Australia's Great Barrier Reef Liveaboards

The most rewarding way to immerse yourself in the Australian experience

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboards ...Because one day is never enough!

Nothing compares to spending time on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef liveaboards

Australia is one of the most desirable destinations to visit and spend time. The Great Barrier Reef, located in Queensland Australia, is the largest living coral reef system on the planet and a World Heritage Listed, natural wonder. Add to this Queensland’s unique lifestyle, laid-back vibe and unparalleled natural beauty and it’s no surprise that visitors are enchanted by the region.

We’re here to help you get on the overnight boat trip that is perfect for you, your friends and your family.

From Cairns’ unbeatable diving and snorkelling in tropical Far North Queensland to the picture-perfect sailing-paradise of the southerly Whitsunday Islands, our Great Barrier Reef liveaboards offer the very best Australian experiences.

Let us help you find your ideal Great Barrier Reef liveaboard adventure!

Where’s the best snorkelling and scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef?

The Great Barrier Reef is enormous – reaching from Bundaberg in Southern Queensland, right past the tip of Australia. It covers an area of 344,000 square kilometres and is roughly the same size as 70 million football fields!

It’s not surprising that one of the most common questions we receive, is people asking us ‘what is the best place for visiting the Great Barrier Reef from?’ And the answer all depends on what you’re looking for.

Major departure points for overnight boats visiting the Great Barrier Reef are Cairns, Port Douglas, Townsville and The Whitsundays (a.k.a Arlie Beach). Each has its own points of difference and attractions in their own right. Some boast the best island scenery, some the best shipwrecks and some the best coral and fish life.

Due to its huge size and varying eco-systems, we recommend anyone visiting the Great Barrier Reef see both extremes. The breathtaking coral and marine life to be found in the north – on a Cairns liveaboard – and beautiful scenery on a Whitsunday Island sailing liveaboard in the south.

Quite simply, for spectacular marine life below the water, with hundreds of tropical fish and an abundance of multi-coloured coral – Cairns in Far North Queensland is the place to begin. If scenic beauty above the water is what you’re looking for – the Whitsunday Islands, in Southern Queensland, offers picturesque island landscapes and white sandy beaches.

For snorkelling and scuba diving activities, a good rule of thumb is the further north you travel – the denser and more vibrant the fish, coral and marine life you’ll see.

Cairns is the nearest city for visiting the Great Barrier Reef

Cairns City, in Far North Queensland Australia, is the most popular starting point for those wishing for an overnight adventure of snorkelling or scuba diving, on a Great Barrier Reef liveaboard.

As a vibrant cultural centre in its own right, Cairns is the nearest coastal city for visits to the Great Barrier Reef. This means that for snorkelers and scuba divers wishing to experience the best of the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns makes the ideal base.

Great Barrier Reef liveaboards that depart from Cairns have excellent access to areas of unparalleled, outstanding natural beauty due to its close proximity to the Outer Great Barrier Reefs and its northerly location.

The ‘outer’ Great Barrier Reefs are widely acknowledged as having the most beautiful aquatic life in comparison to ‘inner’ Great Barrier Reefs, which lie closer to the coastline. Read more on the difference between the outer Great Barrier Reef vs the inner Great Barrier Reef, here.

From Cairns, the most impressive outer Great Barrier Reefs are only a short liveaboard boat ride away. Shorter journey times mean that you get to experience a much wider range of snorkelling and scuba diving locations, spending a longer time at each reef site while you’re there.