Skip to content
Adventure

Dreamtime Snorkel

The reef through 60,000 years of eyes, snorkel with Indigenous sea rangers.

Two outer Great Barrier Reef sites, Moore Reef plus Milln or Flynn, with Indigenous sea rangers sharing the Dreamtime stories of sea country. Lunch, morning and afternoon tea included.

⭑ 4.8 316 Google reviews 📍 Cairns & Tropical North ⏱ 8 Hours 👥 Up to 20 🔥 Active

More Cairns & Tropical North trips

Save$6 RRP $255

From

$249 AUD

per person

4.8 from 316 Google reviews

Price updates with your option. Pick your date at checkout.

Booking guarantee Price Match Promise Secure payment via Square

  • Instant confirmation

    Booked instantly · confirmation and ticket by email within 30 minutes.

  • No change fees from us

    Need to move? Just message us and we'll arrange it for you.

  • Licensed local operator

    An established operator with public reviews.

Pick your start date

Pick an available date. Your confirmation and ticket arrive together in one email within 30 minutes.

SuMoTuWeThFrSa

Available, pick any date Instant booking, confirmed in minutes

From

$249 AUD pp

Choose a start date →

Travellers
1
Pick a date to book
Secure payment via Square · you don't pay for a spot we can't confirm

Overview

Plenty of boats can show you the Great Barrier Reef. This one crews the day with Indigenous sea rangers who tell you what it means: the Dreamtime creation stories, the sea-country knowledge, and live didgeridoo, clapsticks and dance out on the reef itself. The day opens with a traditional welcome, and the marine biologists on board take the science side. It is the reef as the world's oldest continuing culture knows it.

Boarding starts at 8:15am at the Reef Fleet Terminal, 1 Spence Street, Cairns, with final boarding at 8:45am and the catamaran leaving Marlin Jetty at 9:00am. Around 90 minutes later you are on the first outer reef site, and you get roughly five hours across two of them, picked on the day's conditions from sites such as Milln, Flynn, Hastings, Saxon, Norman and Thetford. Snorkel gear and lycra suits are included, morning tea comes out on the run north, lunch is a hot and cold buffet with a native bush tasting, and afternoon tea covers the trip home. You leave the reef at 3:30pm and are back in Cairns by 5:00pm.

Intro and certified dives are optional extras, minimum age 12, with a medical questionnaire. The boat has toilets, rinse showers, an air-conditioned cabin and an open upper deck, and ginger tablets are on hand if you are prone to seasickness. Coach transfers from Cairns city and the Northern Beaches cost extra; self-drive to the terminal is standard. Bring a hat, towel, sunscreen, sunglasses, swimmers, a dry change of clothes and a card for extras.

Why you'll love it

  1. 1

    Indigenous sea rangers on board all day

  2. 2

    Dreamtime stories, didgeridoo and dance on the reef

  3. 3

    Two outer reef sites, about five hours in the water

  4. 4

    Marine biologist talks on reef health

  5. 5

    Snorkel gear and lycra suits included

  6. 6

    Lunch, morning and afternoon tea included

  7. 7

    Intro and certified dives as add-ons

More photos

Itinerary at a glance

1 8:15am · Board at Reef Fleet Terminal

Boarding runs from 8:15am to final boarding at 8:45am at the Reef Fleet Terminal, 1 Spence Street, Cairns. Crew on the wharf point you to the boat.

1 9:00am · Depart Marlin Jetty

The catamaran heads for the outer reef, about 90 minutes out. Morning tea is served and the day opens with a traditional welcome and acknowledgement.

1 10:30am · First outer reef site

Snorkel the first site with gear and lycra suits supplied. Sea rangers and marine biologists are in and around the water with you.

1 Midday · Lunch and the second site

A hot and cold buffet lunch with a native bush tasting, then the move to the second reef, with cultural performances and Dreamtime stories between swims.

1 3:30pm · Leave the reef

Afternoon tea on the run home. Back in Cairns by 5:00pm.

