10 Best Snorkelling and Diving Spots near Cairns

Get to know some of the must-see coral reef sites on the Great Barrier Reef.

Although the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef stretches over 2300 kilometres along the Queensland coastline, Cairns is considered to be the official gateway to experience this beauty up close. With 3000 separate reefs and over 900 continental islands and coral cays, it’s the world’s largest coral reef system and has a myriad of unique marine life you won’t find anywhere else.

Now we have the big reef covered, it’s good to keep in mind that each of those 3000 separate reefs has its own dive sites – basically the best spots on the reef where you can enter the water.

Ready to snorkel or dive on one of the seven wonders of the natural world, directly from Cairns? Take your pick from these 10 snorkelling and diving spots.

1. Flynn Reef

What it offers: Fantastic coral gardens
Number of dive sites: Nine

an aerial view of Silverswift at Flynn Reef , Cairns — Flynn Reef is renowned for its stunning coral gardens. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Located around 60 kilometres offshore from Cairns, the popular Flynn Reef is known for its stunning coral gardens and diverse array of marine life.

It’s perfect for snorkelling the shallow waters, as well as scuba diving, as the outer edges of the reef drop away to an average depth of 20 metres. Diving conditions are optimal all year round. Tour operators Silverswift and Passions of Paradise visit Flynn Reef.

2. Milln Reef

What it offers: Beautiful, clear waters
Number of dive sites: 11

diving with Passions of Paradise at Milln Reefthe Milln Reef, Cairns — Spot stunning coral at Milln Reef. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Also situated on the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef is Milln Reef, home to some very famous dive sites – particularly Petaj Mooring, where you can often find large schools of bright, colourful fish called sweetlips hanging around, as well as resident turtles and whitetip reef sharks.

The Whale is another fun dive site with a shallow top creating the effect of a whale’s blowhole during low tide. Tour operators Silverswift, Passions of Paradise and the Pro Dive Cairns Three Day Liveaboard Scuba Dive Trip visit Milln Reef.

3. Pellowe Reef

What it offers: Epic wall dives and swim-throughs
Number of dive sites: Two

clownfishes at Pellowe Reef — Find Nemo at Pellowe Reef.

A bit smaller than Flynn and Milln Reef is Pellowe Reef, yet it still packs a punch. One of the dive sites is named Cucumber Alley due to the vast number of sea cucumbers that can be found here. The other dive site, Darth Vader, is named due to long deep valleys and caverns that cover up the light, creating a dark, gloomy (but amazing!) atmosphere.

Due to the smaller size of Pellowe Reef, it’s a lot more exposed to windy weather conditions and can only be accessed in extremely satisfactory weather conditions. Tour operators Silverswift, Passions of Paradise and the Pro Dive Cairns Three Day Liveaboard Scuba Dive Trip visit Pellowe Reef.

4. Moore Reef

What it offers: Operators spend the day here
Number of dive sites: 16

the Sunlover Reef Cruises at Moore Reef, Cairns — Explore Moore Reef with Sunlover Reef Cruises. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

In the shape of a giant horseshoe with three outer reef pontoon operators parked here, Moore Reef is massive. The pontoons offer an easy way to explore the reef in the protected waters, so families especially love it here.

Onboard a Sunlover Reef Cruise, you can even swirl down a 30-metre spiralling waterslide into the tropical ocean. Tour operators Passions of Paradise, Sunlover Cruises , Great Adventures and Reef Magic visit Moore Reef.

5. Thetford Reef

What it offers: Opportunity to see larger marine life
Number of dive sites: 11

a dwarf minke whale at Thetford Reef, Cairns — Swim with dwarf minke whales on Thetford Reef.

The two-kilometre-long Thetford Reef site has a bit of everything – great visibility, many coral heads and lots of swim-through canyons and passages to explore.

Cathedral, TUSA Canyons, and Rosco’s are some of its most famous diving sites, and remarkably, whale sharks and dwarf minke whales have been seen passing near this reef. Tour operators Passions of Paradise, Sunlover Cruises, Great Adventures and Reef Magic visit Thetford Reef.

6. Norman Reef

What it offers: Adventure playground for divers
Number of dive sites: 15

pink and peach anemones at Norman Reef, Cairns — Prepare to be amazed by the marine life at Norman Reef. (Image: Jemma Craig/Tourism and Events Queensland)

Similar to Thetford Reef is Norman Reef, a reasonably large reef and one that’s especially appreciated by scuba divers. Here you can explore the many cliffs, caves, swim-through areas and even a little wreck. The reef’s depth also means that it’s home to a range of larger marine life, such as barracudas, trevally and even the odd reef shark.

