Two Fantastic Ways to Experience the Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is a magnificent sight and you can experience it in numerous ways. Two fantastic ways to experience the Great Barrier Reef are to take a light aircraft flight over the reef and snorkeling from a platform in the Pacific Ocean.

It is easy to drive to Whitsunday Airport, Queensland from Airlie Beach to catch the one hour pleasure flight over the Whitsunday Islands and ‘Heart Shaped’ Reef. You will be given a safety briefing before the pilot leads you to the 4-seater plane on the grass field runway. You will probably get the best seats if you can sit in the front of the aircraft! The pilot heads out over the Airlie Beach area and the views are stunning. A few minutes later the aircraft takes you over the very popular Hayman and Daydream Islands. It takes almost half an hour before the Great Barrier Reef comes into view. What a view it is! This is definitely a fantastic way to experience the reef because you can see how vast it really is as it stretches out for miles into the distance.

The highlight of the trip is circling the famous ‘Heart Reef’. The pilot tilts the plane both ways so that everyone gets a good view of the ‘heart shaped’ reef so have your camera ready. After leaving the reef the pilot takes you towards Whitsunday Island and the famous Whitehaven Beach. The Whitehaven beach stretches out for almost 4 miles and is arguably one of the ten best beaches in the world. The Hill Inlet sand formation is a superb view from the air and is well worth seeing. The aircraft flies over the vacation friendly Hamilton Island and Shute Harbour before returning back to the airport. The Whitsunday Islands are a marvellous place for a vacation but don’t miss the chance to see them from the air.

Snorkeling has got to be one of the best ways to experience the Great Barrier Reef. Port Douglas, Queensland is a good base to catch the Catamaran that takes you out to the Barrier Reef. The Quicksilver Catamaran takes you to the Agincourt Reef in almost two hours and you can enjoy the magnificent views of the north Queensland coastline as you swiftly move through the water. The platform is a superb place to explore the reef because you can also take a submarine type boat in addition to snorkeling. If you do not want to get wet, but still want to enjoy the reef then this option is ideal.

All the equipment for snorkeling is available at the platform so take advantage of it. It is almost a fantasy world when you snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef. The colors of the tropical fish are amazing and you can see them so clearly because they swim so close to you. Watch out for the Clownfish and then you will be able to claim that you have ‘found Nemo’ at the Great Barrier Reef. Be careful not to touch the intricate coral reef because it is actually a living organism and easily damaged. My personal advice is to swim away from the immediate crowds and then you can have this world all to yourself.

Seeing the Great Barrier Reef is an experience that will never be forgotten so don’t miss the chance to see the reef, from above and below, if you travel to Australia.

Great Barrier Reef: Ultimate Scuba Diving Experience

The Great Barrier Reef is considered to the ultimate in scuba diving adventures in the world which offer same excitement to experts as well as beginners. So what is so special about the Great Barrier Reef ? First of all, the size. Its simple huge - stretching over 1400 miles along Australia’s East Coast. It is not only the largest reef system in the world, but many consider it as one of the most beautiful too. If this has been your dream to visit this natural wonder, here are some tips for the first-time traveler :

The Location of the Reef

Situated near Queensland in Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is about 185 miles away from the mainland on the southern side. It is about 12 miles away from the shore on the northern side. It is about 50 miles wide at the northern side - the widest stretch. What can you expect to see at the Great Barrier Reef. The amazing variety of plant and animal life which have made its home here is mind-boggling. You can, actually see about 4000 species of mollusks, more than 1000 species of fish, about 380 species of coral, 500 species of seaweed, six varieties of sea turtles.

How to Get to the Barrier Reef

There are daily flights to Australia from the West Coast in the United States. When you reach Australia, you may have to take a small connecting flight to land near one of the gateways to the reef. Generally people go for Cairns and Townsville, two tropical cities located near the northern side of the reed. The other gateway is at Gladstone and Bundaberg, located near the southern side of the reef.

The Ultimate Scuba Diving Adventure

The calm and lucid waters around the reef make it the best location for scuba diving in the world. Water may run deep at certain places, but is generally moderate for amateurs to dive in. For beginners, diving should be in shallow waters - about 60 feet in depth. However for experts, there are reefs around the Coral Sea where the depth is about 300 feet.

To go through one of the best scuba diving experiences, you can board one of the popular ‘live aboard’ boats. These specialized boats take visitors right where the action is. Many such boats have convenient luxury amenities and can organize boats to take divers right at the center of the reef. There are day boats available for day-time scuba diving. These day boats take visitors for 4 to 5 hour trips into the reef. Even local resorts organize these day boats for their guests.

Finding a ‘Dive Island’ Resort

Resorts located in small islands around the reef are capable of organizing scuba diving trips for the guests. They provide convenient access to the reef and are great for visitors looking for a scuba diving adventure. Generally these resorts are situated in Lizard, Green, Lady Elliot, and Heron islands. ‘Cod Hole” - a popular diving site is situated off Lizard Island. Dunk Island is another Great Barrier Reef resort you can stay at.

Best Time to Visit the Reef

Anytime of the year is considered to be safe and suitable to visit the reef for scuba diving. This is because of the nature of the water which is normally calm and steady. The Australian summer is considered to be popular - which is between December and March. Because of the tropical climate, the temperature usually hovers around 70 to mid-80s.This makes a visit to the Great Barrier Reef and its surrounding cities pleasant at anytime of the year.

The Best Way To Experience Tropical North Queensland

While in Australia you will discover there are an unending number of things to do and see, and especially so if you are in the Tropical North Queensland area. You may want to do all the tourist attractions, or do all the nature stuff, going out to the Great Barrier Reef or walking the tropical rainforest. But the best vacation will be one that finds a balance between seeing all the natural habitats and experiencing the manmade stuff.

The Great Barrier Reef and the tropical rainforest are incredibly interesting and beautiful but being on your feet all day will make you fatigued. Balancing the attractions during your vacation time will provide an opportunity for you to go home feeling more relaxed. Giving your mind and body time to have the rest and pampering is necessary, and choosing to stay at a Tropical Rainforest Spa accommodation will provide that for you right on site.

Others choose to stay further out from the rainforest and take day trips. They tend to alternate all day nature hikes and water sport adventures with days spend just relaxing by the hotel pool or basking on one of the many area beaches. This too will allow for you to get the most enjoyment out of your Tropical North Queensland holiday.

Another approach to achieving a holiday of splendor and balance is to alternate days of rainforest hikes with days of tourist attractions, fine dining and shopping. This will lend itself to the best possible holiday truly taking in all the Outback region has to offer visitors from around the world.

Travels to the Tropical North Queensland will present the traveler with a lot of adventure and great experiences. Whichever way you make the balance happen the trip will be wonderful, there’s so much to see and experience. Seeing the nature in gorgeous coral, blue waters, rainforests, along with fine dining, accommodations, and the unusual culture and ecology here there will be no lack of wonderment for all travelers looking for an interesting trip.