What's included

✓ What's included

  • Lunch, morning and afternoon tea
  • Traditional welcome and acknowledgement, Dreamtime stories and cultural performances
  • Indigenous sea rangers and marine biologists on board
  • Approximately five hours across two outer reef sites
  • All snorkelling equipment and lycra suits (XS to XXL)
  • Toilets and fresh-water rinse showers on board

✕ Not included

  • ✕Intro or certified diving (optional extra)
  • ✕Professional photos from the onboard photographer
  • ✕Coach transfers from Cairns or the Northern Beaches
  • ✕Seasickness tablets beyond the ginger tablets offered on board

Common questions about this trip

  • Where do I check in and how early?

    At the Reef Fleet Terminal, 1 Spence Street, Cairns, on the Marlin Marina. Boarding commences at 8:15am with final boarding at 8:45am, and the boat departs at 9:00am. Crew on the wharf guide you to the vessel.
  • Which reefs do we visit?

    Two outer reef sites chosen on the day for the best conditions, from sites such as Milln, Flynn, Hastings, Saxon, Norman and Thetford Reef. You get approximately five hours out there across the two sites.
  • Do I need to be a strong swimmer?

    Snorkelling is open to a range of abilities, and the crew recommend discussing activities suited to your swimming ability (or lack of it) when you book. All snorkel gear and lycra suits in sizes XS to XXL are supplied free.
  • Can I dive?

    Introductory and certified dives are optional extras. Divers must be at least 12, those under 18 need parental permission, and everyone completes a medical questionnaire; conditions such as asthma or epilepsy can exclude you. Do not plan to fly within 12 to 24 hours of diving, depending on how many dives you do.
  • What should I bring?

    Hat, towel, sunscreen, sunglasses, something to swim in, a dry change of clothes, and cash or card for optional extras. Lunch, morning and afternoon tea, water, tea and coffee are provided.
  • What about seasickness and toilets?

    The boat is a fast, stable motor catamaran with an air-conditioned lower cabin and an open upper rear deck. Natural ginger tablets and Travel-Calm are available on board and should be taken 30 minutes before departure. Toilets are accessible all day and there are fresh-water rinse showers.
  • What happens in bad weather?

    The operator's published policy: in poor weather they move your booking without charge to the next most suitable day, subject to availability. The decision is made by the operator on the day.
  • Is there a transfer from Cairns or the Northern Beaches?

    Coach transfers from Cairns city accommodation and from the Northern Beaches are available at extra cost and are selected when you book. The standard option is to make your own way to the Reef Fleet Terminal.
  • What's the cancellation policy?

    Direct bookings can be cancelled or changed free if the operator is notified more than 24 hours before departure. Inside 24 hours, or for a no-show, a 100% cancellation fee applies. Date changes are subject to availability. If the operator cancels for weather or tides, you are offered another day, another product or a full refund. Wanderlust handles the refund for you, refunds mirror the operator's terms 1:1 (including if the operator cancels) and we chase it on your behalf.

Got a question that's not here? Ask us or hit the chat, instant AI reply with a follow-up from the Wanderlust crew.

What travellers say

Reviews from real travellers

Public reviews of the operator who runs this tour on the ground.

The operator's track record

4.8 on Google · 316 reviews

Review excerpts below are from Tripadvisor.

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
via Tripadvisor
"It was a really great tour, an aboriginal and cultural perspective and storytelling while going back and forth from the reefs. Very easy to just dive in when you reach the new site and good snorkeling equipment provided."
E

Elliot C

Tripadvisor review

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
via Tripadvisor
"Not only were the reefs amazing, but the marine biologists and cultural guides were very informative and very caring in explaining a lot about the reefs and their heritage. They talked about the history of their culture as it relates to the reefs, showed us some of the traditional tools used for hunting, and there was a fascinating and fun didgeridoo demonstration."
M

Maureen S

Tripadvisor review

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
via Tripadvisor
"Best tour of the Moore reef. Plenty to see & do. Recommend the snorkel safari. Fantastic day."
J

Jeremy Gwilliam

Tripadvisor review

Traveller reviews, source shown on each · shown as excerpts.

Read before you book

You might also like

Secure checkout · you don't pay for a spot we can't confirm

From

$249

Save $6