How to see the Great Barrier Reef without getting wet

Seaplane to Whitehaven Beach

The best seat in the house to see the reef is ironically the furthest from it – the sky. To see the insanely photogenic Heart Reef, take a seaplane over it, joining Air Whitsunday Seaplanes for a scenic flight before touching down at the world’s most famous beach, Whitehaven.

(Photo by @ashleighbridget)

Take a stroll along this famous seven-kilometre stretch from end-to-end, stopping to polish your jewellery in the ultra-fine silica sand (or give yourself a full-body exfoliation).

Set sail, your way

Whether you’re a bona fide sailor who could enter the Sydney to Hobart yacht race or more of a sunset-cruise kind of seafarer, start by determining which Whitsundays sailing cruise is for you.

Even newbies can get in on the sailing action, since the Whitsundays is the only place in the world you can charter a yacht without a licence. You’ll just need to pack common sense and enough attention to sit through a sailing one-on-one lesson before you set sail.

Chopper to an isolated coral cay

Take to the skies with a helicopter ride over the Great Barrier Reef. Departing from Cairns and Port Douglas, experience aerial views of the reef with GBR Helicopters, before landing on a remote coral cay with nothing around you but the ocean and a tropical picnic.

(Photo by @insta_ines_travels)

Further south, Havannah Island is yours for the day when you charter a chopper with Nautilus Aviation from Townsville.

Go on, submerge yourself

What would you say if we told you it’s possible to get a diver’s view of the reef without getting wet? Quicksilver Cruises offer a non-swimming solution: a semi-submersible tour. You’ll be in air-conditioned comfort as you tour the reef sitting down, one metre below the water’s surface.

The tour departs from Port Douglas and includes a day out on the reef atop a pontoon at the edge of Australia’s Continental Shelf. A smorgasbord lunch is served on board, and you can add a 10-minute helicopter flight to your trip if you want to experience the Great Barrier Reef from above, too.

(Photo by @ReefCruises)

Glide on a glass-bottom boat

See the reef from the top down with a glass-bottom boat over its colourful corals. Lady Elliot Island on the Southern Great Barrier Reef offers a glass-bottom boat experience both day and night for two different perspectives of the Great Barrier Reef without swimming in it.

You’ll have the benefit of a marine expert pointing out items of interest like reef fish and corals as you cruise over shallower parts of the reef on an environmentally-friendly jet-powered boat. Under the cover of darkness on the night tour, you’ll get to see the coral polyps awaken with the help of a special UV light.

(Photo by @ladyelliotislandresort)

Good to know: A complimentary bottom boat/guided snorkel tour is included for all Lady Elliot Island overnight guests and day tour bookings.

Pontoon experiences

If you don’t have the best sea legs and the idea of spending the day rocking on a boat makes you feel queasy, opt for a reef trip that visits a pontoon so you have a stable home base in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef.

What’s more, most pontoon-based operators let you experience the Great Barrier Reef without swimming via activities like semi-submersibles and glass-bottom boat tours, while also catering to other family members who are keen to get in the water for some snorkelling or scuba diving.

Sunlover Reef Cruises gives you the option to go from Cairns to the family-friendly Moore Reef pontoon or the shallow Arlington Reef, which is one of the largest and healthiest reef systems in the Great Barrier Reef. You can even spend the night with Sunlover by Starlight, sleeping under the stars aboard the Moore Reef Marine Base.

Sleep island side

Why just reef when you can reef and resort? Considering there are over 900 islands dotting the Great Barrier Reef, one thing is for certain, there are plenty of waterfront views on this national asset.

There are five island resorts to choose from near Cairns which range from bargain budget stays (like camping on Fitzroy Island) to the kind of luxury that’s welcomed Elton John (Bedarra Island, we’re looking at you).

(Photo by @kate_duffy)

Sleep on the reef

Spend the night on the reef to never miss a beat and see the reef in a different light, at night.

From Airlie Beach, Hamilton Island or Daydream Island, join Cruise Whitsundays for a day on the Great Barrier Reef followed by the once-in-a-lifetime Reefsleep experience.

Share the outer reef pontoon with just a small group of other overnighters from the moment the last day trippers depart to when the next wave arrive the next morning. In between, you’ll have dinner and drinks, sleep in a deluxe swag and wake up to the sound of the waves lapping at Hardy Reef.

(Photo by @cruisewhitsundays)

It’s not just the reef that becomes a hive of activity after dark; sky gazers have lots to enjoy with sunset, sunrise and unpolluted starscapes.

If you’re after a more luxurious on-the-reef sleeping option, try Australia’s first underwater accommodation, Reefsuites. With just two rooms below deck on the new Hardy Reef pontoon, you’ll have maximum privacy and the best view in the house with floor to ceiling windows below the ocean’s surface.

Your nightly rate gets you all-inclusive food and drinks (including a once-in-a-lifetime dinner experience prepared by the live-on chef and featuring bountiful fresh local produce), a guided snorkelling tour, and a semi-submersible tour. Optional extras include heli-scenic flights, scuba diving, and photos.

(Photo by @cruisewhitsundays)

Paddle around paradise

Paddle power your way around the Great Barrier Reef with a kayak adventure. Explore the Whitsundays’ waters and islands with Salty Dog Sea Kayaking on a day-long expedition from Airlie Beach to South Molle Island.

For something a bit longer, Coral Sea Kayaking take seven days to wind their way around Hinchinbrook Island on their Tropical North Queensland adventure.

Unlike snorkellers and divers who have their heads underwater, kayakers have the benefit of being able to hear the interpretation of your guide. They will be able to point out turtles, sea birds and whales in season.

Explore by foot

It’s not all about watersports on the Great Barrier Reef. The many islands each offer unique hiking trails and picturesque landscapes.

For the ultimate exploration experience, follow the Ngaro Sea Trail, which ticks off a unique blend of seaways and walks across South Molle Island, Whitsunday Island and Hook Island. Between sailing (or for the really adventurous, kayaking) from island to island, head on land and stretch your legs along one of the many trail options, ranging from easy to difficult.

There’s even some culture thrown in. The Ngaro Cultural Site on Hook Island is a 340-metre return walk up the side of the Nara Inlet to a viewing platform at the cave’s entrance, where Indigenous Ngaro artwork adorns the rock surface.

A well-timed escape

The sun is shining year-round on the Great Barrier Reef, so it’s always a good time to visit. But if you’re after a unique trip, it pays to align your visit with what’s on around the Great Barrier Reef.

Fitness fanatics and active families should sign up for the annual Great Whitehaven Beach Run, which happens every June. Kids can compete in the 1.5km or 500m Junior Fun Run, while those wanting to really push their bodies should say yes to the half marathon beach run.

Mountain bikers should make their way to Cairns in August for the four-day Reef-to-Reef race. Starting on the reef fringed Coral Sea coast, peddle your way inland across a network of trails through tablelands, hinterland, farm lands, MTB parks, and tropical rainforest. After 190kms, you’ll be back where you started and feeling ultra accomplished.

If you’re not looking to work up a sweat, the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) may be more your speed. For a weekend in July, Cairns attracts national and international collectors and curators as well as emerging visual and performance Queensland Indigenous artists.