Short answer: a Great Barrier Reef day trip from Cairns costs $189 to $319 per adult. A full day on the outer reef, with lunch and snorkel gear included, starts at $249. The cheapest outer reef day today is Dreamtime Snorkel at $249. Island days to Green Island start at $189. Some boats add a $10 fuel levy per adult on the day; the table below lists which.
Prices are per person in AUD from our live listings and update with them. Every Great Barrier Reef tour we sell, sorted by today’s price, is on Great Barrier Reef tours by price.
Cairns reef day trip prices, boat by boat
| Boat (operator) | Where it goes | Our price | Fuel levy on the day | Scuba |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Island Eco Adventure (Great Adventures) | Green Island, inner reef | $189 | none listed | none |
| Dreamtime Snorkel (Dreamtime Dive & Snorkel) | 2 outer reef sites: Moore plus Milln or Flynn | $249 | none listed | intro or certified, extra |
| Evolution (Down Under Cruise & Dive) | 2 outer reef sites, 5 hours at the reef | $269 | none listed | up to 3 intro or certified dives, if selected |
| Passions of Paradise | 2 outer reef sites, by sailing catamaran | $269 | none listed | extra |
| Reef Experience | 2 outer reef sites | $279 | A$10, paid onboard | 1 free intro dive included |
| Ocean Spirit | Michaelmas Cay, 4 hours at the reef | $279 | none listed | intro dive, extra on the day |
| Sunlover Moore Reef | Moore Reef pontoon | $299 | A$10, paid at check-in | extra |
| Silverswift | 3 reef sites | $299 | A$10, paid by link or at check-in | up to 3 dives, certified divers |
| Reef Magic pontoon | Outer reef pontoon, about 5 hours | $319 | none listed | intro or certified, extra |
“None listed” means the operator’s listing does not mention a levy.
With the levy added, two examples checked against the operators’ own sites on 26 October 2026: Sunlover’s own price for its Moore Reef full day is $317, fuel levy included; with us it is $299 plus the $10 levy at check-in. Reef Experience’s own price is $280 plus its $10 levy; with us it is $279 plus the same levy.
What the money buys
Around $189: an island day. Green Island is a coral cay on the inner reef, a short fast-catamaran ride from Cairns. You get a fast catamaran, a 1-hour boat trip to a snorkel site, snorkel gear or a glass-bottom boat and up to 7 hours on the island. Lunch is bought on the island. The water is calmer than the outer reef, and the coral is generally better further out.
$249 to $299: an outer reef boat. A boat that moves between two or three outer reef sites, with lunch, morning or afternoon tea and snorkel gear included. This is the day most backpackers book. Reef Experience includes one intro scuba dive and the reef tax in the price. Evolution gives you the longest time at the reef, five hours. Silverswift visits three sites.
$299 to $319: a pontoon day. A floating platform moored on the outer reef, with lifeguards, a semi-submarine, a glass-bottom boat and a buffet lunch. It costs more because of the platform, and it suits non-swimmers, nervous snorkellers and mixed groups.
Which of these suits you, boat by boat, is in the best Great Barrier Reef day trips from Cairns.
Extras that add to the price
- Fuel levy: $10 per adult on Reef Experience, Sunlover and Silverswift, paid on the day or by link before travel. Children pay $5 on Silverswift.
- Scuba diving: an intro dive is extra on most boats. Sunlover lists intro and certified dives at $149 each. Reef Experience includes one intro dive in the price.
- Hotel transfers: extra on Passions of Paradise, Sunlover, Dreamtime and Reef Magic. Most Cairns boats leave from the Reef Fleet Terminal or the marina in the city centre.
- Photos, bar drinks and wetsuit or prescription mask hire are extra on some boats. Each tour page lists what its operator charges for.
- Peak days: Reef Experience charges a surcharge on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and the Easter long weekend, paid onboard.
Travel insurance is never included.
How to pay less
- Pick a boat without a levy. Dreamtime, Evolution and Passions of Paradise list no fuel levy, so the price you see is the price you pay for the cruise.
- Check the price list. Most of the reef trips we sell are below the operator’s own price. The live comparison, checked every day, is on Great Barrier Reef tours by price. If you find the same trip cheaper elsewhere, our Price Match Promise is how to ask us to do our best on it.
The full reef ladder, from island days to liveaboards and scenic flights, is in how much the Great Barrier Reef costs.
FAQs
How much does a Great Barrier Reef day trip from Cairns cost?
From $189 for a Green Island day to $319 for an outer reef pontoon day, per adult. A full outer reef day on a boat with lunch and snorkel gear starts at $249.
What is the cheapest outer reef day trip from Cairns?
Today it is Dreamtime Snorkel at $249, with lunch and snorkel gear included. Check the fuel levy column above: a $10 levy on the day changes the order between close prices.
How much is Evolution from Cairns?
Evolution (Down Under Cruise & Dive) is from $269 per adult for the snorkel day: five hours at two outer reef sites, lunch cooked onboard and free lycra suit hire. Up to three intro or certified dives can be added.
How much is Reef Experience?
Reef Experience is from $279 per adult with us, plus a $10 fuel levy paid onboard. The price includes snorkel and dive gear, one intro scuba dive, breakfast rolls, lunch, afternoon tea and the reef tax.
How much is Sunlover’s Moore Reef day?
Sunlover’s Moore Reef pontoon day is from $299 per adult with us, plus a $10 fuel levy at check-in. Sunlover’s own price is $317 including the levy (checked 26 October 2026).
Is the outer reef worth the extra over Green Island?
If seeing coral and fish is the point, yes: the outer reef sites are further offshore, with clearer water. Green Island suits people who want a beach, an easy swim and time on land.
Are fuel levies included in the price?
Not always. Reef Experience, Sunlover and Silverswift collect $10 per adult on the day or before travel. The others in the table list no levy.
Tagged
