Diving the Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is probably the most popular dive destination on the planet, attracting over 2 million visitors each year. Located along the Queensland coast of northeastern Australia, this 2,300km (1,430 miles) long reef is massive! The most extensive coral reef system in the world, it can even be seen from space. The diversity of marine life here is simply astounding. Divers will encounter 1500 different types of fish along with hundreds of other coral species. Bring your camera because this breath-taking array of sea life is all set against a jaw-dropping backdrop of over 2800 individual reefs and 900 small islands. Diving the Great Barrier Reef never disappoints. Sitting in the warmth of the Coral Sea, water temperatures never drop below 24 C (75 F) and can reach upward of 30 C (85 F) in summer months. Diving is spectacular all year round; however, different seasons bring in different migrating marine life and various reef activities. Visibility is fantastic all year long, averaging 15-21 meters (50-70 feet) but can even reach up to 30m (100 ft). The city of Cairns is the most popular starting point for booking dive charters, however, basing your dive holiday in Port Douglas, Townsville, or Cap York can get you to less touristy areas of the reef.
Dive Sites in Great Barrier Reef
Featured places to go in Great Barrier Reef
North Queensland
South Queensland
Aquatic Life in Great Barrier Reef
Home to several vulnerable, endangered, and endemic species, marine life on the Great Barrier Reef is nothing short of extraordinary. The biodiversity of this massive area can only be compared to that of the rainforest. Divers have the opportunity to see six of the seven species of sea turtle, especially during the summer nesting season. This area is also home to thirty cetacean species with the dwarf minke and humpback whales being the most prevalent during the winter months of June to November. The reef is also home to over 1500 fish species, 17 species of sea snake, 125 species of sharks and rays, 5,000 species of mollusks, nine species of seahorses, 411 types of hard coral, one-third of the world’s soft corals, and the list goes on!