There are many perks to being a Queenslander but none more so than easy access to some of the world’s most beautiful and pristine places. Case in point: the world Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef.
Travel 62 kilometres offshore from the Port of Airlie with Cruise Whitsundays and you reach their permanent pontoon, Reefworld.
Perched in the middle of the world’s largest organism, from here you can discover the Great Barrier Reef up close and personal.
Master Reef Guide Peter Farrell never tires of the underwater viewing.
“First of all there’s lots of wonderful stories going on all the time, secondly, it’s just pretty, just looking at it is magic,” Pete beamed. “Then the more you learn about it, the more exciting it becomes because there’s just exciting stuff going on everywhere and there’s things reacting, and interacting and it’s wonderful!”
The Great Barrier Reef spans a whopping 2300 kilometres of the Queensland coast so needless to say there’s plenty to see.
From the hundreds of bright and colourful fish species and coral formations to even the humble clam.
“Every clam looks a little bit different,” Pete explained. “There’s six different species that we have on the reef and they just have these incredible colours, they’re absolutely beautiful.”
Cruise Whitsundays’ The Great Barrier Reef Full Day Adventure offers the opportunity for guests to explore the reef on a guided snorkel or dive tour and each has it’s own benefits.
Snorkelling lends itself to those who are after a “rainbow experience”.
“Coral needs sunlight to grow so you’ll often get the most beautiful corals in fairly shallow area but when you’re in those shallow areas you get sunlight and you see more colour so it’s a great place to be!” Pete said.
As for diving, that’s best for those who really want to immerse themselves into the environment.
“It does give you an altogether different view of everything because you’re not just looking at everything you’re really a part of it and there’s something very peaceful about being underwater,” Pete explained.
Another plus of the Whitsundays is the year-round holiday weather so no worrying about the waters being too cold!
“All different times of the year have something different and something magic about them but the winter months are beautiful,” Pete explained. “The water’s usually a little bit clearer, we get whales this time of the year and that makes the journey out and back an adventure in itself and the water’s never prohibitable cold.”
“It’s a little bit cooler but that brings nice things with it.”
If you are interested in the dive tour, you don’t have to be an experienced diver. Cruise Whitsundays offers introductory dives so no certification is needed.
“It’s easy!” Pete said. “It’s really easy and it’s just a beautiful place to be.”
“I wish everyone in the world had the opportunity to see it and it is a thing that it doesn’t matter how many times you see it, it never ceases to make you happy,” Pete beamed. “I first of all selfishly I love looking at it myself, but sharing it with other people, it’s like introducing a friend to a good book! It’s so nice to be able to share that with people.”
The Cruise Whitsundays full day experience gives guests the opportunity to spend around four hours on Reef World, but for those guests who just can’t get enough of the big blue, there’s Reefsleep, an overnight experience!
Guests can make themselves comfy in the luxe reef beds on the roof of the pontoon, meaning your views really are out of this world. As night falls, the absence of artificial light on the open ocean makes way for a blanket of stars.
Couple that with a private chef offering gourmet meals for the duration of your stay, and you’re talking serious VIP.
If you want to add another “V” to your VIP experience, there are the Reefsuites, underwater accommodation where the views are equally impressive as the views up top.
Get up close and personal with the Great Barrier Reef for yourself with Cruise Whitsundays. They’ve got some amazing Winter in the Whitsundays deals over the cooler months like 20% off their Great Barrier Reef Adventure and 20% off their Whitehaven Beach Morning or Afternoon departure, plus $50 off Reefsleep!
Trust us, it’s an experience you’ll never forget.