The waters near Norman Reef are renowned for having superb visibility. Tour operators Passions of Paradise, Reef Experience, Reef Encounter, Divers Den and Down Under Cruise and Dive visit Norman Reef.

7. Upolu Reef

What it offers: A wide variety of marine life
Number of dive sites: Six

a Hawksbill Turtle at Upolu Reef — Keep your eyes peeled for hawksbill turtles at Upolu Reef.

Upolu is a small, protected lagoon-shaped reef with shallow coral gardens and is an excellent place for first-time introductory diving. You can spot a wide variety of marine life here, such as giant clams, sea cucumbers, nudibranchs, cleaner wrasse, yellowtails, giant trevally and large green mauri wrasse.

Often, hawksbill turtles can be found chewing on the red seagrass found growing between the hard and soft corals of the reef. Tour operators Passions of Paradise, Reef Day Tripper and Ocean Freedom visit Upolu Reef.

8. Saxon Reef

What it offers: Ideal night diving conditions
Number of dive sites: Six

a blacktip shark at Saxon Reef, Cairns — Blacktip sharks come lurking around Saxon Reef.

Large enough to allow up to three boats at a time to moor, liveaboard dive boats often stop at Saxon Reef to give scuba divers a night experience. Reef sharks can be seen at night, and you can expect to see whitetip, blacktip and grey whaler sharks.

During the day, large shallow coral gardens are exposed where many soft and hard corals thrive and can be viewed either snorkelling or diving. Tour operators Passions of Paradise, Reef Experience, Reef Encounter and Divers Den visit Saxon Reef.

9. Hastings Reef

What it offers: A favourite snorkelling spot
Number of dive sites: Nine

colourful coral at Hastings Reef — Explore the coral-laden Hastings Reef. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

One of the shallower spots on the Outer Reef, a real highlight of Hastings Reef, is its dive site, Fish Bowl. Sitting around five meters under the surface of the water, Fish Bowl is home to plenty of healthy, strong coral growth.

You may even spot turtles at Hastings along with a large school of humphead parrotfish. Tour operators Reef Experience, Reef Encounter and Divers Den visit Saxon Reef.

10. Agincourt Reef

What it offers: Incredible coral formations
Number of dive sites: 30

diving into the Agincourt Reef — Off the coast of Port Douglas on the Great Barrier Reef lies the Agincourt Reef. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Hop onboard a boat ride from Port Douglas to reach Agincourt Reef, a series of many smaller reefs with at least 16 different dive sites. As the reefs are located on the edge of the continental shelf of Australia, the water quality is spectacular, which creates a pristine environment for marine life and coral colonies.

The Gardens is a particularly popular dive site as they are renowned for its brightly coloured reef fish, making it a photographer’s paradise. Tour operators Quicksilver Cruises , Poseidon Dive and Snorkel and Calypso Reef Cruises visit Agincourt Reef.

For more information about how to access these Cairns reefs, check out the best Great Barrier Reef tours in Tropical North Queensland.

Explore some of Australia’s most stunning coastlines on this epic route.

This scenic, 1800-kilometre Brisbane to Port Douglas road trip takes in some of Australia’s most beautiful landscapes, from the wildlife on Bribie Island to the rainforests of Far North Queensland. Our advice? Slow it down, take your time and really get to know this part of Australia.

Day 1: Brisbane to Noosa

Wake up in the luxurious Sofitel Brisbane Central , enjoy a hot buffet breakfast and a swim in the outdoor pool before hitting the road to travel north. Take the exit to Bribie Island to view the abundant wildlife.

aerial view of bribie island — Enjoy the beauty and animals of Bribie Island. (Image: TEQ)

In the afternoon, check into Peppers Noosa Resort & Villas hidden near Noosa National Park and spend the afternoon relaxing at the luxury Aqua Day Spa. Daredevils can book a seat on an Ocean View Helicopters tour and experience the adrenaline of exploring the Glasshouse Mountains from the air.

Before dinner, head to the Original Eumundi Markets just 25 minutes away or explore the nearby trails in the national park. For dinner, book a table at Park & Cove located just near your hotel and feast on a locally-sourced menu that changes with the seasons.

table spread at Park & Cove Novotel Sunshine Coast — Refuel at Park & Cove.

