The Great Barrier Reef is located off the coast of Queensland, Australia. It is the largest coral reef system in the world. However, there are many who wish to visit this unique place, but it becomes very hard to do so because of how remote and vast it is. We will make it easy for you to explore this Australian jewel.
What Is So Special About the Great Barrier Reef?
The Great Barrier Reef constitutes 10% of the total global coral reef ecosystem. It has a wide range of marine life, making it special in its own way. To a large extent, it is unique and has countless amazing sights.
The size of the Great Barrier Reef can be identified from space itself. And if you want more reasons why people come here for exploration in Australia, then this should do: it’s a UNESCO World Heritage natural wonder. The fact that the area comprises over 900 continental islands and 3,000 individual reefs and coral cays attests to the scale of such beauty as well as magnificence on its own level. Snorkelling or diving amidst scenic views of the reef alone gives an incredible once-in-a-lifetime experience while one swims among sharks, minke whales, manta rays, and turtles, among others, just as they witness humpback whales bounding out across oceans and find their way into some remote islands leading on global eco-conservation efforts.
Here are some insights to help you experience this amazing natural wonder.
Pretty Patches
If serenity means anything to you, Pretty Patches could be your best bet when exploring the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. This place has various captivating soft corals and hard corals too. You can take a leisurely, slow swim through calm waters where no wave can disturb you except nature at its best.
When considering diving or snorkelling in Cairns, Pretty Patches should be your ideal option because you get lots of opportunities here for both activities. Don’t forget to take a look at magnificent staghorn corals, large leather mushroom corals, and beautiful spaghetti corals as you explore. It is also a nice place to see impressive brain corals that are constantly growing larger.
Saxon Reef
Saxony lies between the Hasting Reefs and Norman Reef. You can count many beautifully colourful marine species in this section. The best thing about this spot is that there are usually very few people around while exploring it, meaning tourists can freely dive or snorkel without any disturbance under water.
Its area is approximately 1.0 kmsq., hence making it a good scuba diving destination. If one wants to have a full experience of the natural wonders that are found in Australian reefs, Saxon is one of the places to be in the Great Barrier Reef.
Hastings Reef
To enjoy the most memorable time in Australia, you can visit Hastings Reef. In it lies an enthralling beauty that makes all types of snorkelling and diving experiences delightful for tourists.
When you are in Australia, just go to Hastings without any doubt and get ready for numerous schools of fish, clams, bright corals, and sometimes turtles or mantas.
Michaelmas Reef
Michaelmas is heaven itself for those tourists who look forward to diving and snorkelling. This place has some of the best corals and calmest waters around.
This secured wonderland is simply a protected sandy lagoon that even defends itself from severe wind (including all weather). Also, coral gardens are always convenient for tourists throughout the year.
Thetford Reef
This particular region is situated near the Cairns coast and the famous Green Island. Thetford spreads across a lively two-kilometre stretch adorned with coral formations and marine life.
Thetford Reef boasts sandy lagoons and coral heads where throngs of sea creatures come in search of food. In addition, if you like adventure, there are also several swim-throughs. Not only this, but Thetford also exhibits damsels, pipefish, giant clams, butterflyfish, and rabbitfish.
Norman Reef
Norman Reef stretches along the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef; it has been known the world over as having transparent water bodies along with its diversity in terms of corals and well-made coral canyons. The dive sites at Norman have various kinds of fish, including cuttlefish or coral trout, reef sharks, and anemone fish, parrots, and angelfish.
When to visit the Great Barrier Reef
Australia is so beautiful that there’s literally no bad time to visit here. The Great Barrier Reef may be accessible and attractive throughout the year. Well, it has a perpetual summer; yes, it’s still warm even during Australia’s cold winter months. However, if you are so eager to know when it would be most preferable, it can fall between May and October. The weather conditions are perfect for exploring the reef in these months. Water is cool while the climate is calm; moreover, there are minimal chances of rainfall occurring.
On the other hand, though this season hardly holds anything worth mentioning in terms of summer in the tropics between November and May, Well, expect wetter weather compared to any other season, but when life comes back after rain and water clarity improves even more, it only gets heavenly in this part of Australia.
If you decide to dive or snorkel this season, make sure you have a protective suit on.
How to Explore the Great Barrier Reef
Depending on your budget and preferences, you either plan day trips or go for broke by having the most luxurious experiences in Australia. There are simply lots of ways to experience life on the one-and-only Great Barrier Reef.
To begin with, we will start with a chartered day trip as the easiest way to explore it. Whatever part of the Great Barrier Reef you want to go to, a to, a charter will take you there. Yes! You can even view a reef without getting wet via this method as well, though some bookings have to be made, followed by authority-assigned experts and necessary equipment for air-tight tour moments.
In the shortest possible time, experts will take you to amazing locations, for that matter. This option suits families with children or first-timers coming over from landing straight on a reef. But remember, always select a responsible guide; if not, then all your surroundings will result in nothing but total admiration.
Another thing you can do is get on board live. You get more time for exploration and are enveloped in a sea of marine life. Moreover, it allows you to access some of the outer reef’s remote regions and its inhabitants. Take a multi-day liveaboard; this will give you real impressions of the beautiful world inside the Great Barrier Reef.
Having said that, another good reason to see the reef is kitesurfing. These catnaps above the water take you gliding over crystal-clear oceans as well as sandy cays. You can either ride a helicopter or fly on a seaplane. The sheer beauty and scale of this place will leave you spellbound, for sure.
Also, another cool way to see how conservation helps the Great Barrier Reef and its residents is by volunteering at one of the islands situated on the reef itself. In addition, do not forget that supporting tourism also means supporting preservation processes for future generations with respect to the reef as well.
So, go ahead and plan a trip to the Great Barrier Reef, and invite others too. Nature’s crown jewel must be conserved forever with us.
