How to see the Great Barrier Reef without getting wet

The best seat in the house to see the reef is ironically the furthest from it – the sky.

Two of our favourite experiences can be found in The Whitsundays.  

For an insanely indulgent experience on the insanely photogenic Heart Reef, board a chopper with Hamilton Island Air. Take flight to witness the grandeur of the Great Barrier Reef, before touching down on a private pontoon moored in Heart Reef lagoon for a private glass bottom boat tour, champagne - and the option to snorkel if you do decide to get wet.

Or, combine two Queensland icons in one flight with Air Whitsunday, soaring over the Great Barrier Reef in a seaplane to land at the world’s most famous beach, Whitehaven. Take a stroll along this famous seven-kilometre stretch from end-to-end, stopping to polish your jewellery in the ultra-fine silica sand (or give yourself a full-body exfoliation).

Set sail, your way

Whether you’re a bona fide sailor or more of a sunset-cruise kind of seafarer, start by determining which Whitsundays sailing cruise is for you.

If you’re up for a DIY holiday, charter your own adventure and explore the heart of the Great Barrier Reef at your own pace. Bareboats come fully equipped with everything you need, and even newbies can get in on the sailing action, since the Whitsundays is one of the few places in the world you can charter a yacht without a licence. You’ll just need to pack common sense and enough attention to sit through a sailing one-on-one lesson before you set sail.

Prefer to have an experienced skipper? There are dozens of day-trip and multi-night sailing adventures that will deliver you to the most beautiful reef locations.

Glide on a glass-bottom boat

See the Reef from the top down with a glass-bottom boat over its colourful corals. It's a hit for young, old, and everyone in between - and a great way to learn more about our Reef, with a marine guide on hand to point out marine life and coral species as you glide through the water.

You can find glass-bottom boat tours across the Great Barrier Reef regions. Up north in Cairns, Sunlover Reef Cruises offers boat tours from their pontoon in the middle of Moore Reef, while two islands a short hop from the city - Green Island and Fitzroy Island - welcome resort guests and day-trippers on their tours.  

On the Southern Great Barrier Reef, make it part of your day trip with Lady Musgrave Experience, or check into Lady Elliot Island for a few days - the eco-resort here offers a glass-bottom boat experience both day and night for two different perspectives of the Great Barrier Reef without swimming in it. Under the cover of darkness on the night tour, you’ll get to see the coral polyps awaken with the help of a special UV light.

Chopper to an isolated coral cay

Ever had an entire beach to yourself? How about in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef?

Take off with Nautilus Aviation and you'll be treated to a bird's eye view of our epic Reef, before landing on remote Vlasoff Cay. Out here, there's nothing around you but the ocean - and the picnic of dreams, courtesy of your pilot.

Further south, Havannah Island is yours for the day when you charter a chopper with Nautilus Aviation from Townsville.

For even more epic helicopter experiences in Queensland, head here.

Experience a semi-submarine

What would you say if we told you it’s possible to get a diver’s view of the reef without getting wet? Quicksilver Cruises are masters at ensuring every visitor to their Agincourt Reef pontoon has a great experience - swimmer or non-swimmer.

There's an underwater observatory, scuba diving and snorkelling, and ocean walkers for those who want to explore underwater, without the hassle of a traditional dive mask and tank.

But by far the most thrilling is Quicksilver's semi-submersible tour. You’ll be in air-conditioned comfort as you tour the reef sitting down, one metre below the water’s surface - with the Reef's incredible biodiversity in your sights.

Quicksilver Cruises departs from Port Douglas and includes a day out on the reef atop a pontoon at the edge of Australia’s Continental Shelf. A smorgasbord lunch is served on board, and you can add a 10-minute helicopter flight to your trip if you want to experience the Great Barrier Reef from above, too.

Spend a day on a Reef pontoon

If you don’t have the best sea legs and the idea of spending the day rocking on a boat makes you feel queasy, opt for a reef trip that visits a pontoon so you have a stable home base in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef.

What’s more, most pontoon-based operators let you experience the Great Barrier Reef without swimming via activities like underwater observatories and glass-bottom boat tours, while also catering to other family members who are keen to get in the water for some snorkelling or scuba diving.

