How to access the Great Barrier Reef from Port Douglas

Regarded as one of the most significant sites of this natural wonder, Agincourt Reef is the most accessible outer reef location from Port Douglas. One of the best ways to experience it with the whole family is on an Outer Reef Cruise with Quicksilver Cruises, as it offers options for snorkelling, scuba and non-swimmers.

Departing Reef Marina in Port Douglas, jump on board the catamaran for a day on the reef. Your destination? A pontoon at the edge of Australia’s Continental Shelf.

There’s plenty of activities to keep everyone busy. Off-the-pontoon snorkelling, an underwater observatory and a semi-submersible boat (where you’ll be in air-conditioned comfort as you tour the reef sitting down, one metre below the water’s surface). Scuba diving, guided snorkeling tours and oceanwalker helmet diving are optional tour add-ons too.

A smorgasbord lunch is served on board, and you can take a 10-minute helicopter flight to your trip if you want to experience the Great Barrier Reef from above, too.

Snorkel the Outer Reef 

With 90 percent of the reef’s diversity occurring within four metres of the surface, snorkelling is the easiest way to immerse yourself in its beauty.

Several snorkelling cruise companies depart from Port Douglas daily.

Calypso Reef Cruises offers family cruises, reef tours and dive trips for snorkeling and scuba diving.  Explore Agincourt Reef in luxury as you visit three different sites on your day tour. Expect to see hard coral, bright soft corals and marine life including sharks, stingrays, turtles, cos, Maori wrasse and parrotfish.

You’ll learn all about the ecosystem of the Great Barrier Reef with lunchtime talks by marine biologists on board Wavelength Reef Cruises. This dedicated eco-snorkeling company holds advanced eco-tourism accreditation and climate action certification, and will show you the best of the outer reef with three different snorkel sites on your day out.

Explore beneath the surface

The best way to come face to face with the 900 species of marine life that call the Great Barrier Reef home? Dive in with them.

Agincourt’s Ribbon Reef system is the closest to Port Douglas. Sites here offer mostly drift and wall diving perfect for all experience levels, with shallow and colourful coral gardens to explore that are teeming with marine life.

You can learn to dive in Port Douglas with Blue Dive, which has exclusive access to many dive sites on the reef. For a more intimate experience, local operator ABC Dive and Snorkel offers smaller class sizes and day trips with a maximum of 12 passengers.

To explore remote and magnificent Osprey Reef, you’ll need to jump on a liveaboard. And if you’re visiting between July and September, you can even swim with minke whales on the Ribbon Reefs.

Snorkel the Low Isles

Short on time but still want to see the reef in all its glory? Take a 15-minute dash from Port Douglas to idyllic coral cay island, Low Isles, with Reef Sprinter to snorkel with turtles and reef sharks.

If you prefer life in the slow lane, join eco-legends Sailaway for their leisurely day trip to Low Isles on a luxury catamaran. Offering first class service, a small number of guests, premium sailing and snorkeling experiences, Sailaway operates full day, afternoon and sunset sailing on the Great Barrier Reef. 

Soar above the reef

Witness the grandeur of the world’s largest reef system from above with a helicopter tour.

Aerial views of Port Douglas are soon replaced with the reef’s vibrant blues and turquoise stretching as far as you can see, before you touch down on a sand cay in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef for a picnic experience you’ll never forget.

Sail away

Whether your idea of the ultimate Great Barrier Reef adventure is to dive or snorkel the pristine underwater world, explore islands teaming with wildlife or pull in the catch of the day; a chartered boat tour is the perfect way for a personalised day on the reef if you’re travelling with a group or family.

Aquarius Sail and Snorkel takes small groups on private snorkeling charters to stunning locations like Tongue Reef and Low Isles. Dive, snorkel, fish or do all of the above with MV Monsoon for an unforgettable (and fully catered) day out.