Passions of Paradise
Full Day Reef Tour with an Introductory Scuba Dive
Details:
1 day
Great Barrier Reef
Check in from 7am. Departs: 8am / Returns: 5pm (est)
Start Location: Reef Fleet Terminal, Cairns
Vibe: Vibe: Fun Day on the Great Barrier Reef
Fees on arrival: $0
The Great Barrier Reef is an absolute MUST. We always suggest visiting the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns, the reason for this is due to the geographical layout of the Reef. If you look on a map you will see that The Great Barrier Reef is closer to the mainland from the cairns region than it is if you decide to go from a more southern location.
Once you set sail from Cairns you will get to the outer section of the Reef in around an hour and a half.
Sammy, the owner and operator at RatPack has worked in the industry for almost a decade and has hand-picked The Passions of Paradise day trip as his number one day tour from Cairns.
‘Simply put we get amazing reviews from all our customers that visit the Reef with Passions of Paradise which is why it’s the one we feature on our website. Passions provide ultimate value for money compared with other trips from Cairns. Yes, you can find a trip for around $30 cheaper than this one but it won’t provide as much value which is why they are our number 1!
Sammy – owner & operator.
RATPACK TIP:
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Tour information:
A visit to the Great Barrier Reef is on so many backpackers bucket lists and when you visit it you’ll see why! Jump aboard the brand new Passions of Paradise sailing catamaran and cruise from Cairns to see some of the best reef locations on the Outer Barrier Reef.These experts from Passions select 2 epic outer reef locations each day depending on the weather conditions to make sure you get to hit up the best snorkel spots minus the crowds and check out that beautiful underwater world!
Not snorkelled before? No worries! Your legendary onboard crew will give you an intro into snorkelling and will even take you on a guided tour of the reef to help you find your feet (flippers!) and let you know where the awesome spots are to see the best marine life. Jump in and explore the reef, see the beautiful coral and look for turtles, reef sharks (they don’t bite!), rays, nemos and an amazing array of tropical colourful fish! You’ll get plenty of time to explore the reef and the team will be keeping a close eye out to ensure your safety at all times. If you have never scuba dived before and fancy trying it out for the first time then pre book an Intro Dive – they will provide all the equipment and tuition – an intro dive will give you 20 – 30 mins to discover the reef & you’ll go to a maximum depth of 10 metres! You do not need any prior experience!
Between reefs lunch is served on-board; enjoy an incredible hot and cold buffet lunch including local prawns, meats, selection of fresh salads and tropical fruits, we know backpackers love an all you can eat buffet and this is one of our faves!
All of this snorkelling and excitement is tiring work but you’ll have plenty of time and space to kick back and soak up the sun and relax as the crew put the sails up as you sail back to Cairns, the crew will even come around with snacks. {RatPack tip – there’s a bar onboard and the boom nets at the front are the best place to chill with a cold bevvy at the end of the day!} These guys love the ocean as much as we do and their on board expert marine naturalist will chat with you about the Great Barrier Reef and the marine life that lives there.
Be prepared for a day full of fun, banter, education, great food, chilled vibes and incredible sights whilst experiencing one of the seven wonders of the world! Don’t forget to take your GoPro and get some epic shots with your new underwater pals, turtle selfies is the goal right?
Tour Planner:
with RatPack Travel?
From our RatPackers
Genuinely saved me a lot of dolla and stress, thank you so much!
Steve and I were incredibly impressed with Reuben's great professionalism and his ability to find us a wonderful deal for our upcoming N.Z holiday in 2024. Reuben was so helpful, informative and gained us a awesome JUCY Campervan package. Thank you so much for all your assistance.🤩 I would highly recommend Rat Pack Travel to all travellers. 😊Lindy Jurd.
Great service from Ben, can’t recommend RatPack enough. Got us a great price over a really busy period and got us the van we wanted. So easy and will definitely use them again in the future.
Gregg was very helpful in helping me plan my trip very last minute! Thanks so much
Jenna was a huge help getting me a camper for my trip up through the East Coast. Availability was tight and I can’t thank Jenna enough for sorting and at a great price. Definitely worth taking the stress out of searching and using these guys.
Seems to good to be true but Ratpack are everything they say and more. Helped me so much to choose a van and made the whole process so easy! Big shout out to Jenna and all her help above and beyond thanks so much!! Highly recommend
Ben from RatPack Travel was amazing!! Highly recommend getting in contact with this company if you’re unsure what kind of vehicle is best suited for your road-trip plans!
Jenna was so helpful and informative. She made the whole process of booking a camper so easy and answered any questions that I had. I would 100% recommend Ratpack travel for booking a campervan trip! Thanks Jenna 😀
Jenna was amazing! She took all the worry and stress out of booking our holiday! She was so helpful and patient, offering so much advice and securing us a lovely discount as well! Congratulations RatPack Travel - you have a winner in Jenna!
Messaged on Instagram and within a few minutes Reuben had replied, he went through every bit of detail to help arrange our east coast trip, providing the specification of the van and the true costings without any pressure. Very excited to start our trip next month, credit to the team for sure
Mikey was amazing and helped us out a great deal! Can’t recommend them enough!
Just booked a camper through Ratpack Travel with Gregg. He was super professional and talked me through the entire process with constant updates - absolute legend. One of the easiest experiences booking a camper I've had. Would definitely recommend!
Reuben was so helpful to deal with. Would highly recommend
Thanks for sorting out a camper for us Ben! I look forward to the trip and travelling in the RV you found for us
Gregg was fantastic chasing a great price and was extremely responsive - he called when he said he would, chased options immediately and was quick with follow up communication. The process was quick and painless and ended with us getting a great deal.
Itinerary:
0715 – 0800 Check in at Reef Fleet Terminal
0800 – 0815 Tea/Coffee and muffins are served before our safety Briefing commences
0815 – 1015 Cruise to first Outer Barrier Reef Location Passions of Paradise has a selection of more than 24 superior outer reef locations to choose from. Each day we will select the two best sites tailored to the weather conditions to give our guests the best possible experience. Whilst on the trip out to the outer section of the Reef the dive master who with complete your intro will give you a time that your intro dive will begin. Once you intro dive is complete you will have the rest of the day to snorkel at the reef sites.
1015 – 1245 Arrive at First Outer Barrier Reef Location – THE POOL IS OPEN!
1215 – 1245 Lunch is served on-board; enjoy a sumptuous hot and cold buffet lunch including local prawns, selection of fresh salads and tropical fruits. Lunch is prepared daily by our chef on-board the vessel for maximum freshness and taste. Vegetarians are catered for daily.
1245 – Depart First Outer Barrier Reef Location
1300 – 1445 Arrive second Outer Barrier Reef Location – The POOL is open again!
1500 – 1645 (approx) Time to enjoy a cold beverage on the way home as we hoist the sails and sail back to Cairns. Enjoy our marine life presentation in our air conditioned saloon or soak up the sun on our boom nets
Inclusions:
- Morning Tea/Coffee and muffins
- Hot and cold buffet lunch including local prawns, selection of fresh salads and tropical fruits
- Snorkel equipment (mask, snorkel & flippers) & flotation devices
- 1 x Introductory Scuba Dive, if you wish to book a 2nd certified dive you can do providing there is availability and you can pay for this on the day.
