Whitsunday Great Barrier Reef Adventure
Snorkel
Spend a full day exploring the Great Barrier Reef, the World Heritage-listed wonder off the Queensland coast. The journey here through the lush Whitsunday Islands will have you reaching for your camera – watch for migrating Humpback Whales between July and September – but underwater is really where the magic happens. Incredible numbers of bright tropical fish and more than 1,400 species of coral await.
Beyond the Whitsundays, your destination is Reefworld, our multilevel reef facility permanently moored 39 nautical miles from shore at spectacular Hardy Reef. Snorkel, swim, dive and explore – an undersea encounter with this amazing ecosystem is unforgettable. Or if you’d rather stay dry, experience the reef from our underwater observatory or take a ride in a semi-submarine. After a sumptuous buffet lunch, you’ll have more time to explore before you head back to shore with lifelong memories of this epic Australian icon.
- Scenic return cruise through the Whitsundays to the outer reef
- 4 hours at Hardy Reef
- Snorkelling with all gear provided, including wetsuits and stinger suits
- Access to underwater observatory
- Semi-submarine guided tour
- Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea
- Optional activities (own expense): guided snorkelling safaris and scuba diving
Ocean Safari Snorkel Tour
Snorkel
Turtle Tripper Adventure – This half day Great Barrier Reef tour departing Cape Tribulation visits two different snorkel destinations, each with an extraordinary array of marine life and coral species.
Ocean Safari offers an exhilarating ride to snorkel the pristine untouched Great Barrier Reef off the Daintree Coast at Cape Tribulation. The half day Great Barrier Reef tour visits two different snorkel destinations, each with an extraordinary array of marine life and coral species.
After a fast 25 minute ride, you are ready to snorkel two fabulous locations at Mackay and Undine Reefs. On most days, you can snorkel alongside sea turtles, which are found in abundance swimming over reefs full of colourful coral, along with myriads of tropical fish, eagle rays, giant clams and starfish. Often the coastal rainforest of the Daintree can be seen along the mainland beach whilst snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef.
The Great Barrier Reef tour begins at Cape Tribulation beach where you board the vessel bound for the tropical waters. The Ocean Safari vessel takes a maximum of 25 passengers allowing guests to experience tropical paradise and the pleasure of a small group. The vessel is based on the original design of a rescue craft and is a rigid inflatable boat driven by 700hp engines. The experienced Skipper and Eco Host ensure the trip is filled with fun and appreciation of the Great Barrier Reef and the coastal rainforest of the Daintree, two world heritage areas side by side. Magical memories like these sometimes only happen once in a lifetime.
The Ocean Safari check in office is also home to the Turtle Rock Café and Safari Lodge. Situated just 400 metres from the beach, Safari Lodge offers camp sites in the tropical Cape Tribulation rainforest and is the perfect base for exploring this famous region. The Turtle Rock Café offers freshly cooked wholesome meals, great coffee and tropical outdoor dining in a casual, friendly atmosphere.
Ocean Safari’s Great Barrier Reef tour includes a courtesy bus pick up from Cape Tribulation accommodation Ocean Safari is proud to have Advanced Eco Accreditation.
Ocean Rafting Snorkel Tour
Snorkel
Visit three top destinations whilst having the ride of your life! Each Ocean Rafting day includes an exhilarating ride to world famous Whitehaven Beach, Hill Inlet Beach and Lookout, pristine snorkelling reefs and guided Whitsunday Island National Parks walks, all in one day!
Our semi rigid inflatable vessels are super fast allowing you to experience a fun ride, adventure and education amongst the natural beauty of the Whitsundays.
Ocean Rafting offers two different Whitehaven Beach tours to choose from:
- Northern Exposure offers more snorkelling time
- Southern Lights offers more beach time
The Northern Exposure tour departs at 08:45am and returns at approximately 3:30pm. You’ll visit two different snorkelling sites around Hook Island, with 45 minutes to one hour at each snorkel site, as well as the northern end of Whitehaven Beach at stunning Hill Inlet for 1 – 1.5 hours.
The Southern Lights tour departs at 10am and returns at approximately 4:30pm. You’ll visit one snorkel site for an hour and spend two hours at the southern end of Whitehaven Beach, with its 7km stretch of world famous silica sand.
If you wish to focus mainly on snorkelling then we suggest the Northern Exposure tour, or if you wish to spend more time at the beach, we suggest the Southern Lights tour. The tour from Airlie Beach to Whitehaven Beach can take between 1 – 1.5 hours depending on wind, tide, swell and weather conditions.