Reef dive & snorkel trips · Cairns, QLD
Coral Coast Dive Co.
Day boats to the outer reef — from your first float on the surface to a guided night dive. Go as deep as you're ready for.
- 7.45 AM departs Cairns waterfront
- ≤ 24 guests per boat
- ALL GEAR & lunch included
Station 01 · Surface · All ages
Snorkel the outer reef
Float over coral gardens in water so clear the shadows look drawn on. It's a relaxed day: guided swims with our crew, a noodle or vest if you'd like one, and a lookout watching from the deck the whole time.
Often seen here: parrotfish grazing, giant clams, blue sea stars — no promises, it's the ocean.
- In the water
- 2 guided swims, 60–75 min
- Good for
- First-timers & families, 5+
- Water
- 24–29 °C · stinger suits supplied
- Sample price
- $199 adult · $119 child
Station 02 · No licence needed · Ages 12+
Your first breaths underwater, instructor at your elbow
A shallow, supervised introduction for people who have never dived. You'll practise the basics kneeling on sand first, then kick slowly along the reef edge — usually around 5–6 m, never deeper than 12 m.
- Dives
- 1 or 2 intro dives, ~30 min each
- Group
- Up to 4 divers per instructor
- Before you go
- Medical questionnaire on board
- Sample price
- $319 day + 1 dive · 2nd +$69
Station 03 · Open Water and up
Guided reef dives for certified divers
Two or three dives across bommies, gullies and swim-throughs, chosen on the day for tide and visibility. Follow a guide, or dive with your own buddy once the crew has checked you in.
- Dives
- 2–3 per day, up to 45 min
- Bring
- Certification card & logbook
- Gear
- Full kit hire in the price
- Sample price
- $329 two dives · 3rd +$55
Station 04 · Two-day course · Ages 15+
Advanced course: go deeper, navigate better
Five adventure dives over two days — a deep dive, navigation, and three you choose (fish ID, buoyancy, a swim-through circuit). Theory is done online before you arrive, so the reef gets the time.
Whitetip reef sharks often rest under ledges around here. They're shy and not interested in divers.
- Length
- 2 boat days, 5 dives
- You need
- Open Water certification
- Includes
- E-learning, gear, cert fee
- Sample price
- $749 per diver
Station 05 · After dark · Certified divers
Night dive: the reef changes shift
Parrotfish tuck into their sleeping bubbles, crabs and shrimp come out, and coral polyps open to feed. The evening boat leaves in the late arvo light and you drop in after sunset with a guide.
- Evening boat
- 4.30 pm – about 9.30 pm
- Dives
- 1 sunset + 1 guided night dive
- Includes
- Torch, tank light, hot soup
- Sample price
- $219 per diver
General information: night dives are for certified divers and follow your certification's depth limits — usually well above 18 m. The 30 m on our gauge marks the darkest water on this page, not a dive plan.
Book the night boat →Back on deck
Boat schedule · week of Mon 5 Oct
Two boats: Southerly runs the reef day, Nightjar runs the evening night-dive trip. Sample schedule for this demo.
Mon 5
Reef day · Southerly7.45 am – 4.30 pm · snorkel, intro & certified
Tue 6
Reef day · Southerly7.45 am – 4.30 pm
Night boat · Nightjar4.30 pm – 9.30 pm
Wed 7
Reef day · Southerly7.45 am – 4.30 pm
Advanced course · day 1on the reef day boat
Thu 8
Reef day · Southerly7.45 am – 4.30 pm
Advanced course · day 2deep & navigation dives
Night boat · Nightjar4.30 pm – 9.30 pm
Fri 9
Reef day · Southerly7.45 am – 4.30 pm
Sat 10
Reef day · Southerly7.45 am – 4.30 pm
Night boat · Nightjar4.30 pm – 9.30 pm
Sun 11
No boatsCrew day & gear servicing
Sample schedule. Trips run on the skipper's call — wind and swell decide the sites, and we'll move or refund a trip we cancel for weather.
Every trip
What's included
- Mask, snorkel & finsFitted on the way out, prescription masks on request.
- Wetsuit or stinger suitFull-length stinger suits from November to May.
- Dive gear & computerBCD, regulator and a computer for every certified diver.
- Lunch on boardSalads, wraps and fruit — tell us about dietary needs.
- Tea, coffee & snacksMorning tea on the way out, cake on the way home.
- Marine park feesAlready in the sample prices — no surprises at the wharf.
Pack this
- Swimmers
- Hat & sunnies
- Reef-friendly sunscreen
- Towel
- A warm layer
- Cert card (divers)
I'm not a strong swimmer. Can I still come?
Yes. Snorkellers can use a vest or noodle and join a guided swim. For intro dives you need to be comfortable in the water — we'll check in with you before you gear up.
Do I need a medical?
Everyone who scuba dives completes a medical questionnaire first. Some answers — asthma, heart conditions, recent surgery — need a doctor's sign-off before the trip, so read it early.
What if I get seasick?
The ride out is about 90 minutes. Sit outside near the back, look at the horizon, and take motion-sickness tablets before we leave if you usually need them.
Can I fly after diving?
Common guidance is to wait at least 18 hours after multiple dives before flying. Your instructor will talk you through it for your plans.
General information only — not medical advice or dive training. Conditions, sightings and sites vary every day.
Book
Save your spot on the boat
Pick a trip and a day from this week's sample schedule. We'll check the weather, the boat and your certification before anything is confirmed.
- (07) 5550 3142
- bookings@example.com
- Cairns waterfront, Cairns QLD