• The only floating multi-activity pontoon from Airlie Beach, Hamilton Island and Daydream Island is Reefworld. The perfect tour for snorkelling, scuba diving, helicopter flights. 
• Experience the semi-submersible submarine tour to see the corals and marine life or sit in the underwater observatory and watch all the action of the divers and snorkelers in the blue waters of the Whitsunday Islands and the Great Barrier Reef.
• You’ll fall in love with ‘Reefworld’ in the heart of the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef on your day trip, and you can upgrade to even more exciting overnight adventures here   
• This is the best Airlie Beach reef trip for non-swimmers, families with young children or those who wish to see the Great Barrier Reef in a multi-tude of differnt ways above and below the water.
• Our Great Barrier Reef tour is available for guests staying at Hamilton Island, Daydream Island and also Airlie Beach. Take a scenic helicopter flight out to the pontoon from Hamilton Island.
• Family Deal - Save $91 based on 2 adults & 2 children

You’ll find this Great Barrier Reef tour an incredible mix of excitement and adventure. Explore beautiful coral gardens by snorkelling, scuba diving or on a scenic helicopter flight. Discover marine life in the underwater observatory!

What to Expect

Immerse yourself in a day of adventure and stunning scenery on this multi-award-winning Great Barrier Reef tour to a pontoon on Hardy Reef. Departing from Airlie Beach around 8.00am and then picks up guests from Hamilton Island at 8.55 am and Daydream Island at 7:35 am, whisking you away to Hardy Reef’s Reefworld pontoon. Whether you're a first-time snorkeller or an experienced scuba diver, this Great Barrier Reef tour caters to all with an array of aquatic activities to choose from. Enjoy the comfort of a fast catamaran as it slices through the Whitsunday Passage, offering breathtaking views of lush Whitsunday islands and clear blue waters.

Features and Highlights

Cruise to Hardy Reef:

• Depart early and cruise through the Whitsundays where you can soak in views of remote islands and verdant mountains. Your destination is Reefworld, an interactive floating pontoon platform that serves as your base for the day’s underwater adventures on the Great Barrier Reef.

Note: See our helicopter and reef combo tours

Snorkelling and Scuba Diving:

• Upgrade your Great Barrier Reef tour experience and dive into the underwater wonderland of the Great Barrier Reef. Book for a guided snorkelling tour, an introductory scuba dive or a certified dive to see vibrant marine life up close. Encounter iconic reef inhabitants like clownfish (Nemo) and blue tangs (Dory) in their natural habitat.

Scenic Helicopter Flight:

• Elevate your experience with an optional scenic helicopter flight. Marvel at the majestic reef from above and capture the unparalleled beauty of Heart Reef , Hill Inlet, Whitehaven Beach and other iconic spots. This aerial view offers a unique perspective of the reef's vastness and vivid colours.

Note: Book the helicopter & reef combo package here: Cruise & Fly or Fly & Cruise or Fly/Fly

Semi-Submersible Submarine Tour:

• For those non-swimmers who prefer to stay dry, embark on a semi-submersible submarine tour. Comfortably seated below the water’s surface, enjoy panoramic views of the bustling reef life without getting your hair wet.

Onboard Pontoon Facilities and Lunch:

• Reefworld features excellent facilities, including an underwater observatory and a platform for sunbathing and relaxing. Enjoy a tropical buffet lunch onboard, complete with fresh seafood and fruits, before diving back into the water or relaxing on the sundeck.

Educational Content and Marine Life Interaction:

• Learn fascinating facts about the reef’s ecosystem from onboard marine naturalists. Engage with the reef’s biodiversity through educational talks and possibly witness sea turtles, manta rays, whales, or dolphins during your visit.

Optional Snorkelling Safari and Diving Upgrades:

• Enhance your adventure with a snorkelling safari led by expert guides, or for certified divers, explore deeper dive sites. These options provide more personalized and extensive exploration of the reef's hidden treasures.

Return Journey and Comfort:

• Conclude your day with a soothing cruise back to Airlie Beach, Hamilton Island and Daydream Island or choose the fly/cruise option for a return by helicopter, adding more scenic splendour to your unforgettable day on the Great Barrier Reef.

This tour promises a packed schedule full of adventure and awe-inspiring moments, perfect for making lasting memories on the Great Barrier Reef.

