Diving on The Great Barrier Reef

A Guest Feature

An Introduction to Diving on the Great Barrier Reef

Finding the cheapest flights to Australia is usually affected by the seasons. Many Australians living in the UK (and there are a lot) fly home for Christmas. Incidentally, the weather in Australia at Christmas time is hot, hot, hot and for anyone who has spent many a Christmas hoping it would at least snow rather than just being insufferably cold, Australia at this time can seem like a brilliant idea, so flights tend to go up in price. But deal with the cold for a bit and wait for the holidays to subside and book a couple of weeks off work out of season but when it’s still lovely and warm (which is most of the time down under).

The aim of the game on this trip is to take the plunge and go diving in one of the most exciting diving locations in the world, the Great Barrier Reef. The reef is the largest reef system on the planet. It’s made up of almost 3,000 individual reefs and is situated off the coast of Queensland. It can be seen from space.

International flights to Australia arrive in Sydney, and there are a handful of options for travelling on up to Queensland from there. There are a couple of coach companies that can get you there but be sure to shop around, as some of the larger companies can be more expensive. Another option is to drive. You could hire a car to get there and do it slowly, or buy one on the cheap and hope it holds out then sell it on at the end of your trip. Or fly internally. It’s easy to book internal flights online and if you ask any Aussie they’ll advise you on which airline they’d recommend.

Once you’re in Queensland you might as well stop in the capital first. Brisbane is one of Australia’s funkiest cities, with a fantastic nightlife, particularly in the West End.

There are a couple of points you can stop off at after Brisbane to gain access to companies that can take you out to the reef. One of the most popular is Cairns. Cairns is a tourist town and springboard for those going out to the reef. As such, it isn’t the most exciting place. Focus on what you’re here for and go and have a look at all the shops along the coast that offer diving trips. Choose one with a good health and safety record that’s been operating a few years.

You’ll be taken out with a group on a boat and will be given a briefing before you put the diving gear on. You’ll initially hold hands as you go below the surface and will not descend too far. There will usually be an opportunity to touch a giant clam, about the size of your average dog. Following this, you’ll come up and be offered the opportunity to either snorkel over the reef or pay a little extra and go on a second, longer dive.

John Hutchinson has enjoyed travelling since he was a young boy when his parents first took him to visit family overseas. Since leaving home, John has tracked down family all over the world and regularly jets off to faraway lands to see distant relatives.