Day 2: Noosa to Bundaberg

Wake up to sounds of the rainforest outside your window and take the opportunity for a quick swim before you dive into a freshly cooked buffet breakfast at Park & Cove. After breakfast and an expertly brewed coffee, stroll down the hill and spend the morning shopping along Hastings Street in the various boutiques, or hire a kayak or surfboard and conquer the waves.

After lunch, head north for the three-hour drive to historic Bundaberg . If you feel like feeding a kangaroo or wallaby, visit the Fraser Coast Wildlife Sanctuary . Once in Bundy, head to Spitter’s Farm just outside of town. This 160-acre property offers a unique experience in their deluxe glamping safari tents, where you can listen to the cows mooing as the sun sets.

baby kangaroo at australian wildlife Sanctuary — Say hello to the adorable creatures of Fraser Coast Wildlife Sanctuary. (Image: Jewels Lynch)

Day 3: Bundaberg to Rockhampton

Before getting back on the road, take time to visit the many museums, and, of course, the famous Bundaberg Rum Distillery for a tour. Then head to the Beef Capital of Australia, Rockhampton.

Although, ‘Rocky’ is surrounded by beef cattle farms, your first stop should be to the impressive Rockhampton Museum of Art , which features an art collection valued at over $16 million. Rest your head at the centrally-located Mercure Rockhampton overlooking the mighty Fitzroy River. Grab a quick swim in their outdoor pool before enjoying a steak at their in-house restaurant.

Day 4: Rockhampton to Mackay

Grab a strong coffee at your hotel and drive the short distance to the nearby Capricorn Caves for a morning tour of these natural limestone beauties. Then hit the road for the four-hour drive to Mackay.

Reward yourself with a swim in the large, resort-style pool at the Mantra Mackay . Overlooking the marina, it’s the perfect location from which to explore the city, before enjoying a sundowner and dinner at the popular Latitude 21 on the hotel terrace.

woman exploring the Capricorn Caves in queensland — Explore the Capricorn Caves. (Image: TEQ)

Day 6: Mackay to Townsville

Grab your breakfast to go, then head just out of town to Finch Hatton Gorge. Here, spend the morning ziplining 25 metres above the rainforest floor with Forest Flying . Head to Airlie Beach for lunch and a swim in the famous Airlie Beach Lagoon , before heading north to Townsville.

Hop on a 20-minute ferry – they leave regularly – and check into the stunning Peppers Blue on Blue Resort . Spend the evening swimming in their two pools with views across the private marina to Mount Cook National Park, before feasting on fresh seafood at their on-site restaurant, Boardwalk Restaurant and Bar.

aerial view of beach at Airlie Beach queensland — Dive into the crystal clear waters around Airlie Beach. (Image: TEQ)

Day 7: Townsville to Cairns

After a morning swim on one of Magnetic Island’s beautiful beaches, hop back on the ferry and travel north to the sleepy Mission Beach for lunch. You’ll be sandwiched by rainforest on one side, and the beach on the other.

Continue on to Cairns and check in at the centrally-located Novotel Cairns Oasis, where the lagoon-style pool and swim-up bar alone is worth the visit. Or continue north for 25 minutes to the coastal village of Palm Cove.

Once there it’s a tough choice between the luxurious, five-star Pullman Palm Cove Sea Temple, or the beautifully designed Peppers Beach Club and Spa Palm Cove , where the pool has its very own beach.

two people in deck chairs by Novotel Cairns Oasis' lagoon-style pool — Relax by Novotel Cairns Oasis’ lagoon-style pool.

Day 8: To Port Douglas

No matter where you spent the night, your journey to Port Douglas will be one of the most scenic road trips you’ll ever experience. Following the coastline, travel past champagne-coloured beaches, offshore islands and submerged reefs, before rolling into town at Port Douglas.

Although you’ll be spoilt for choice with hotels, two of the best are Peppers Beach Club Port Douglas, which is closer to town (think stunning pool and walking distance to Macrossan Street) and the famous, five-star Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort & Spa , located a little further down the beach. If the 3000-metre-squared lagoon-style pool isn’t enough at this hotel, you’ll also find the exclusive Vie Spa and popular restaurant, Aluco Restaurant & Bar , widely known as being one of the finest restaurants in Port Douglas.

aerial view of pool at Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple — Revive from road-tripping in one of the best pools in Port Douglas.

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A guide to the best snorkelling and diving spots in Cairns