Is there a Best Time to Visit the Great Barrier Reef? How bout Tips & Tricks?

Take Time & Research to see what the best time to visit the Great Barrier Reef is?

     I quickly found out that this is a hard question to answer. There is a good season but that is also the busy season. The offseason has way fewer people but your chances of seeing certain animals may dwindle. The Great Barrier Reef is a checkmark ✅ item for most so do not allow yourself to be talked out just because it is during offseason. Many guides will be happy to see you. 

     Diving the Great Barrier Reef was a unique experience and I’m glad I checked it off my list. That being said, your diving experience is 100% dependent upon which travel agency and or tour group you go with. I’m not here to sell any of my readers to a specific company. I just want you to make sure and take time and do the research.  

Size of the Great Barrier Reef

     When I thought about The Great Barrier Reef I often thought of it as a giant reef of coral and beauty that spanned a few miles. Well, I can now tell you that it has its name for a reason. The Great Barrier Reef is massive and that word barely describes it. The reef stretches more than 1,600 miles (2,575 kilometers). That is comparable to Florida to Massachusetts. Next time you think about the Great Barrier Reef try to imagine it the size of the United States Eastern shoreline. 

How to Get to a Great Barrier Reef-Accessible Area

     There are quite a few different cities and towns that you can choose from to make your home base. The most popular diving port is located in Cairns Australia. Funny enough, I choose Cairns because it looked to be the closest city on the map when I looked up the Great Barrier Reef on Google maps. 😆 Cairns is a really fun town that has an endless supply of backpackers, tourists, and hostellers. It is also important to note that Cairns is a 100% tourist town. This means there will be tourists everywhere and establishments can get very packed in high season. The Cairns airport was extremely easy to navigate and made getting to and from the city very easy. This was a huge plus in my book. 

Best Time to Go to the Reef

     This is a difficult question to answer because of ocean weather. The weather out on the ocean can turn at any moment. According to locals, the best time to go giving is in August because it is technically the peak of winter in Australia. The great thing about Cairns is that even in the peak winter season the temperature can still reach 79 Fahrenheit / 26 Celcius. Remember that the seasons in Australia are opposite from the United States. It was also mentioned that June-July can be good but they are also the busiest with tourists. 

Getting Around Cairns Australia

     Uber does exist but can be a bit costly in Cairns Australia. There are also shuttles that you will see throughout the city. Cairns is not that big of a city either so you can walk to most of the city on foot if you are feeling up to it. Regarding accommodations, I would 100% recommend hostels. Australia is not a cheap destination by any means. The city of Cairns is well aware of this and the prices show this. The hostels are rather cheap and they are many options. I want to reiterate a point I made above, this is the prime location for the Great Barrie Reef but it is also a huge party town during some months. I stayed at Gilligans and Travelers Oasis hostel while diving. Gilligans was a nonstop party spot and Travelers Oasis was much more laid back and relaxed. Cairns has plenty of hostel choices to fit any and all desires.  

A few other options of activities in Cairns are listed below

Cairns Botanical Gardens – Botanical gardens can be seen all around the world but what makes Cairns so special to me is that the plant life is so different from other places I’ve been. The tropical environment allows for so many different species of plants to thrive that cant in cooler climates. 

Kuranda Scenic Railway – This train ride from Cairns to Kuranda is gorgeous and can really allow for that needed relaxation while traveling.

Crystal Cascades – This is truly a hidden gem of Cairns. Many people will come and never be the wiser but the crystal cascades provide an amazing swimming hole nestled in the tropical rainforest. The magic that can happen here is unmeasurable, enjoy.

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