Australia · CAIRNS & TROPICAL NORTH TOURS
Cairns exists to put you on the reef and in the rainforest, usually on consecutive days. The 15 below sort the outer-reef catamarans, the pontoon days, Kuranda and the Daintree by price, sailing time and how much water you actually get.
Review of Cairns’ Great Barrier Reef cruise, with two outer reef stops, snorkeling, scuba options, lunch, helicopter upgrade, and practical tips.
“Very cool experience, very much recommend it to anyone who is looking to do the Great Barrier Reef. The helicopter ride was absolutely incredible, with a brilliant captain of Jos!”
Review of Cairns’ 9-hour Great Barrier Reef catamaran cruise, with two outer reef sites, snorkeling, lunch, marine guides, and practical tips.
“Great trip! Crew was terrific! A must for everyone!”
Ride the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway, explore Kuranda village, and glide over Barron Gorge on the Skyrail from Cairns.
“Train trip was very informative and wonderful views along the way. Kuranda was amazing place to visit and the skyrail back down was the perfect way to end the trip”
See the Great Barrier Reef from above on a 40-minute Cairns scenic flight, with Green Island, coral cays, pilot commentary, and window seats.
“Really fantastic activity! I was a bit nervous about the small plane but there was nothing to be scared of, felt extremely safe and saw some amazing views!”
Review of Passions of Paradise, a full-day Cairns catamaran cruise with two Great Barrier Reef stops, snorkeling, scuba, lunch, and expert guides.
“Food served was excellent. Two mains and about 5 sides to choose from. Plenty of food for seconds. Food served throughout the day. Crew was very attentive always asking if everything was okay. There was a reef fauna and flora presentation after the dive which wrapped up the whole experience. The boat was larger than I expected and we had plenty of room to move around the two decks. I wholeheartedly recommend Passions.”
Explore Mossman Gorge, Cape Tribulation, and the Daintree on an 11-hour Cairns tour with lunch, a river cruise, and Indigenous culture.
“Fantastic tour and a truly memorable experience! Everything was well organised, informative, and enjoyable from start to finish. A special mention to Lina (our tour guide), who was wonderful — friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate, which made the whole day even better. Highly recommended!”
Explore Mossman Gorge, Daintree Rainforest, Cape Tribulation, wildlife, lunch, and private rainforest walks on a small-group tour from Port Douglas.
“Our tour with Randall was amazing. He was so knowledgeable and made the trip so much more interesting with all of the conversations had along the way. We got super lucky with the weather and had a perfect mid temperature for all the exploring. All of the food provided was great too, with lunch at a restaurant with a swimming hole. I cannot fault this experience at all, would recommend to all friends and family and anyone looking for a tour that wraps all of the Daintree up in one!!”
Review of Lady Douglas River Cruise in Port Douglas, with croc spotting, calm waters, local history, snacks, drinks, pricing, and booking tips.
“Awesome experience, friendly knowledgeable staff, lovely way to spend some time… and see a croc 🐊 or 3 !”
Review of the Cairns to Cape Tribulation day trip, with Mossman Gorge, Aboriginal culture, crocodile cruise, lunch, and rainforest walks.
“A fun, informative day travelling through aboriginal land and hearing about its history and people whilst exploring some of the amazing places on the east coast! Michael, our guide, was excellent; friendly, chatty and knowledgeable. Day was long, so I’m glad we packed some extra snacks, though the burrito we ordered as part of the package was delicious!”
Review of Ocean Freedom’s Cairns reef cruise, with two snorkel sites, glass-bottom viewing, guided tours, lunch, tips, and value advice.
“The reef was a disappointment but that was because of the recent storm. The boat and crew were outstanding!”
Review of Fitzroy Island from Cairns: ferry views, rainforest trails, reef snorkeling, glass-bottom boats, costs, tips, and who should book.
“We really enjoyed our time at Fitzroy Island. As we were visiting on a cruise we realised we couldn't do the full day return but the team were quick to resolve this by rebooking our return ferry for an earlier time. The trip over to the island departed on time and the ferry was clean and comfortable. There was quite a long queue to get the stinger suits and snorkels and we were waiting for a long time. The island itself is fantastic but be warned its quite the little trek to the beach area but fully work it. Snorkeling is good near the white rock but there are some…”
Quiet solar-powered cruise from Port Douglas to spot Daintree crocodiles, birds, frogs, and fish with an expert local guide.
“Saw 3 crocs and it was a delight to hear about the local area and get to know in depth about croc behaviours!”
Review of Barron Gorge rafting from Cairns or Port Douglas, with Grade II and III rapids, rainforest views, tips, costs, and honest drawbacks.
“The experience of rafting is very fun, and enjoyable. The staff there are really professional and make everything very safe.”
Green Island from Cairns offers reef snorkeling, beaches, glass-bottom views, and optional lunch on an easy full-day catamaran trip.
“The whole experience was amazing, I choose to do everything and dont regret my decision, the staff were just so helpful and kind. The lunch was nice. I absolutely recommend 👌”
Review of Divers Den’s Cairns reef day trip, with two outer reef sites, guided snorkelling, lunch, equipment, timing, and practical tips.
“This activity was absolutely brilliant. Once in a life time opportunity for people like me and my wife. We had the best day. The staff were absolutely great and extremely helpful. Plenty of staff on and off board making sure you are safe and cared for. Boat came with 4 toilets. Two in which had hot showers. Lunch was good too! Finally, the photographer was absolutely brilliant. We rented a go pro from him and managed to record around 1 hour 30 minutes of footage whilst diving. His professional pictures are absolutely amazing. Great day all around. Thank you!”
Pick a coastline, a cellar door or a national park.
