Cairns Great Barrier Reef Family Tours
It is often difficult to keep the whole family happy on holiday, so this collection of Cairns family-friendly Great Barrier Reef tours will assist you to find something suitable for your family, no matter how big your family, or how small your children.
You should book ahead for all Cairns Great Barrier Reef tours, as they frequently book out - especially during school holidays. We have provided instant booking links to enable you to book your family tours through a secure internet connection. We work directly with the tour companies, so your booking is received and confirmed with the tour operators the moment you place your booking.
Many worry that due to the fact that they may have very young children that they cannot go to the Great Barrier Reef for a full day... WRONG! All boats going to the Great Barrier Reef allow prams, will heat baby food and have changing areas as well as sheltered areas. The boats on the Great Barrier Reef pride themselves on catering towards families and making the holidays as simple and accommodating as possible for their passengers. The overall goal is to ensure that you have the experience of a lifetime at the Great Barrier Reef.
Are your family members all interested in different activities and methods of seeing the reef? The problem is not unusual and this guide will be able to assist you in deciding which method with appease the whole family for this commonly found problem. There are four ways to see the Cairns Great Barrier Reef: From an Island, an activity pontoon, a private yacht and directly entering the water from the back of the boat.
Cairns Great Barrier Reef Pontoon Tours
The activity pontoons are a Great Barrier Reef favorite for all ages. The boat moors next to the pontoon and is accessible all day via connecting platforms with safety rails. The pontoons are full of fun amusements including semi submersibles, glass bottom boats, touch tanks, inside and outside underwater theatres & observatories, fish feeding sessions, incredibly easy access into the water with submerged platforms and flotation devices. For an extra charge you can even indulge in guided snorkel tours, introductory or certified diving or try out the amazing easy to do helmet sea walking experience. This involves a large helmet connected to oxygen being placed on your head in order for you to walk the oceans floor without even getting your hair wet or having to worry about pressurization. The group leaders will put on a show involving fish feeding and will safely pass around findings from the bottom of the ocean so everyone can have a feel. Certain vessels even offer this while riding an underwater scooter. Many areas are available on the pontoons to relax in a lounge chair, take a seat at a table or relax in the shade for a cool down.
| Tour Type | Pricing | Point of Difference | Photo Gallery | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunlover Family Pontoon | Adult $180 Child $65 |
Luxury travel to the reef on-board our air-conditioned catamaran; Informative presentation hosted by our marine naturalist; Delicious chef-prepared buffet luncheon featuring fresh seafood, hot dishes, salads and sumptuous tropical fruits; Guided coral viewing from our semi-submersible craft and glass bottom boat; On-board touch tank to experience unique marine life up close; All snorkelling equipment; Afternoon tea; Optional activities to personalise your day on the water including Certified and Introductory Diving, Seawalker® Platform Helmet Diving and Guided Snorkel Tours; Scenic Helicopter Flights are also available and may be booked onboard. |
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Cairns Great Barrier Reef Island Tours
The Cairns islands are fantastic as they give the comfort zone of the sandy coral cay beaches. The boat cruises out to the islands differ between fourty five minutes to an hour and fourty five minutes based on if you are travelling on a fast catamaran, taking a calm water cruise or sailing. The islands possess lots of gentle sea turtles due to the extreme amounts of sea grass surrounding them. Corals and marine life are made easy to see not only by snorkeling but also by glass bottom boats and semi-submersible rides available off of the islands. The main boat moors 400 meters away from the islands and offer continuous transfers all day long between the boat and the island.
