for helping out - thanks "Mac" for being my last minute dive buddy! :) Great opportunity to sneak in a quick dive! Thank you. The food was great, staff attitude was great. Super lovely day out seeing the reef! :) Thank you!
Shika
5Amazing, really friendly & nice. Snorkeling was amazing (& lunch). Great value for money, would definitely recommend!
Lucie
5Fantastic! Thanks to everyone. Shark sighting, introduction to diving, marine biology snorkel - absolutely loved the day. Food was great as well. Thank you!
Vipin
5Excellent. Crew are great. You guys are doing a great job. Very professional and well balanced. Quite interactive tour. Staff were great. Chef doing a great job. Food was excellent and well presented in a great way. Terrific experience.
Beth
5Super friendly. Felt very comfortable as I was a little nervous about getting in the water. They weren't pushy and were very knowledgeable - snorkeling/the hospo on the boat was great! Great crew, great food beverages, awesome day on the reef.
Katherine
5Phenomenal - helpful, kind, patient, funny, attractive, knowledgeable, passionate, safety-conscious crew. Intro dives and an overall great ambience set by the crew were a the best part of the day. And ok the food! Way better than expected! Thank you! Also, wine & cheese?! What a lovely finish to the day. Bravo.
Elizabeth
5Fantastic - helpful, knowledgeable, super friendly, patient, fun-loving. The crew love their job! (And it can be tough dealing with tourists) What a fantastic time! Thank you so so much! Oh! And the food was amazing. Thank you chef Aaron!
Mark
5A wonderful day will remember for a long time
Ximena
5We booked Reef Experience because it was attractive to us, moderate on price, and had great reviews. The crew were amazing, very cordial, great attitude. The whole experience was just fabulous and exceeded our expectations. We'll come back some day and will refer you to our friends & family.
Ebba
5Booked for the good diving/snorkeling locations. Very good value for the money!! Very nice! Helpful, social and overall very nice. Seeing a shark and scuba diving were the best. Delicious food! Would recommend this boat to others! Thanks for a lovely day! <3 :)
Kate
5Marine biology tour with Harry was excellent. Really great food, service experience. Whole day flowed really well
Samantha (USA)
5AMAZING crew!!! Greg was awesome:) This was the best part of my trip to Australia!
Kevin
5Incredible, engaging, funny, good laugh, educational, welcoming, great team =) The VIP tour with Harry was educational fun passionate about the reef. Special kudos to Harry, 5 stars!! Thank you for an amazing experience. Experience to remember for a lifetime.
Sarah
5Knowledgeable, friendly fun crew. Snorkelling twice in one day was amazing! Marine biologist snorkel trip was great. I didn't know what to expect. I have never previously snorkeled. The reef coral fish etc. were beyond what I would have ever expected. Brilliant experience.
Leah A
5I booked Reef Experience to see the Great Barrier Reef for a good price with food included. The crew were very friendly and helpful! Snorkelling and seeing all the amazing marine life was the best part of the day. Thank you for an amazing day, would do it again in a heartbeat! :)
Martine
5Awesome! Crew were young people, dynamic, customer service oriented, good information. The first snorkeling in the morning was the best. Good organisation, great meals, good schedule from 7:20 to 16:30! White wine at the end: great idea! Thanks for having motion sickness pills aboard! Appreciated!
Olivia
5Very accommodating and welcoming. Lovely team, lovely boat. Scott was very chatty and really made us feel welcomed. Thank you for a lovely day. :)
Chris
5The diving was the best! But lunch was also good! Thanks so much to the whole crew, this was an awesome adventure. :)
Angela
5Thank you everyone, we had an amazing time. The crew were excellent! informative, great energy and welcoming! the 2nd reef we visited was huge and full of unique fish! Absolutely beautiful. We will definitely book with you again in the future! <3
Lisa
5Awesome! Best part was scuba diving 2nd snorkel. Food was great. Than you for an amazing experience and memories!
Nehal
5Booked because of the great reviews. It was excellent - 5 star. Loved snorkelling. Fantastic helpful crew. Good on board facilities. Excellent food drinks. Nothing is too much trouble for the excellent/hardworking crew members!! They're very knowledgeable. Felt very safe.
Morgan
5Wanted to visit the reef and this was the cheapest option. It was amazing! Very helpful crew throughout the whole day. Second dive in the afternoon and the food were the best. Thank you for a fabulous trip! :)
Antonio
5Fantastic crew. Great snorkelling. Way to go guys, keep rocking! You gave me a great life experience. I'll be forever thankful!
Jess P
5Thanks so much for everything team! Despite being ill a lot of the day, I still had a great time seeing the Great Barrier Reef and scuba diving. Absolutely loved it :)
Belinda K
5We loved the glass bottom boat. Scuba diving wasn't really for us, but the whole experience - including the captains deck was perfect! Mike looked after us like we were royalty. Thank you so much, we will always remember this trip!
Phill S
5Friendly happy staff makes for a fun relaxing day for the tourist! Thank you for a great day, we had a ball diving at Saxon Reef and seeing so many fish :)
Kim
5I booked my day reef trip with Reef Experience. It is a very good package. Crew was all super professional, well-organised, very patient, Aisah was particular helpful and patient and encouraging. The whole experience was the highlight of the day. Super experience, happy to recommend to others. Food was great and well thoughtful.
Bradley
5Friendly, professional, helpful and always catering to our needs. The snorkelling on the reef was amazing. Jade was great, really helpful and chill, she got us everything we needed and led us around the reef on snorkel tours.