Snorkel Hot Spot – Great Barrier Reef Islands
The world heritage-listed natural wonder stretching through the paradise of islands and reefs of blinding blues and greens runs parallel with Queensland’s amazing beaches from the tip of Cape York to Bundaberg. At the reef’s southernmost end are Lady Elliot and Heron islands, heading north, Airlie Beach, Townsville and Cairns are popular starting points for reef explorations.
It’s easy to spend an entire holiday exploring the Whitsunday archipelago’s 74 jungle-clad islands. While islands like Wilson Island, Hayman Island , Daydream Island, Lizard Island and Haggerstone Island are all easily accessible and great for snorkelling, Hamilton Island is high end holidaying at its best. Nature lovers can delve into uninhabited isles fringed with coral reefs and perfect beaches through the day, dine in world class restaurants at night and stay in 5 star waterfront resorts.
Day cruises run to the world’s most famous reef from Port of Airlie, and divers, snorkelers and day-trippers alike can travel on high-speed catamaran to a pontoon anchored alongside a coral wall at Hardy Reef.
For those who aren’t water-confident, you can still enjoy a day on the reef thanks to a pontoon anchored at Moore Reef 40km from Cairns. Day trips run to the pontoon where visitors can snorkel, ride the glass-bottom boat or semi-submersible coral-viewing boat, visit the underwater observatory and explore the marine touch tank. Helmet diving, scuba diving and a guided snorkelling safari tours are plentiful in the area.
There’s no better way to see the greatest reefs on the planet, than to snorkel. There is a massive amount of islands to hop through, whether you have your own boat to do so, or not.