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Is Cairns Good For Diving?

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Gabby Boucher
Updated Thu 09 Mar 2023

Cairns is great for diving because of its close proximity to the Great Barrier Reef, its year-round warm weather, and its established tourism industry. Cairns is one of the closest major cities to the Great Barrier Reef. The city is well-connected to other cities in Australia by plane, so you can fly into Cairns, hop on a boat, and be on the Great Barrier Reef within hours. 

Not only that, but the wide range of top-rated dive courses, liveaboards, and day trips make it super easy and affordable to pick the perfect diving experience for you. Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or advanced diver, there is a tour or a course that suits your diving goals. Cairns is surrounded by so much natural beauty and wildlife, including unique reef sites and islands. If you choose to go scuba diving in Cairns, you will have the time of your life exploring the warm, tropical waters and admiring the colorful underwater world!

Green Island Reefs


Is Cairns Good For Diving?


Cairns is one of the best places in Australia for diving, and there is a wide variety of reef tours and courses available. If you’re just a traveler who loves to dive and you’re not looking to take a course, Cairns offers so many incredible single-day and multi-day trips to the Outer Great Barrier Reef. 

If you do have some more time to spare and you want to either learn how to dive or improve your existing skills, Cairns also has lots of top-rated dive courses! Let’s discuss some of the best opportunities for divers in Cairns, from day trips to liveaboards to dive courses. 

girls going scuba diving


Cairns Diving Day Trips

For scuba divers in Cairns who only have one free day, you can book a day trip to the Great Barrier Reef! There is a huge list of boats that visit the outer reef daily, and they all depart from the heart of Cairns. Gear and lunch is often included as well!

Most full-day tours include 2-3 dive sites, so you can get an amazing introduction to the underwater ecosystems of the Great Barrier Reef. Some day trips head to an outer reef pontoon where you will hang out for the day, and some head to reef-fringed islands such as Green Island

Diving lesson


Overnight Diving Trips In Cairns

If you’re an avid scuba diver, an overnight reef trip is probably better suited for you than a day trip! With at least two days to spare, you can sleep overnight on the Great Barrier Reef and spend ample time underwater. If you’ve made it all the way up to Cairns to go diving, you may as well spend more than one day out on the reef!

There are lots of incredible Cairns liveaboards where you can spend 2 days, 3 days, or up to 7 days out on the Great Barrier Reef. All food and gear is included, and you can fit in 6 or more diving sessions. Overnight reef tours also give you the opportunity to try night diving!

Great Barrier Reef


Learn To Dive Courses In Cairns

Is Cairns good for diving if you’re a first-time diver? Absolutely! Even if you’ve never dived before, Cairns is a great place to learn. With close proximity to the reef and numerous highly-rated dive courses with trained and experienced staff, there is no better place to take your first breaths underwater in Australia!

Because learning to scuba dive is quite a big process, most dive courses in Cairns run for 3-5 days. Spending multiple days in the water is the best way to get the hang of it, and you can get your PADI certifications with qualified instructors. Some tours are like liveaboards and they include accommodation on the reef, whereas some are just day courses that don’t include accommodation. 

scuba diving


Cairns Advanced Diving Courses

If you’re already a certified diver, Cairns is an epic place to advance your skills. With so many unique reef sites around the area, there are so many opportunities to dive into fascinating locations and see the diverse marine life. 

With 2 or 3 day trips available, you can get your advanced diver certifications and have the experience of a lifetime! You can also take a Stress and Rescue Diver course to enhance your skills and safety knowledge. 

snorkeling with fish


So Why Is Cairns Good For Diving?


With the wide variety of courses and diving trips available for travelers, Cairns is one of the best places to dive in Australia! There are so many reputable companies that can help you get your PADI certifications, and there are also many ways to improve your dive skills. With sophisticated liveaboard boat trips and easy, fun day trips, there is no shortage of ways to dive in the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns. 

Throw in the year-round warm weather, the fascinating marine life, and the accessibility of the reef from the town center of Cairns, and you’ll see that Cairns is the perfect place to book your next diving adventure!

girl scuba diving


Check out our full list of liveaboards, day trips, learn-to-dive courses, and advanced dive courses!


If you need any help planning your dive trip to Cairns, call us at (07) 4082 7470 or live chat with our travel experts online!

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