Fly/Fly in a helicopter to Reefworld from Airlie Beach or Cruise/Fly to Reefworld from Hamilton Island.

Cruise the Great Barrier Reef to A Floating Pontoon

At first glance, you’ll feel excited by the sight of your Great Barrier Reef tour boat that will be taking you to see this World Heritage listed reef.

Next you’ll be sitting comfortably as the boat speeds past lush green islands in the Whitsunday Passage and listening to the crews reef presentation on your days events. 

From the get go, we can promise you a day on the reef with lot's of activity.

Reefworld is a floating interactive pontoon on the Great Barrier Reef that is your island for the day offering a remarkable amount of activity and adventure, with a platform for snorkelling, scuba diving and scenic helicopter flights.

The pontoon itself is likewise your host for a delicious tropical buffet lunch, an underwater observatory cinema, and even a resident onboard masseuse for the ultimate in relaxation!

The coral gardens and abundant marine life at Hardy Reef can be explored with equally special expedition styles, and with a day at Reefworld, you’ll find the possibilities on offer are endless!

Snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef

If you’ve never snorkelled before, you’ll soon find out how to do it on this Great Barrier Reef tour that you’re about to embark on, a looking glass adventure into another world.

And if you’re already a fan, you’ll be privy to the fact that this is a visual expedition where fantasy comes alive!

Your friendly boat crew will help fit you with a snorkel, mask, and fins for easy gliding on the surface.

If you are not such a good confident swimmer just ask the crew for some flotation devices.  

The stunning coral wall adjacent to Reefworld is highlighted with roped areas, so you won’t miss out on getting to these snorkelling sights!

You’ll find instructors and even a lifeguard on hand for some snorkelling tips and assistance.

Among the rainbow gardens of branches, plates and coral mountains, keep your eyes peeled for the yellow, turquoise and vivid orange of the Angels, Parrots, and Clowns (Nemo) that reside there.

And any given day could also produce a surprise visit from a sea-turtle, manta-ray, or even a dolphin in the cooler months!

Upgrade to an Optional Snorkelling Safari

Booking a guided snorkelling safari is an exceptional combination of witnessing marine life, learning riveting facts about the Great Barrier Reef, and utilising a helpful hand if you’re not overly confident in the water.

In a small group, you’ll be led by an expert marine naturalist guide through magnificent coral reefs and into a world of underwater knowledge.

Your friendly marine leader knows how to locate and interact with the many weird and wondrous creatures within this coral kingdom of the Great Barrier Reef.

In these azure waters, you may come across an ethereal sting-ray and learn how amazingly friendly these beings are, and how there’s over 200 different types!

They’ll be many entertaining stories about the rainbow of reef fish you’ll see, and keep your eye out for the appearance of visiting sea-turtles that have an awe-inspiring life span.

With the ability to live over 100 years old, these creatures have been residents here on the reef before we were born!

Semi-Submersible Submarine Reef Tour

It’s perfectly fine if you are a non swimmer or have little children, we have all the facilities that ensure if you’re venturing to the Great Barrier Reef, you shouldn’t have to miss out on a close up view of the coral reefs and multitude of marine life, just because you don’t want to get wet!

When you opt for a semi-submersible submarine tour, you’ll see the colours of the reef from your seat in dry comfort!

You won’t even have to take your sunglasses off on this reef trip adventure!

As you glide through a realm of undersea gardens, you’ll see the vibrant swirls of orange and turquoise belonging to mesmerising Parrot and Clown fish (Nemo).

And with your marine guides onboard presentation, you’ll likewise learn how parrot fish sleep in a bubble they make to surround themselves, and how clown fish can change from female to male!

Also keep your eye out for a sea-turtle or giant clam; both which have a lifespan of over 100 years!

Optional Introductory Scuba Dive

With amazing snorkelling across the surface of the Great Barrier Reef, you’ll see down into the most eye-catching and phenomenal realms.

Yet when you embark on an introductory scuba dive, you’ll hover only inches away!

No experience is necessary to try your first introductory dive, and you’ll find a friendly diving expert on hand to teach you all the skills you’ll need.   

Your introductory scuba dive will go for around about 30 minutes and 7 -10 metres below the waters surface, all dependant on your use of air, but the experience will last a lifetime.

