A guide to the best snorkelling and diving spots in Cairns

Jemma Fletcher Jemma Fletcher
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Get to know some of the must-see coral reef sites on the Great Barrier Reef.

Although the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef stretches over 2300 kilometres along the Queensland coastline, Cairns is considered to be the official gateway to experience this beauty up close. With 3000 separate reefs and over 900 continental islands and coral cays, it’s the world’s largest coral reef system and has a myriad of unique marine life you won’t find anywhere else.

Now we have the big reef covered, it’s good to keep in mind that each of those 3000 separate reefs has its own dive sites – basically the best spots on the reef where you can enter the water.

Ready to snorkel or dive on one of the seven wonders of the natural world, directly from Cairns? Take your pick from these 10 snorkelling and diving spots.

1. Flynn Reef

What it offers: Fantastic coral gardens
Number of dive sites: Nine

an aerial view of Silverswift at Flynn Reef , Cairns
Flynn Reef is renowned for its stunning coral gardens. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Located around 60 kilometres offshore from Cairns, the popular Flynn Reef is known for its stunning coral gardens and diverse array of marine life.

It’s perfect for snorkelling the shallow waters, as well as scuba diving, as the outer edges of the reef drop away to an average depth of 20 metres. Diving conditions are optimal all year round. Tour operators Silverswift and Passions of Paradise visit Flynn Reef.

2. Milln Reef

What it offers: Beautiful, clear waters
Number of dive sites: 11

diving with Passions of Paradise at Milln Reefthe Milln Reef, Cairns
Spot stunning coral at Milln Reef. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Also situated on the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef is Milln Reef, home to some very famous dive sites – particularly Petaj Mooring, where you can often find large schools of bright, colourful fish called sweetlips hanging around, as well as resident turtles and whitetip reef sharks.

The Whale is another fun dive site with a shallow top creating the effect of a whale’s blowhole during low tide. Tour operators Silverswift, Passions of Paradise and the Pro Dive Cairns Three Day Liveaboard Scuba Dive Trip visit Milln Reef.

3. Pellowe Reef

What it offers: Epic wall dives and swim-throughs
Number of dive sites: Two

clownfishes at Pellowe Reef
Find Nemo at Pellowe Reef.

A bit smaller than Flynn and Milln Reef is Pellowe Reef, yet it still packs a punch. One of the dive sites is named Cucumber Alley due to the vast number of sea cucumbers that can be found here. The other dive site, Darth Vader, is named due to long deep valleys and caverns that cover up the light, creating a dark, gloomy (but amazing!) atmosphere.

Due to the smaller size of Pellowe Reef, it’s a lot more exposed to windy weather conditions and can only be accessed in extremely satisfactory weather conditions. Tour operators Silverswift, Passions of Paradise and the Pro Dive Cairns Three Day Liveaboard Scuba Dive Trip visit Pellowe Reef.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

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4. Moore Reef

What it offers: Operators spend the day here
Number of dive sites: 16

the Sunlover Reef Cruises at Moore Reef, Cairns
Explore Moore Reef with Sunlover Reef Cruises. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

In the shape of a giant horseshoe with three outer reef pontoon operators parked here, Moore Reef is massive. The pontoons offer an easy way to explore the reef in the protected waters, so families especially love it here.

Onboard a Sunlover Reef Cruise, you can even swirl down a 30-metre spiralling waterslide into the tropical ocean. Tour operators Passions of Paradise, Sunlover Cruises, Great Adventures and Reef Magic visit Moore Reef.

5. Thetford Reef

What it offers: Opportunity to see larger marine life
Number of dive sites: 11

a dwarf minke whale at Thetford Reef, Cairns
Swim with dwarf minke whales on Thetford Reef.

The two-kilometre-long Thetford Reef site has a bit of everything – great visibility, many coral heads and lots of swim-through canyons and passages to explore.

Cathedral, TUSA Canyons, and Rosco’s are some of its most famous diving sites, and remarkably, whale sharks and dwarf minke whales have been seen passing near this reef. Tour operators Passions of Paradise, Sunlover Cruises, Great Adventures and Reef Magic visit Thetford Reef.

6. Norman Reef

What it offers: Adventure playground for divers
Number of dive sites: 15

pink and peach anemones at Norman Reef, Cairns
Prepare to be amazed by the marine life at Norman Reef. (Image: Jemma Craig/Tourism and Events Queensland)

Similar to Thetford Reef is Norman Reef, a reasonably large reef and one that’s especially appreciated by scuba divers. Here you can explore the many cliffs, caves, swim-through areas and even a little wreck. The reef’s depth also means that it’s home to a range of larger marine life, such as barracudas, trevally and even the odd reef shark.