Big Cat Green Island
Green Island is the only Cairns Great Barrier Reef island where the transfer is not necessary as they have their own jetty that connects the boats with the island. Green Island is a commercialised island, including a luxury five star resort, a small zoo, shops, cafes, restaurants and bars as well as a swimming pool and underwater observatory (only accessible through certain operators or at a surcharge). Green Island can be walked around in aproxamately fourty five minutes. The centre area of the island is filled with beautiful walkways and paths and offers a cool breeze through the shady trees. The island is a very shallow water island therefore great for small children.
| Tour Type | Pricing | Point of Difference | Photo Gallery | |
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| Big Cat Green Island Reef Cruises | Adult $75 Child $37.50 |
Green Island is a tropical island paradise on the Great Barrier Reef. Snorkel, dive and swim in the warm island waters, view the spectacular reef from a semi-submarine or glass bottom boat, explore the National Park or just relax on the idyllic sandy beach. Big Cat offers a range of full or half day tours which depart daily at 9am, 11am and 1pm from Cairns. Big Cat has Advanced Eco Certification and due to its zero carbon footprint has achieved Leader level Climate Action Certification. |
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Frankland Islands Cruise and Dive
Frankland Island is ideal if you are looking for a Cairns Great Barrier Reef deep water island with large bommies of corals directly off of the island. Frankland island is unique and very protected, therefore only allowing one hundred people maximum per day at the island and only one single operator with a license to have access to this precious and peaceful coral cay. Like Green Island, Frankland Island does possess lots of shaded area in the middle of the island but furthermore, the operator also offers small tents to the guests, allowing for those who want to lie on the beach but not in the direct sun or to store personal belongings in away from the direct heat. Frankland Island portrays the feeling of being on a deserted island of your dreams. Guided island walks & snorkel tours are available at a surcharge and are not to be missed.
| Tour Type | Pricing | Point of Difference | Photo Gallery | |
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| Frankland Island Snorkelling | $136 AUD | All of their tours include: Fresh Tropical lunch with seafood Glass bottom boat or semi-submersible coral viewing tours Guided Island Walk Reef Ecology Presentation Maximum 100 People All day snorkelling plus equipment Morning and Afternoon Tea |
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Michaelmas Cay
Michaelmas Cay is a migratory bird paradise that is incredibly clean. Twenty five percent of the cay is the only area allowed to be stepped on, although this can be very beneficial as this does allow for keeping the family all nice and close. Michaelmas Cay differs in the way that the center of the island is not filled with rich green forest but is instead simply a coral cay. Many adore the excitement of this island due to the turquoise waters rolling up the cays edge on all sides of you. Michaelmas cay trips can be divided up into a half day at Michaelmas cay and a half day at another reef snorkeling off of the back of the boat which is often a nice way to also please family members who have different expectations and ways that they want to see the reef.
Cairns Great Barrier Reef Snorkel and Dive off the Back of Boat
Cairns Diving and snorkeling off of the back of the boat is not half as scary as it may sound and in fact is made very simple through submerged platforms and or ladders that come down the back of the boats right into the water allowing for secure, safe and easy entry into the water. Many of these boats are fantastic as they will go to two or three sites and some to even an island as well. Some of these boats pick their sites daily based on weather, conditions, tides and visibility, allowing for the best reef adventure and experience. Most of the boats that simply offer snorkeling/diving off the back of the boat do not offer semi submersible or glass bottom boat tours but are fantastic in the manner that you generally get the most time in the water snorkeling around this underwater paradise we call The Great Barrier Reef.
| Tour Type | Pricing | Point of Difference | Photo Gallery | |
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| Silverswift Snorkelling & Cruise | $162 AUD | Silverswift visits the best dive sites off Cairns including Flynn, Milln, Thetford and Pellowe Reefs, known for their abundance of marine life and water clarity. With a unique roaming permit and over 16 different sites to choose from, each site is chosen for ecological and visual diversity, and selected for the best experiences on the day. | 
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Cairns Great Barrier Reef Private Charter Boats
Got a large family and find that the price is really racking up for your desired reef trip? Why not spend that money on your own personal charter where YOU make the decision of where you are going on the Great Barrier Reef and YOU decide for how long and YOU are the only ones experiencing this utopia with no mass tourist crowds. Private charter boats give you your own skipper so just sit back, relax and off into the Coral Sea you go for a fun packed 12 hours of your personally designed Great Barrier Reef excursion.
All options give flexibility and there is something for everyone within them all. Two of the methods of seeing The Great Barrier Reef can even be combined into one day to make a fully loaded Great Barrier Reef adventure. No matter which way you choose to see this magnificent wonder of the world, just remember to have fun and we'll see you on the Cairns Great Barrier Reef.