Sunlover Reef Cruises gives you the option to go from Cairns to the family-friendly Moore Reef pontoon - complete with water slide. Nearby, Reef Magic's pontoon opened in 2022 and offers the unique opportunity to learn about the cultural side of the Reef with Indigenous guides. Departing Port Douglas, Quicksilver Cruises brings the fun to Agincourt Reef - equipped with a lift to enable passengers with mobility needs to safely enter the water if they wish to do so.

Holidaying in The Whitsundays? Cruise Whitsundays delivers an unforgettable day out on their Hardy Reef pontoon - and you can even stay the night.

Sleep island side

Why just Reef when you can reef and resort, Queensland's own version of R&R? With over 900 islands dotting the Great Barrier Reef, there are plenty of waterfront views on this national asset.

And there's something for every traveller, whether your taste is camping on the beach, finding a family-friendly resort, or sinking into absolute luxury. From north to south, budget to extravagant - these Great Barrier Reef islands deliver unforgettable memories.

Special mention goes to Daydream Island Resort, home to Reef Ranger programs that will enthrall the kids - as well as the Living Reef, a 1.5million litre coral lagoon that wraps around the resort featuring an underwater observatory, interactive touch-pools and more.  

Sleep on the Reef

Spend the night on the reef to never miss a beat and see the reef in a different light, at night.

From Airlie Beach, Hamilton Island or Daydream Island, join Cruise Whitsundays for a day on the Great Barrier Reef followed by the once-in-a-lifetime Reefsleep experience.

Share the outer reef pontoon with just a small group of other overnighters from the moment the last day trippers depart to when the next wave arrive the next morning, cosying up in swag-style accommodation. In between, you’ll have dinner and drinks, sleep in a deluxe swag and wake up to the sound of the waves lapping at Hardy Reef.

It’s not just the reef that becomes a hive of activity after dark; sky gazers have lots to enjoy with sunset, sunrise and unpolluted starscapes.

If you’re after a more luxurious on-the-reef sleeping option, head below deck Australia’s first underwater accommodation, Reefsuites. With just two rooms, you’ll have maximum privacy and the best view in the house with floor to ceiling windows below the ocean’s surface.

Your nightly rate gets you all-inclusive food and drinks (including a once-in-a-lifetime dinner experience prepared by the live-on chef and featuring bountiful fresh local produce), a guided snorkelling tour, and a semi-submersible tour. Optional extras include heli-scenic flights, scuba diving, and photos.

On the Southern Great Barrier Reef? Lady Musgrave Experience now offers glamping on the top deck of their pontoon, along with bunk-style accommodation in the underwater observatory. A truly unique Reef experience.

Paddle around paradise

Paddle power your way around the Great Barrier Reef with a kayak adventure. Explore the Whitsundays’ waters and islands with Salty Dog Sea Kayaking on a day-long paddle from Airlie Beach to South Molle Island, or multi-day kayak-camp expedition.

For avid kayakers, Coral Sea Kayaking's most popular trip spends 6 days paddling, swimming, snorkelling and camping your way up the coast of Hinchinbrook Island (Munamudanamy) before island-hopping back to Mission Beach.

Explore by foot

Prefer solid ground? It’s not all about watersports on the Great Barrier Reef, and its many islands each offer unique hiking trails through spectacular landscapes.

For the ultimate exploration experience, follow the Ngaro Sea Trail, which ticks off a unique blend of seaways and walks across South Molle Island, Whitsunday Island and Hook Island. Between sailing from island to island, head on land and stretch your legs along one of the many trail options, ranging from easy to difficult.

For more excuses to swap your sandals for hiking boots, discover these hiking trails in The Whitsundays, or these walks in the Southern Great Barrier Reef region.

Even more ways to explore the Great Barrier Reef without getting wet

• Freefall from 15,000 feet for a bird’s-eye view over the Great Barrier Reef, landing on Mission Beach with Skydive Australia.
• Drive around the only suburb on the reef in a topless car on Magnetic Island.
• Step aboard the pink amphibious 1770 LARC! (land and sea vessel) for a sunset tour through Eurimbula National Park.
• Hook your trophy-catch aboard a charter boat and learn to spearfish and troll for Spanish mackerel in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef off Mackay.