The waters near Norman Reef are renowned for having superb visibility. Tour operators Passions of Paradise, Reef Experience, Reef Encounter, Divers Den and Down Under Cruise and Dive visit Norman Reef.

7. Upolu Reef

What it offers: A wide variety of marine life
Number of dive sites: Six

a Hawksbill Turtle at Upolu Reef
Keep your eyes peeled for hawksbill turtles at Upolu Reef.

Upolu is a small, protected lagoon-shaped reef with shallow coral gardens and is an excellent place for first-time introductory diving. You can spot a wide variety of marine life here, such as giant clams, sea cucumbers, nudibranchs, cleaner wrasse, yellowtails, giant trevally and large green mauri wrasse.

Often, hawksbill turtles can be found chewing on the red seagrass found growing between the hard and soft corals of the reef. Tour operators Passions of Paradise, Reef Day Tripper and Ocean Freedom visit Upolu Reef.

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8. Saxon Reef

What it offers: Ideal night diving conditions
Number of dive sites: Six

a blacktip shark at Saxon Reef, Cairns
Blacktip sharks come lurking around Saxon Reef.

Large enough to allow up to three boats at a time to moor, liveaboard dive boats often stop at Saxon Reef to give scuba divers a night experience. Reef sharks can be seen at night, and you can expect to see whitetip, blacktip and grey whaler sharks.

During the day, large shallow coral gardens are exposed where many soft and hard corals thrive and can be viewed either snorkelling or diving. Tour operators Passions of Paradise, Reef Experience, Reef Encounter and Divers Den visit Saxon Reef.

9. Hastings Reef

What it offers: A favourite snorkelling spot
Number of dive sites: Nine

colourful coral at Hastings Reef
Explore the coral-laden Hastings Reef. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

One of the shallower spots on the Outer Reef, a real highlight of Hastings Reef, is its dive site, Fish Bowl. Sitting around five meters under the surface of the water, Fish Bowl is home to plenty of healthy, strong coral growth.

You may even spot turtles at Hastings along with a large school of humphead parrotfish. Tour operators Reef Experience, Reef Encounter and Divers Den visit Saxon Reef.

10. Agincourt Reef

What it offers: Incredible coral formations
Number of dive sites: 30

diving into the Agincourt Reef
Off the coast of Port Douglas on the Great Barrier Reef lies the Agincourt Reef. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Hop onboard a boat ride from Port Douglas to reach Agincourt Reef, a series of many smaller reefs with at least 16 different dive sites. As the reefs are located on the edge of the continental shelf of Australia, the water quality is spectacular, which creates a pristine environment for marine life and coral colonies.

The Gardens is a particularly popular dive site as they are renowned for its brightly coloured reef fish, making it a photographer’s paradise. Tour operators Quicksilver Cruises, Poseidon Dive and Snorkel and Calypso Reef Cruises visit Agincourt Reef.

For more information about how to access these Cairns reefs, check out the best Great Barrier Reef tours in Tropical North Queensland.

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Jemma Fletcher
Based in sun-kissed Brisbane, Jemma Fletcher is an accomplished writer, editor and content manager. Armed with a Bachelor of Journalism from The University of Queensland, as well as over a decade of tourism marketing experience, Jemma now specialises in freelance travel writing and has a soft spot for the beauty of Queensland. Her expertise has been honed through her previous roles as Chief Editor of Queensland.com and WeekendNotes.com and she is the passionate creator of High Cup of Tea, an online directory celebrating Australia's finest high tea experiences. After growing up in the UK (hence her love for tea and scones) and a delightful chapter in Sydney, Jemma loves to explore quaint towns with a rich history. Also high on her weekend list is tasting the local cafe scene, enjoying charming farm stays with her young family and deciding where her next travel adventure will be (half of the fun is in the planning!)
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Can’t handle the cold? Hamilton Island serves a slice of summer in winter

(Image: Hamilton Island)

    Eleanor Edström Eleanor Edström
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    When the winter chill settles in, an escape to Hamilton Island’s year-round tropical shores is the only acceptable coping mechanism.

    As a heliophile with the cold tolerance of a Mediterranean house cat, the arrival of winter tends to spark a particular panic. How will I survive? Must I really start layering? What do you mean, Aperol season is over? But there are far better ways to spend the cooler months than sulking in the depths of your doona.

    Enter, Hamilton Island. With its year-round sunshine and permanent on-holiday atmosphere, this Whitsundays favourite promises a veritable slice of summer in winter.

