When people speak of 'The Land Down Under', they often picture Australia's unique wildlife and vast landscapes. But beneath the waves off Queensland's coast lies another world, equally extraordinary and more vibrant. The Great Barrier Reef, the largest living organism on Earth and visible from space, is a diver's paradise offering some of the planet's most spectacular liveaboard diving adventures.
This underwater marvel is a thriving ecosystem where vibrant corals shelter everything from tiny macro critters to gentle turtles, reef sharks, and oceanic manta rays. With year-round warm, calm waters and unparalleled marine biodiversity, the Great Barrier Reef promises unforgettable liveaboard diving out of the lively coastal hub of Cairns. Stretching over 2,000 km, the reef is divided into distinct regions, each with its own allure.
For the best diving on the Great Barrier Reef, only a liveaboard cruise to its furthest reaches will do - on the Ribbon Reefs and in the Coral Sea - where the ocean's grandeur is on full display. The Ribbon Reefs are home to legendary sites like Cod Hole, where massive potato cod interact with divers, and Steve's Bommie, a magnet for marine life, boast crystal-clear visibility and thriving coral gardens with plenty of moray eels, exotic cuttlefish and sea hares.
Further east, the Coral Sea's remote reefs - Osprey, Holmes, and Bougainville - offer sheer walls, shark-filled waters, and breathtaking pinnacles. These isolated reefs, nourished by deep-sea upwellings, host pelagic action like schooling barracuda, bronze whalers, and large packs of reef sharks, all set against a backdrop of gorgonian fans and dendronephthya soft corals. Visibility here ranges from the impressive to the incredible.
The Cairns Outer Barrier Reef is perfect for beginners and time-strapped travellers, with iconic sites like Norman Reef's Whale Bommie and Saxon Reef's coral-crowned walls. Here, liveaboard divers encounter swirling schools of fish, giant clams, and frequent sightings of reef sharks and eagle rays.
The Ribbon Reefs offer spectacular diving on vibrant coral reefs and thrilling encounters with reef sharks, turtles, and schools of tropical fish. These pristine reefs are part of the Great Barrier Reef’s outer edge, delivering crystal-clear visibility and breathtaking underwater landscapes. A highlight of the region is Cod Hole, famous for its friendly giant potato cod, some weighing over 100 kg! The site also features stunning coral formations and the chance to spot reef sharks, Maori wrasse, and even manta rays. [More details on these dive sites: Ribbon Reefs].
The Coral Sea delivers some of the most thrilling and pristine diving in the world for serious divers, with remote reefs, big pelagics and breathtaking drop-offs. At Osprey Reef, divers are treated to adrenaline-pumping encounters with up to 100 reef sharks. Holmes Reef stuns with its untouched coral gardens, steep slopes, and swirling schools of barracuda, trevally, and dogtooth tuna. Bougainville's sheer walls plunge into the abyss, offering spectacular visibility and dramatic encounters with hammerheads, grey reefs, and even the occasional tiger shark. [More details on these dive sites: Osprey Reef - Holmes Reef - Bougainville].
Liveaboards visiting this richest region of the Great Barrier Reef are normally for 7 nights' duration, although tours can be as short as 3 nights. The boats operate open-deck policies which allow you to dive when you prefer. They are also photographer-friendly, often with dedicated camera facilities, underwater photo competitions and courses. These charters are very popular so we recommend booking well in advance. Experienced divers may not be satisfied with the quality of liveaboard diving on the Great Barrier Reef in locations other than at the Coral Sea sites. (Note: you may need to take a (included) short domestic flight to or from Lizard Island, either at the start or the end of the cruise.
> [More details: Coral Sea Liveaboard Trips]These trips operate only about 50 km off shore and provide easy diving around coral bommies and reef flats. You can expect to see many schools of fish, a broad range of reef critters, large groupers and wrasses as well as white tip reef sharks. Coral coverage is impressive with boulder corals, table and plate corals. Bommies rise up from gullies and a landscape of staghorn-covered peaks and sandy valleys. The diving here is not the best that the Great Barrier Reef has to offer, but it represents a great entry-level liveaboard option and, with short and affordable dive tours, it is a popular choice. These trips visit the reefs of Flynn, Milln, Pellowe, Saxon and Norman. [More details on these dive sites: Cairns].
You can hop on board a liveaboard cruise to the Cairns Outer Barrier Reef any day of the week, although these trips are very popular, so booking in advance is strongly recommended. You can take a 2, 3 or 4 night stay on these liveaboards and combine them with a dive course if you wish. The atmosphere on liveaboards to the Cairns Barrier Reef is one of fun and enthusiasm. Guests tend to be young, with many backpackers taking courses on board. Divers are generally quite inexperienced but delighted to be sampling the underwater delights of the Great Barrier Reef. More experienced scuba divers tend to opt for longer trips in the Coral Sea.
> [More details: Cairns Outer Barrier Reef Liveaboard Trips]
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The Great Barrier Reef is a year round scuba diving holiday destination, with steady water temperatures (24 to 29°C) and a wonderful tropical climate. December to February are the warmest and wettest months. September to December have the calmest seas. Routes are most likely to require changes during monsoon season, especially January and February.
There are also some seasonal patterns for marine life: minke whales are most commonly seen between June and August. Humpback whales are mostly likely between August and October.
You will find more detailed information on the diving season of the Great Barrier Reef on our Australia diving destinations page.
Most visitors arrive at Cairns International Airport, which is only 5 minutes drive from the centre of Cairns itself, allowing you to be at your hotel or liveaboard very soon after your arrival. There are taxis, mini buses and also a bus service into the city from both the domestic and international terminals. Visit Cairns Airport for more on their facilities and transport information. More information on: How to get to Australia.
The Coral Sea and Ribbon Reefs liveaboard cruises normally depart either from Cairns or Lizard Island (where Captain Cook stopped to plan his escape from this maze of reefs). A short and spectacular plane ride over the reef is required, to travel between Cairns and Lizard Island, either before or after your safari. This flight is included in the trip price. Obviously the longer trips cover a wider area and are more likely to include more distant sites and offer a greater overview of this wonderful region. You can view which ports the liveaboards use on their trips in the 'Departure Schedule & Prices' section of each boat's web page. If departing from Cairns, the boat operator normally provides a transfer to the boat from the local hotels (if you overnight beforehand). We will send you full departure details (including domestic flight arrangements) during the booking process.
The Cairns Outer Barrier Reef liveaboard boats remain out on the reef, while scuba divers are ferried by speedboat between the mothership and the city of Cairns. Normally the boat operator provides a transfer to the boat from local hotels. We will send you full departure details during the booking process.
We recommend you take out insurance to cover diving and travel activities, including trip cancellation. See our insurance programme for a competitive quotation:
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