The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef on Earth discovered by Captain James Cook. Dive into the depths of the sea and discover this incredible ocean garden. Its spectacular landscape and the amount of fish that surround it, have made this beauty a candidate to be part of the New Seven Natural Wonders of the World.
It consists of a maze of 2,900 islands and individual reefs that stretches 2,300 km along the Queensland coast, from the cities of Port Douglas to Bundaberg. The Great Barrier Reef has a transparency that reaches a visibility of more than 50 meters, is made up of more than 3,000 different reefs and is inhabited by a myriad of species : about 1,500 fish, more than 4,000 mollusks, 200 birds, 1,500 of sponges, 500 of algae, 6 of turtles and about 400 of coral. In addition to being a refuge for some endangered species, such as the dugong and the great green turtle. A place as incredible as it is exciting.
You can go from island to island , and thus enjoy a unique party on Daydream Island; practice water sports on Hamilton Island; indulge in absolute romance in South Molle; relax with a cocktail on the white sand on Whitsunday Island; snorkel at Nudey Beach among the corals surrounding Fitzroy Island or feel like a shipwreck among the lush jungle of Green Island.
Do you still want more? You can also see the rare dugongs in the waters off Dunk Island; stay on the exclusive Bedarra Island that only welcomes 32 guests at a time; find peace on uninhabited Hinchinbrook Island; dive the famous reef that surrounds Orpheus Island; swimming on a clear day in the turquoise, emerald and sapphire waters of Hayman Island Lagoon; see green and loggerhead turtle nests on Heron Island beach; and enjoy a seafood platter on Lizard Island.
You can’t miss the wonderful world under the surface either . From the main coastal cities of the Great Barrier Reef you will find diving schools with which to hire a course or a day trip with local operators and the area can be explored either by snorkelling or diving . Among the intense marine life in the area are the huge napoleon fish, turtles, two types of giant moray eel, yellow-tailed loretos, yellow-tailed barracudas, spectacular lion fish, giant clams, unicorn fish and the famous clown fish swimming among the anemones.
For the more adventurous it is also possible to tour the Great Barrier Reef by boat , it will undoubtedly be a unique experience that allows you to discover the landscapes with tremendous comfort: set sail aboard a sailboat from Port Douglas to Low Isles, a secluded island that is a real gem; charter a boat from Hamilton Island or Airlie Beach and sail the turquoise waters of the Whitsundays; drop anchor and spend the night at picturesque moorings such as Whitehaven Beach, Cid Harbor or Butterfly Bay, visiting the reefs of Black, Langford and Bird Island along the way; unwind for a good meal and a relaxing shower at one of the Hayman, Lizard, South Molle and Lindeman Islands resort spas. Experienced sailors can charter a catamaran or their own empty yacht to tour the reefs from Cairns.
Surely there is no other place in the world that offers more biodiversity than the Great Barrier Reef. Probably of all, the most spectacular enclave is Cape Tribulation, in the Daintree Rainforest, where the jungle literally sinks into the reefs. It is also a good starting point for diving and scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef, exploring the jungle with guided horseback riding or walking.
Some of the Great Barrier Reef islands are surrounded by reefs and have also developed a wide variety of vegetation including tropical. Green Island is one of the most visited by cruise ships since it is 20 km and only one hour from Cairns. Green Island is the only key in which the tropical forest grows, in addition its beaches are extremely white sand and its water is a beautiful turquoise blue.
