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Great Barrier Reef Tours from Port Douglas

5 options · from $199 AUD

Port Douglas is about an hour north of Cairns and sits closer to the Agincourt ribbon reefs, on the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef where the water is clearest. Boats leave from the town's marina, and on the half-day trip you are back by late morning.

There are four ways to do it from here: an outer reef boat visiting up to three sites, a pontoon moored on the reef, a half-day at the Low Isles coral cay, or a fast morning run from Cape Tribulation further north.

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Port Douglas reef tours compared

Four trips leave from Port Douglas and one from Cape Tribulation. Lengths are door to door on the water day.

Prices are per person in AUD. Bookings are on request and confirmed within 24 to 48 hours.

Outer reef, pontoon or coral cay

Outer reef boats run around 90 minutes out to the ribbon reefs and move between up to three sites, so if one is quiet you have two more. This is where you go for the best coral and the most fish. The three-site Agincourt snorkel cruise gives you roughly five hours at the reef with a guided snorkel at the third. The Outer Reef Snorkel & Dive Cruise from Port Douglas covers up to three sites across Agincourt and Opal Reefs and is the one to pick if you want to dive.

The Agincourt Reef Pontoon Snorkel Day from Port Douglas parks you on a platform on the reef: snorkelling off the deck with lifeguards watching, plus a semi-sub, an underwater observatory and a marine biologist's reef talk. It is the most stable day out and suits nervous swimmers and anyone prone to seasickness.

The Low Isles Morning Snorkel Trip from Port Douglas is four hours: a calm lagoon around a 55-acre coral cay where green turtles are frequent visitors, a glass-bottom boat and an island walk past the lighthouse, back by 11:30am. Less dramatic than the outer edge, much easier.

Cape Tribulation and how to choose

The Cape Tribulation Reef Snorkel, Morning Tour does not leave from Port Douglas: it launches from Cape Tribulation, where the Daintree rainforest meets the reef, and runs fast to two sites at Mackay Reef with about two hours in the water. Getting to Cape Tribulation is up to you, so it suits people staying up there rather than in Port Douglas.

How to choose: first-time snorkeller or prone to seasickness, take the pontoon or the Low Isles. Strong swimmer who wants the most reef for the day, take a three-site outer reef boat. Want to try diving, take the dive cruise, where introductory and certified dives are added for an extra fee. Short on time, the Low Isles morning leaves your afternoon free.

Season, stingers and what to bring

Reef trips run year-round, weather permitting. June to October is the dry season with lower humidity; November to May brings warmer water, more rain and marine stingers, which is why stinger suits are supplied on most of these trips. Visibility changes day to day with wind and swell, not just season.

Bring reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, a towel and seasickness tablets if you need them, taken before you board. Two of these trips collect a fuel surcharge at check-in, which is listed on the tour page. Do not fly within 24 hours of diving.

Reef tours from Port Douglas: your questions

Is Port Douglas or Cairns better for the Great Barrier Reef?

Port Douglas is closer to the Agincourt ribbon reefs and has smaller boats and a quieter base. Cairns has more choice, including liveaboards and dive courses. If you are staying in Cairns, see our Great Barrier Reef snorkelling day trips page.

How far is the outer reef from Port Douglas?

Around 90 minutes by boat to the Agincourt and Opal Reefs. The Low Isles are much closer, which is why that trip is done in a morning.

Can non-swimmers see the reef from Port Douglas?

Yes. The pontoon day has a semi-submersible and an underwater observatory, and the Low Isles trip has a glass-bottom boat and an island walk, so you can see coral without getting wet.

Can I scuba dive on a Port Douglas reef trip?

Yes, on the Outer Reef Snorkel & Dive Cruise. Introductory dives need no certification and certified dives are also available; both are paid on top of the cruise price.

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