You hear the water rushing, but still it is calm and peaceful. You see the beauty of the corals, how they’re shining clear and bright. You watch the various fishes swimming along the corals and making their way home.

And you feel the silence coming from the great ocean. Diving on the Great Barrier Reef feels like a relief. You can’t help but being fascinated by the colorful nature the world offers to us. You explore the beauty of the underwater world, a rainbow world of coal and sea-life, and you feel nothing but happiness.

 

 

The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system stretching for over 2.300 km (1.400 mi) along the coast of Queensland. It’s composed of over 3.000 individual reefs and 900 different islands that show a large diversity of life. Since 1981 the Great Barrier Reef is quite rightly part of the UNESCO World Heritage.

Unfortunately, due to global climate change and the ignorant behavior of many tourists coral bleaching is way more spread out nowadays than previously thought. So I recommend taking the chance now before it’s too late. Because if you ever scuba dive in the world’s most beautiful coral reef, it will be an unforgettable experience for sure. 

 

 

 

 

The best address to dive in the Great Barrier Reef is Cairns. You not just find there several shops where you can book day and overnight tours or take courses to get certified, but you also get easily and in a just 45-minute boat ride to the reefs. But the Great Barrier Reef is only one of the amazing reasons to visit Cairns. So here I summed up the most important information that you might have if you want to go scuba diving (for the first time). 

 

 

Where can I book tours?

• Cairns Dive Center (several cheap dive courses, overnight trips, kayak and paddle board tours)
• Tusa Dive (for snorkeling, certified diving and introductory diving, plus open water courses)
• Reef Experience (book scuba diving tours and other adventures here such as skydiving, rafting or exploring the rainforest)
• Silverswift – Cairns Reef Dive Tours (book snorkeling and cruise tours, do certified dives or attend the introductory diving)

 

 

What tours can I book?

There are lots of day tours and packages. Find here an overview of it:

• Day trips for certified scuba divers (190$<)
• Day trips for snorkeling plus an introductory dive (190$<)
• Snorkel day trips (140$<)
• Open water dive courses (500$<)
• Night dives (595$<)

 

 

How long takes a certified scuba dive course?

It usually takes four to five days. At first, you will learn two days in a pool with a theory part in a classroom. Then you will be ready for two open water trips. Plus you take training dives for an extra portion of fun. 

 

 

What are the conditions for scuba diving?

The minimum age for scuba diving is 12 years and you should be fit and active. On board you will be required to complete a medical questionnaire before going into the water. If you struggle with heart disease, asthma, epilepsy or diabetes, high or low blood pressure or anything that may cause faints or blackouts, unfortunately you can’t go scuba diving. But you can ask in the dive shop to learn more about health conditions. 

If there is anything else you would like to know about diving on the Great Barrier Reef, feel free to ask.