They say you can see it from space, but unless you’re pals with Mr Branson or Mr Musk, seeing it a little closer may be more realistic. Short, but with sweet views, the 30-minute helicopter flight from Cairns with HeliTours North Queensland will have you soaring over lush Green Island, bright patches of coral reef and infinite shades of blue. Double your time in the air with the one-hour tour, and you’ll also spy Fitzroy Island and the swaying coconut trees of Palm Cove. If your Reef holiday is in Townsville check out Nautilus Aviation (they also operate from Cairns) or if the Southern Great Barrier Reef is more your style you can fly with Marine Helicopter Charters.
Prefer your tours on water instead? Live your best life aboard a 36-foot yacht as you sail around the spectacular Whitsundays. Take stunning and tranquil waters in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, add in lunch and sweet treats prepared by a local French chef, and you have the gourmet sailing tour by Airlie Beach Day Sailing. With a full day of swimming, snorkelling and beach-exploring as you anchor at one of the 74 islands, the culinary addition is as welcome as the photo opportunities. More of a DIY person? Check out this comprehensive guide on how to bareboat the Whitsundays. No license required, all you need is a sense of adventure and some basic navigation skills.
If there’s any neck of the waters that’s perfect for scuba diving, it’s this world-renowned 2,300-kilometre stretch. You can get your training flippers on with many dive shops across the State, but for reef within reach it’s hard to pass the classrooms of Lady Elliot Island and Heron Island. After completing your theory and pool dives on land, you’ll then head straight on to the Great Barrier Reef to practice your techniques and earn your certification in one of the world’s most idyllic locations.
Speaking of under-the-sea creatures, the Great Barrier Reef is home to the Great Eight, a checklist of must-have marine encounters. Its members include clown fish, giant clams, manta rays, Maori wrasse, potato cods, sharks (white tip, black tip and grey reef), whales and six turtle species. Sightings of the Great Eight are abundant along the length of the Reef, as are the options for snorkelling excursions. Glide with manta rays and turtles at Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort, get as happy as a clam on the Ribbon Reefs north of Cairns at the Clam Gardens Dive Site, or see eye-to-eye with minke whales in the waters off Port Douglas with Mike Ball Dive Expeditions.
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Comments
Kelvin Martine Oct 10, 2023
I have to learn this how can i learn can you please guide