    Think salt-stiff hair and the smug pleasure of devouring seafood beside the water while friends back home are defogging their windscreens. Here’s why Hamilton Island should figure into your winter plans.

    1. Year-round summer weather

    A woman hiking along the Passage Peak trail on Hamilton Island.
    Hike under sunny winter skies on Hamilton Island. (Image: Andrew Caitens)

    In the crisper months, Hamilton Island offers perfectly mild, sunny weather (17-24°C) that lends itself to morning swims and afternoon spritzes. Better still, you can enjoy the island’s outdoor adventures – from hiking to mountain biking – without the humidity or rain you’ll often find in summertime. With direct flights from most major Australian cities offering ease of access, Hamilton Island is the ideal place to flee the cold.

    2. Getting active without the humidity

    A buggy parked overlooking Hamilton Island’s golf course, with sweeping views of the sea at Whitsundays in winter.
    Zip around Hamilton Island by buggy. (Image: Hamilton Island)

    Whether you’re hiking up to Passage Peak or exploring the island by buggy, tropical Queensland humidity is nobody’s friend. The one way to guarantee you will avoid the inevitable stickiness and fluffy hair? Visit during winter. There’s plenty to be enjoyed, from sunrise yoga at The Sundays (exclusive to guests of The Sundays) to playing golf on Dent Island.

    3. Hamilton Island Race Week

    Yachts racing across the sparkling Whitsundays during Hamilton Island Race Week.
    Feel the thrill of Hamilton Island Race Week. (Image: Salty Dingo)

    Taking place in August, Hamilton Island Race Week is a destination in its own right that attracts spectators and racers from around the globe. Boating enthusiasts and thrill-seeking holidaymakers flock to the island, which is palpably energetic as the first yachts set off for Dent Passage from Hamilton Island Yacht Club. The annual action-packed week, taking place from 15 to 22 August in 2026, offers an exciting calendar of on- and off-water events – spanning everything from celebrity chef dinners to golfing comps and wine tastings.

    4. Best time for snorkelling

    A woman snorkelling in the crystal-clear waters of the Great Barrier Reef.
    Explore Hamilton Island’s winter waters. (Image: Andrew Caitens)

    While the crowds on Hamilton Island may disperse with the cooler weather, the marine life certainly doesn’t. Winter is widely considered one of the best times to snorkel and dive in the Whitsundays.

    It’s down to a number of reasons: excellent water visibility, higher chances of seeing whales as they migrate north and – best of all – no nasty stingers. This means no need to wear those notoriously unflattering full-body wetsuits visitors have to wear in warmer months. On top of all this, you’ll find calm seas ideal for sailing and Great Barrier Reef tours.

    5. Fewer crowds

    People kayaking.
    Experience a quieter Hamilton Island on a kayaking adventure. (Image: Hamilton Island)

    Winter is often the quietest time to visit Hamilton Island, with the peak season crowds thinned to a relaxed trickle. You can snorkel or dive straight off the reef-laced waters of Catseye Beach, then swap fins for a buggy and zip between One Tree Hill, the marina and sunset cocktails without the usual summer queues. Active days stretch from kayaking, sailing and jet skiing to hopping over to famous Whitehaven Beach to witness those breathtaking white swirls of silica sand. You won’t have to elbow your way to the front of the crowd to get a good snap.

    6. Delicious dining

    The interiors of Bommie Restaurant, featuring modern coastal design with warm lighting and elegant detailing.
    Treat yourself to Bommie Restaurant’s fine dining featuring fresh, seasonal Aussie produce. (Image: Nikki To)

    The food on Hamilton Island tastes just as good any time of year, and winter is still perfect weather for sundowners. Start with an iced tea Negroni at harbourside Bommie Deck, before transitioning to Bommie Restaurant for a fine-dining feast centering on seasonal Aussie ingredients. Or perhaps enjoy a more casual poolside evening at Sails Restaurant, where plates of chermoula chicken skewers, baked cauliflower steak and crispy sumac squid come served with ocean views. From family-friendly pub meals to elevated wine tastings, there’s something for everyone.

    5. Clear skies for idyllic views

    The golden hour across the Whitsundays in winter.
    End your day with golden Hamilton Island sunsets over the water. (Image: Hamilton Island)

    Never let a cloud rain on the parade of Hamilton Island’s spectacular scenery. Winter brings clearer skies and more stable weather to the Whitsundays, meaning your picture-perfect sunset at One Tree Hill is likely to remain that way. And after putting in the legwork to hike to a scenic lookout, the last thing you want is a vista hidden behind low cloud and haze.

    To learn more about travelling to the Whitsundays in winter, visit hamitlonisland.com.au.