Snorkelling on Australia's Pacific Coast.

Hi All,

We're looking at a trip to Australia in September this year and need some help.

We're looking at a self-drive with Goway tours from Sydney to Cairns over a 14 day period.

I'd like to spend some extra days in Cairns for trips out to the reef. We're not divers, just snorkellers.

Several questions:

Is it worth trying to work some extra days in to spend at Heron Island? Is the snorkelling that good there?

Who should we go with out of Cairns? Would it be better to stay at Port Douglas?

Any additional tips from anyone with experience with this part of the world would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

jgamurray

We were in Aus. this past summer, and stayed in Cairns and Port Douglas. Port Douglas would be a bit closer to the reef than Cairns, if you want to go snorkeling the best solution would be to go out of PD. The reef does not come close enough to shore dive so you'll need to take a boat out to the reef.

Cairns was quite an easy city for getting around with public transportation. There are boats that travel out to the reef from Cairns as well, it's just a longer trip, and the farther north - the better the reefs.

If you like wild life I would suggest a tour in Cairns, it's called "Wait-a- while-tour". I take that tour again it was worth the money.

We did a liveaboard out of P.D. on the Diversity and we went over 100 miles off shore out to a couple of reef systems beyond the GBR, called Osprey reef and Shark reef.

Hope you enjoy it, we did!

Caymaniac 8)

Hope you have a great time in this part of the world!

Unfortunately I could only give you tips on good dive sites on the east coast ... not being a snorkler myself. Thought I might suggest u check out www.diveoz.com.au where the forums can be good.

cheers

Lndr