Tan Xiaomi

FOR divers, Nemo and his father do not exist only in Disney movies.

At Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, you can see many clownfish — the species Nemo belongs to — underwater.

Australia is the most popular country among scuba divers, and this is due to the fabulous Great Barrier Reef. The conglomeration of colorful coral that stretches along the Queensland seaboard is the planet’s biggest reef system. The Great Barrier Reef, with some 2,600 separate reefs, is so large that it is the only ocean structure that can be seen from outer space.

The story goes that even if you make two dives for every day of your life, you will still not be able to explore the whole of the Great Barrier Reef. It is also said to have the largest biodiversity of any reef on earth. Whatever the theories, there is absolutely no doubt that it is a great place to go to if you love scuba diving.

How to get there

Cairns is the most common choice for divers around the world traveling to the Great Barrier Reef. Other places include Port Douglas, Yongala shipwreck, Fitzroy Reef Lagoon and Whitsunday Islands.

Qantas operates frequent direct flights from Hong Kong to Cairns. But most people fly to Sydney and then take a budget domestic flight to Cairns.

Sunny Cairns, with a lush tropical setting, is alive with the carnival atmosphere of travelers year-round. Its downtown area is small enough to traverse by foot or cycle.

Apart from seemingly limitless accommodation and dining options as well as markets, the city’s big attraction is its access to the outer parts of the Great Barrier Reef. Numerous diving schools and shops pack the streets.

A four-day course with pool training and reef dives starts from AU$300 (US$257). Advanced courses such as underwater lifeguards are also available for certified divers.

To protect the reef, the Australian Government requires divers to pay a daily reef tax of AU$5.

Choose a diving package

To go diving at the Great Barrier Reef, you don’t need to have an internationally recognized diving license, although this can cut the fee a bit when booking a dive package.

As Australians take their diving seriously, many diving schools are fully certified.

Tusa Dive (at the corner of Esplanade and Shields streets) is recommended. It provides decent sized, comfortable yachts with crews comprising experienced divers.

A one-day diving or snorkeling package including two stops at the Great Barrier Reef costs AU$120-200.

An adventurous day

at the reef

You won’t know which reef you are going to, as the captain makes the decision on board. Experienced crew members will judge which reef provides the best visibility based on the weather, wind speed and hours of sunlight. You can choose diving and snorkeling packages based on the day’s weather.

Generally, people believe that diving enables you to see more than snorkeling. To see clownfish, you do need to go diving. However, snorkeling helps you see things more clearly on cloudy days.

The crew will then hand you the diving gear. Special glasses are provided for shortsighted divers, so you won’t miss an inch of the splendid reef.

They will then teach you the basics of underwater communication, and other safety instructions.

If it’s your first dive at the Great Barrier Reef, you will be amazed by the kaleidoscope of colors you see on the polyps, and the tens of thousands of brilliantly patterned tropical fish that swim around you.

Even if you simply snorkel, you are likely to see turtles, reef sharks, dolphins and sea cucumbers. If you are lucky, you may also see the spot whales, squid and dugongs.

It’s said that one of the most spectacular sights of the Great Barrier Reef occurs for a few nights after a full moon in late spring or early summer, when vast numbers of corals spawn. With tiny bundles of sperm and eggs visible to the naked eye, the vent looks like a gigantic underwater snowstorm.

Alternatives for

non-divers

You can also view fish and coral from a glass-bottomed boat, a semi-submersible boat or an underwater observatory. Some tour boats provide oxygen packs for tourists, which enable you to breathe under water.

You can also visit a reef aquarium to see a coral reef without leaving dry land.

Sights inside Cairns

The undisputed highlight of the Cairns foreshore promenade is the 4,000-square-meter saltwater swimming lagoon, and it’s free for the public.

You are advised to rent a bicycle and cycle along the Esplanade Walking Track, which is also ideal for a stroll.

If you haven’t cuddled a koala, head to the Cairns Tropical Zoo to explore the ultimate wildlife experience. The zoo is 22 kilometers away from the city center and costs AU$25 for admission (open daily 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.). You will also see kangaroos and wombats here.

Places around Cairns

Make an overnight trip to the Green Island after exploring the Great Barrier Reef. The island is one of the largest coral islands in the world. It is surrounded by beautiful, but shallow reefs. This makes the island an ideal place for snorkeling.

The waters near Green Island are shallow and warm all year round.

The island itself has stunning beaches and is covered in palm trees. Green Island is located not too far from the harbor of Cairns on the inner barrier reef.