While Cairns is the northern gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, the Coral Coast and Bundaberg are considered to be the southern gateway, and are worthy of a visit in their own right. This pristine, nature-filled area is a wonderful getaway and a great way to explore the natural wonders of reef life, including the large numbers of turtles who arrive at Mon Repos every year to nest and hatch their eggs.
Australia luxury travel is what awaits visitors to Lady Elliot Island, a coral cay island in the Great Barrier Reef. The island is home to many species of wildlife, including a large Manta Ray population. Because of the fragile nature of the ecosystem, the only accommodation is a world-class eco-resort that offers visitors several beaches, restaurants, and activities include reef walking, tours of the reef, diving, and stargazing.
For a more affordable Australian vacation that includes intimately experiencing the Great Barrier Reef, try visiting Lady Musgrove Island. Visitors can take boat cruises in order to explore the island for the day, or spend a few nights camping on the beach. Only fifty campers are allowed at a time, and campers must bring all equipment, including fresh water, with them. Since the island is a very sensitive ecosystem, all precautions must be taken to ensure a light footprint. However, this can be an affordable way to truly explore the wonders of the reef on your own terms.
Bundaberg is the main city in the area, and offers visitors a wide range of activities besides cruises out to the Great Barrier Reef. Local attractions include the Alexandra Park and Zoo, the Fairymead House Sugar Museum, and of course, no visit would be complete without a trip to the Bundaberg Rum Distillery and a taste of their world-famous liquor. There are also several local parks and gardens, and only a few miles from town is the Sloping Hummock, a dormant volcano that offers beautiful nighttime views of the area.
For a seaside day trip, nothing can beat the scenic Cook Highway from Cairns up to Port Douglas. Along the way you’ll drive along the coast as well as through large sugar cane fields. Just outside of Cairns you’ll pass through a wonderful network of beaches with fabulous accommodations, restaurants, and golf courses. Swimming here is very popular, although beware of stingers and jellyfish from November to May when swimmers should stay inside netted enclosures.
Further up the coast you’ll see the quaint Palm Cove with its palm tree lined streets and grassy, landscaped beachfront properties. Palm Cove is a relaxed beachtown where visitors can enjoy swimming and tanning on the beautiful beach, golfing at the local course, and horse-back riding, especially sunset beach rides. Wild World is a local wildlife park and kangaroos still thrive here in the wild.
An interesting side trip from the Cook Highway is to the town of Kuranda, a little further inland. Karanda is a small village in the midst of a rainforest and is a very popular destination for tourists. To get to the village requires taking either the Kuranda train or the Skyrail cablecar, or some combination of the two. Once there, visit the Aviary, where you can walk through the birds’ enclosures or the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary where you can view the famous tropical butterflies of the region. Other highlights include the Rainforest Walk and river boat cruises.
Finally, Port Douglas is a wonderful place to get away from it all. A beautiful seaside town, here you can enjoy cruises to the Great Barrier Reef, a trip to the award winning wildlife park, Rainforest Habitat, or the markets held every Sunday. The more adventurous can take part in adventure water sports, and others can spend a lazy afternoon on the beach or taking in a round of golf.
As one of Australia’s premier natural attractions, the Great Barrier Reef attracts visitors from all over the world. The reef is truly an amazing sight, and with so many different tours available, can be enjoyed by visitors of all diving and swimming experience. Over 2600 kilometers long, the reef also has more than 1000 islands, so it can be difficult to know where to start planning your visit. Whether you are planning on just spending a day on the reef, or whether it is the focal point of your trip, the best place to start is the city of Cairns in northern Queensland.
Cairns is considered the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, and here you’ll find a multitude of tour companies offering a large variety of reef tours on all kinds of vessels. Most tours enjoy a three hour stop on the reef for diving and snorkeling, and a stop on Fitzroy or Green Island. Depending on the tour you decide upon, you might enjoy a relaxing day out on a boat or spend your time listening to marine biologists explain more about the reef habitat. There really is something for everyone.
Tours usually leave early in the morning and are gone all day. Consider leaving valuables and passports back at the hotel, and don’t forget to wear your swimsuit with light clothing over top. A towel, sunglasses, and shoes for walking on hot pavement will all make your trip more enjoyable. You’ll probably want to take lots of pictures, so an underwater camera and lots of film is a must. Most tour companies do provide some kind of lunch, usually buffet style.
Those who prefer to enjoy the area on their own terms might want to consider taking the ferry across to Green or Fitzroy Island where there are a handful of resort hotels offering snorkeling and diving packages.
