Snorkel & Dive the Reef: Sustainable, Scientific & Cultural Tour

Explore the Great Barrier Reef with snorkeling, glass-bottom boat tours, and marine biologist insights. Perfect for all ages. Buffet lunch included.

Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • 5RM846XM+R4V - Embark from Cairns on a swift catamaran, offering a smooth 1.5-hour journey to the outer Great Barrier Reef.
    Upon arrival at the pontoon, start exploring the reef, a rich and intricate ecosystem that hosts over 1,500 fish species, 400 coral varieties, 200 bird species, and 20 reptile types. Snorkel in the protected coral lagoon, try…
What's Included
  • Hot/cold buffet lunch
  • Snorkeling equipment (mask, fins, wetsuit/lycra)
  • Marine biologist presentations
  • Morning and afternoon tea (coffee, tea, filtered water)
  • Taxes and fees
  • Glass-bottom boat and underwater observatory access
What's Not Included
  • Transfers from Cairns and Northern Beaches
  • Optional scuba diving, helmet diving, and helicopter flights
  • Prescription snorkel/dive masks available for rental
  • Helicopter fuel levy - payable directly to the helicopter operator (if scenic heli option selecte)
Additional Information

On this 8-hour tour from Cairns, cruise out to an activity platform on the outer Great Barrier Reef for a day of exploring this natural wonder in different ways.
Reef Magic’s location is selected for its water clarity, coral quality, and diversity of marine life, which you can see while snorkeling or taking a tour by glass-bottom boat or…

Location
1 Spence St
Spence Street
Please go directly to the vessel to check in.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(849 Ratings)
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1 star
Manuelh343
Mar 30, 2026
Excellent - Excellent organization, service and treatment of staff.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Trish_h
Mar 26, 2026
Wonderful day out on the... - Wonderful day out on the reef, staff, food and boat excellent. Really lovely staff, so helpful and friendly, very enjoyable experience, highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Lorraine
Mar 22, 2026
Visitors from Canada - The staff were very helpful and knowledgeable. I appreciated having the cultural staff on board to teach about the aboriginal history. Snorkeling was well organized and equipment was in good repair. Would love to return again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maria
Mar 16, 2026
Fantastic Crew and Great Reef Platform - Friendly staff and a very well organised operation. The crew were knowledgeable and everything ran smoothly from start to finish. The pontoon has good facilities and plenty of space to relax between activities. The weather was not the best on the day, but the team did a great job making the most of it and keeping everyone informed. Unfortunately the helicopter flight could not operate due to the weather, but the staff handled it very professionally, offering a prompt refund and keeping me updated so I did not miss out on other activities. Overall a great experience and a very well run reef trip. I would definitely recommend Reef Magic.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Burnett781
Feb 3, 2026
Excellent day - Excellent day which was very well organised and informative. Great snorkelling as well as the glass bottom boat and semi submersible.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Djshvt
Jan 30, 2026
Fabulous trip - A really good trip. Lovely boat to take us out to the pontoon. Loved the snorkelling, semi submersible and glass bottom boat excursions. Lunch was delicious. The staff were so good, we especially liked the guys doing the indigenous info talks. We recommend it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Scotthx3639go
Jan 23, 2026
Incredible experience! - Outstanding! The support from the staff, the trip out, and the experience was amazing. The food was great and plentiful as well.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mary_m
Jan 23, 2026
Outstanding marine biologists! - I would highly recommend this tour with Magic Reef. I signed up for the escorted snorkel experience and Ella and Ethan were outstanding! Ella was very informative and Ethan went the extra mile and took underwater videos and pics with the camera I rented on the boat. I can’t thank them enough. They are a very credible, safety oriented company, with a focus on an educational, customer-focused experience. Thanks for a day I’ll always remember!
Review provided by Viator
805rosemariec
Dec 25, 2025
Tour of a lifetime ! Visit the Great Barrier Reef ! - Amazing experience visiting the Great Barrier Reef . The crew was superb! Great glass bottom boat and submarine ride . Truly beautiful to see the reef and Angelina was a sweetheart . I was afraid of getting in the water and she helped and stayed with me ! Must go on this tour if you are in Australia !
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Traveler622925
Feb 26, 2026
Caution - Unfortunately TripAdvisor did not forward our email to Reef Magic so we had a panic scramble in the morning. Otherwise, the tour was fine. Be very careful if booking via TripAdvisor.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $225
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).