Port Douglas vs. Cairns Snorkeling – Great Barrier Reef

Looking for an unforgettable snorkelling adventure on the Great Barrier Reef? Read this post for suggestions on where to see the best coral and marine life, while considering family friendly options and cost. 

I am amazed that my first snorkeling trip was barely 18 months ago; we managed to squeeze a lot of snorkeling in that short time! Moving to Australia certainly helped, as did our extended Hawaiian holiday. After sampling the best of Hawaii and making two trips to Queensland, I feel confident in sharing our suggestions for snorkeling Great Barrier Reef.

A quick Wikipedia read, gives you an idea of the scale of the reef. It is the largest single structure made by living organisms, stretching from 1,400 miles. To put that into perspective, the drive from Los Angeles to Dallas is approximately 1,437 miles. Even more astonishing, the reef is more than 26 times land size of metropolitan Sydney.

With this much area to cover, you have to pick and choose the elements that are important to you: coral, sea life, expense, and child-friendly. One day will be plenty snorkelling on the reef during your holiday, if you find the best location for your preferences.

The first time we visited the reef, we went with EZ’s family for a weeklong holiday, which made the decision easy.

Port Douglas: a popular, laid-back beach destination. Port Douglas is closer to the Daintree Rainforest, without the grungy backpacker crowds in Cairns.

Exploring the biology of the reef with Wavelength marine biologist

As for the reef tour company, we repeatedly heard two Port Douglas recommendations:

Quicksilver and Wavelength.

We chose Wavelength for two main reasons, they cater to smaller groups interested in snorkeling, and they staff marine biologists on each tour. Quicksilver, on the other hand, runs giant boats, catering to divers, snorkelers, and non-swimmers. At the time, CZ was too young to enjoy a trip to the reef, and we suspected her motion sickness extended to the sea, so we split into two groups in favor of the vast knowledge and intimate guided experience provided by Wavelength.

Our second reef tour left from Cairns on a 20 person catamaran, and visited a section of reef closer to shore. The Great Barrier Reef held a top spot on my sister’s Australian bucket list, and we only had an long weekend away from Sydney. Given the shorter trip, we felt adding transit time to Port Douglas (there is no airport) was not the most effective use of time. Plus, Kuranda is more accessible from Cairns without a car, and they offer Koala cuddles – the second item on Lindsey’s list.

Out of the two trips, only one is worth repeating, but we are happy with both experiences. Even if it isn’t the best, most remote, or incredible part of the reef, a trip the Great Barrier Reef is still pretty awesome. That said, here are few guidelines to help you choose the reef trip that best aligns with your priorities and interests.

Coral – Snorkeling Great Barrier Reef

The coral structures that we saw at Opal and Tongue reefs (from Port Douglas) seemed larger than the coral at Upolu (near Cairns). From Port Douglas, the reef sites we visited felt expansive and deep, and the coral rose almost to the surface in many places, making it feel even bigger. This also made a closer look at the amazing reef much more accessible.

Additionally, I noticed that Upolu did have some of the most memorable coral and organisms we saw from Port Douglas. Take for example, these blue Christmas Tree Worms. When the marine biologist waved her hand near them, they retracted. I was very excited to show this to Lindsey, but we did not spot any on our trip to Upolu from Cairns.

Photo Courtesy of Wavelength

Sea Life – Snorkeling Great Barrier Reef

Sea life depends on the day and the weather, but we saw Nemo, Dory, Zebra Fish, and a whole host of other fish, during both trips. We also saw turtles and reef sharks both times! That said, I felt like there were more fish, and greater diversity in the marine life we encountered during our trip to Opal and Tongue Reefs from Port Douglas.

Cost – Snorkeling Great Barrier Reef

We felt like the Cairns operators nickeled and dimed every possible amenity.

On the other hand, Wavelength charters (Port Douglas)offered great food, there were no hidden add-on charges, and a Marine Biologist on the boat guides you around the reef, at no extra charge! Many of the charters out of Cairns charge extra for stinger suits / wetsuits, and there were a host of other charges. Wavelength did have items for purchase aboard the vessel, but these non-essentials were fairly priced.

Children – Snorkeling Great Barrier Reef

If you have children under 8, we received recommendations both for Quicksilver Cruises (and Reef Magic. Both operators run large boats that make day trips to stationary pontoons that are stroller friendly, and offer opportunities for younger, and even older, members of your group to see the reef, without entering the water. Quicksilver and Reef magic also offer family packages, and have nappy changing stations on the boat. Wavelength has a minimum age requirement of 8 years old.

Know Before You Go – Snorkeling Great Barrier Reef

• If you have small children under 8 or people unable to swim, go with Quicksilver (Port Douglas) or Reef Magic (Cairns)
• If you only have a couple of days, stick with Cairns (our suggestion is Reef Magic)
• If you have the time, or you are willing to squeeze in Port Douglas, your best option is Wavelength
• If it is all about the coral, we recommend Wavelength

In summary, we really enjoyed our tour with Wavelength. We would happily return with them, and, for the record, we were not compensated for this post. Unfortunately, we cannot say the same about our trip from Cairns, but any day snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef is a great one!

Which location works best for your family?