Great Barrier Reef Travel

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is the largest and most extensive reef system in the world – which stretches 1429 miles along the east coast of Australia and covers an area of more than 134,000 square miles. In the south, is the Great Barrier Reef about 185 miles from the mainland, while its northern end, continues Reef long distances up to 50 miles wide and is just 12 miles offshore at its nearest point. around 380 species of coral, 1500 species of fish, 4000 species of molluscs, 500 species of seaweed and six of seven of the world’s sea turtles can be found on the Great Barrier Reef.

Getting to the Great Barrier Reef:

There are a number of jump points for the Great Barrier Reef. Flights depart daily to Australia from the west coast of the USA – it is then a simple domestic connection to one of the Reef’s ports – the tropical cities of Cairns and Townsville on the north end of the Reef, Hamilton Island and Proserpine in the Whitsundays and the coastal cities of Bundaberg and Gladstone on Reef’s south end.

Best time of year to go:

There is no “poor” time of year when holiday in the Great Barrier Reef. Queensland’s warm water is perfect for year round diving, but the weather is usually best between August and January. Coral polyps are playing around October / November. Keep in mind that Queensland’s seasons are opposite of North America’s – summer is December to March and winter from June to August. Queensland is tropical year round, however, water and air temperatures are generally in the range of low 70 to mid 80s year round.

Best ways to dive the Great Barrier Reef:

Due to a slight depth and clear, calm waters, the Great Barrier Reef is ideal for both novice and experienced divers to explore. Coral Sea is relatively shallow dive with a maximum depth of about 60 meters. Reefs in the Coral Sea in the far north-east have a deeper dive sites, however, with a wall dropping to 300 feet.

Diving safari boats

One of the best way to explore the Great Barrier Reef on board a diving safari trips. These range 2-3 days, a week or longer and includes a luxury ship, boat diving research and small passenger vessels that visit some of the cliff’s most remote and exciting dive sites.

Island Dive Resorts

Several Great Barrier Reef islands offer excellent diving opportunities – some directly from the beach. Green Heron and Lady Elliot Islands are coral cays with excellent diving right straight from the beach. Lizard Island in the far north and offers excellent fringe reef is located near several top dive sites, including the famous’ “Cod Hole”- one of the cliff’s best-known sites. Many of the Whitsunday islands is a short boat ride off the cliff, some’s best dive sites. Island resorts also have a wide range of activities for non-divers.

Day boats

Diving boats and food beginners and experienced divers, snorkelers as well as making trips out to the reef. Most spend about 4-5 hours on a cliff and offers the possibility of up to two dives.

The following resources may help you:

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