Great Barrier Reef near Cairns

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Two pontoons on the outer reef near Cairns.

Trips to the Barrier Reef go on all sorts of craft with all sorts of deals, but will be pricey, take an hour and a half to get to serious reef [about 30kms away] and may well involve a bumpy ride too. In fact travellers prone to seasickness might opt for tours that head for large, anchored pontoons such as those pictures above that are relatively stable compared to rocking and rolling boats - even if you have taken seasick pills. We have more pontoon life pictures later in this Cairns collection.

The outer reef near Cairns is supposedly one of the finer diving and snorkelling areas but truly doesn't match up against the world's best, such as Red Sea sites. Fish species are fine and varied but the coral looks tired and lacking in colour or variety while visibility is often poor.

Cairns is a popular place to get a dive licence, prices are competitive and final dives will be on the reef. In high-jelly season [Nov-March] stinger suits will be part of any good tour package.
Diving is better further north in the Ospreys or south on the Yongala wreck [neither of which are actually the GBR], while Lady Elliot Island, the Barrier Reef's last gasp way down south offers some good dive sites.

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