Hardy Reef boasts an abundance of rainbow reef fish, as well as the odd sightings of sea-turtles, and even migrating whales and dolphins in the cooler months.

Optional Certified Dive

You may have travelled across the globe, or the Great Barrier Reef might happen to be in your own Australian back yard, and if you’re a certified scuba diver, you’ll know of the stunning underwater world awaiting you here.

With a dive buddy or expert dive instructor, you’ll glide the azure waters of Hardy Reef within a dazzling labyrinth of coral.

Through rich red and purple thickets and pastel gardens, you’ll encounter the exhilaration of drops off, walls, and bommies (coral mountains).

And within this iconic domain, you’ll likewise discover the holiday highlights that live there.

Just as renowned as the domain is a super-abundance of marine life sightings. Your adventure will include a line-up of spectacularly colored reef fish, varying from one moment to the next.

You could spot a massive groper on your right and a meandering sea-turtle on your left. 

Or maybe even a ‘fever’ of manta-rays straight in your path!

Optional Scenic Helicopter Flight

You’ll gain a breathtaking and brand new perspective of the Great Barrier Reef on a low level scenic flight. 

By indulging in a scenic helicopter flight, you’ll encounter the kind of panoramic wonder that will become the memory of a lifetime.

There are many types of helicopter flights to choose from; you could consider a cruise fly or fly cruise option where you can travel to the reef by helicopter or by boat (or the reverse or fly both ways).

Little compares to the view of the Great Barrier Reef from a helicopter and you’ll be awed when looking down at the coral gardens.

Take a scenic flight over Heart Reef  from the pontoon or Airlie Beach.

During the winter months of July to August you may even see giant humpback whales as they make their annual migration northward on the reef! 

Please note:- All helicopter flights need to be pre-booked by email or phone to ensure seat allocations, weight restrictions apply  

Optional Seabob Tours

Take a ride around the Great Barrier Reef on our brand new Seabobs with our marine naturalist guides. 

The Seabobs are easy to operate and a lot of fun for the family.

Learn about the fish and corals in the Whitsundays, cruise on the surface or get game and cruise underwater.

Book your Seabob adventure on the platform  

See more Great Barrier Reef tours from Hamilton Island, Airlie Beach and Daydream Island.

Tour Languages Offered

• English

Departs From

Airlie Beach

Departure Time

• Departs Airlie Beach 8:00am returns 6.10pm
• Departs Daydream Island 7.50am returns 5.50pm
• Departs Hamilton Island 9.00am returns 5.00pm

Departure Instructions

• If making own way to Port of Airlie marina, please check in 30 minutes before tour time
• Coach transfers specific pick up time will be advised at the time of booking.

Pickup Locations

• Airlie Beach
• Daydream Island
• Hamilton Island

Destinations

• Airlie Beach
• Daydream Island
• Hamilton Island
• Hardy Reef
• Great Barrier Reef

Months of Operation

January - December

Days of Operation

Daily

Duration

Full day

Available for Purchase / Hire

• Transfers from Airlie Beach and surrounds transfers from accommodation available for a small fee
• Licensed bar with alcohol and non-alcohol beverages for purchase
• Introductory scuba dives
• Certified diving
• Scenic helicopter flight
• Guided snorkelling safari
• Souvenir photos
• Cruise/fly return trip.

Fitness Level Required

Low

Restrictions

Scuba Diving – minimum age 12

IN-WATER RESTRICTIONS

Scuba Diving Restrictions

• Certain medical conditions and medications may preclude some people from scuba diving.
• Participation is subject to a medical questionnaire completed on board with the tour operator
• Minimum age for scuba diving is 12 years.
• Flying after scuba diving: a wait of 12 hours is recommended after one dive, 18 hour after 2 dives and at least 24 hours after multiple dives, before ascending to an altitude of 300 metres or greater.

Read more about Diving Safety on the Great Barrier Reef.

Additional Information

Due to the number of stairs through pontoon and vessel, this tour is not recommended for disabled passengers.

Eco Certifications

• Swimwear and towel
• Protective clothing, hat and sunscreen lotion
• Your camera and a sense of fun!
• Light jacket / sweater for windy or cool days
• Money / credit card for optional purchases such as beverages, dives or a helicopter flight.

• Family Fare: 2 Adults and 2 Children (not applicable with other discounts)
• Child Fare 4-14 years inclusive