Excellent trip to the reef for both divers and snorkelers - My husband scuba dives and I snorkel, so this trip was an excellent way for us both to see the Barrier Reef as the trip caters equally for both divers and snorkelers. We’ve done a few of these trips over the years and this was the best one we’ve done. Explore are a highly professional outfit who make the experience fun and safe, and they have the utmost respect for the reef. The trip lasts about 8 hours, during which you get about 2 hours snorkelling and about 1 hour 40 mins diving (split over 2 dive sites). You are well fed (donuts, light lunch, afternoon snack) and theres the opportunity to buy drinks on board. I can’t recommend this trip enough, as long as you are a competent swimmer as the current can be strong and you have to keep moving or you will drift away from the reef where all the coral/fish/things to see are.

Awesome day on the reef. - Magnificent day on the reef snorkelling and experiencing the Great Barrier Reef with friends. The team were professional experienced and knowledgeable plus they would do everything to ensure we enjoyed the whole day. Was a small group and better than previous experience on larger vessels. The equipment was in great condition and we were given clear instructions before getting in the water. The lunch was really good and plentiful. Overall a great experience

Great Barrier Reef - awesome experience - Amazing!! My first time diving and Dylan made the experience easy and stress free, cannot thank him enough for helping me throughout the day - legend!!

Skip the pontoon .. great way to get the family snorkelling - Family group of 10 with young kids. Great friendly snorkelling experience.. well organised with casual swim.. didn't feel pressured to get through. Variety of fish and coral better than pontoon

Great experience! - The snorkel day was amazing! The staff were so friendly and helpful and made the entire day such a great time. The staff were especially great with kids of all ages helping entertain, support and educate them. Couldn’t speak more highly of the day and all of the staff onboard! Very worthwhile day! Highly recommended.

Trip of a lifetime on the reef! - My wife and I booked this experience through Hamilton Island well in advance of our Honeymoon!This was the most amazing and incredible day of our trip - we did two long snorkle swims and spent an hour at Whitehaven beach, instead of heading out to Bait Reef as originally planned. My wife and I are seasoned travellers and agreed Whitehaven was such a blessing to have been able to visit. The water was clear and crisp, and we thorougly enjoyed every moment in the water! I do have two complaints: 1. We were very excited to go on the trip - however due to the weather, we were only able to do two short snorkle swims on the islands nearby Hamilton due to winds. I understand the winds were very tough on the day of our trip and one of the guides told me that if we were to go to Bait Reef, all of us would be very seasick. I expressed this disappointment to Explore staff on the island who were pretty unsympathetic, not offering an alternative date or any other refund. I understand there are circumstances beyond our control, but when you tell staff you've flown ~10,000 miles and spend X amount for a bucket list moment, I expect some level of sympathy. 2. Staff could have done a better job of keeping snorklers in order. I can't count the amount of times I was NAILED in the head by the same older couple's flippers, who clearly didn't care where they were going and were very self-absorbed. We were told we were only a group of about 40 and that the boat has capacity for 150, so I can't imagine how chaotic this would be during a busier time of year. Overall a great day!

Aggrieved we were only told that we were not going to the GBR after the boat had left the dock. - We did this tour with Explore Group. Unfortunately on the day of our tour, the weather meant that we just had to stay in the Whitsundays and could not go to the GBR. We were only told about this when on the boat and the boat had left the dock. If we had known in advance we would have cancelled and asked for a refund. Not a great start but the boat took us to 2 snorkel sites - first site had limited fish but second site was better. Then to Whitehaven Beach. The staff were all good. Options for lunch were good too.

Go on a smaller trip - The reef is great but the snorkeling is not so good as there are beginners and competent people in the same large group. It should be split into confident swimmers and others as there is a lot of waiting around in the water when you could be exploring. Not well organised.

Disappointing expensive day out. - For us this day trip was not worth the day allocated to the experience or the cost. We do understand that the company cannot control conditions relating to visibility in the water but they can control comfort of passengers on the boat. Why did we have to eat all meals with boat moving, high winds literally blowing food of people's plates and further the danger of having to move around a vessel to get food in bumpy windy conditions? Reaching Whitehaven Beach we then observed how other company's provided for their customers. Lunch on the beach, cabanas for the elderly to provide shade, paddle boards for a bit of fun in the water. The crew clearly work incredibly hard and are literally going through the motions. We do question cleanliness seeing how snorkelling gear was being swirled in a tub with crews feet providing the agitation. My husband had a nasty pelican itch from quite possibly a dirty stinger suit but can't know thiz for sure. Oh and this was not the trip we booked. We were ushered into this boat with zero notice and nobody told us our options. Still do not know why the cruise we paid for didn't transpire. Overall incredibly disappointing.

disappointing due to cancellation of trip to outer reef - The outer reef snorkelling trip we booked was cancelled due to "mechanical issues"?? We were notified late the afternoon prior to our departure the following morning - in the terms and conditions if a customer cancels within 24 hrs they forfeit the total amount paid. But it appears the company can cancel whenever they like and hold no consequences to their patrons. We were told numerous times the boat had been lifted from the water for repairs - yet the boat sat in the marina at A 9 the whole 4 days we were on hamilton island. It was very disappointing as this was to be the highlight of our trip to the whitsundays.