Coral Sea Liveaboard Trips
The Ribbon Reefs offer spectacular diving on vibrant coral reefs and thrilling encounters with reef sharks, turtles, and schools of tropical fish. These pristine reefs are part of the Great Barrier Reef’s outer edge, delivering crystal-clear visibility and breathtaking underwater landscapes. A highlight of the region is Cod Hole, famous for its friendly giant potato cod, some weighing over 100 kg! The site also features stunning coral formations and the chance to spot reef sharks, Maori wrasse, and even manta rays. [More details on these dive sites: Ribbon Reefs].
For experienced divers, the Coral Sea delivers some of the most thrilling and pristine diving in the world, with remote reefs, big pelagics and breathtaking drop-offs. At Osprey Reef, divers are treated to adrenaline-pumping encounters with up to 100 reef sharks. Holmes Reef stuns with its untouched coral gardens, steep slopes, and swirling schools of barracuda, trevally, and dogtooth tuna. Bougainville's sheer walls plunge into the abyss, offering spectacular visibility and dramatic encounters with hammerheads, grey reefs, and even the occasional tiger shark. [More details on these dive sites: Osprey Reef - Holmes Reef - Bougainville].
Great Barrier Reef liveaboards that visit this richest region of the Coral Sea are normally for 7 nights' duration, although tours can be as short as 3 nights. The boats operate open-deck policies which allow you to dive when you prefer. They are also photographer-friendly, often with dedicated camera facilities, underwater photo competitions and courses. These charters are very popular so we recommend booking well in advance. Experienced divers may not be satisfied with the quality of liveaboard diving on the Great Barrier Reef in locations other than at the Coral Sea sites. (Note: you may need to take a (included) short domestic flight to or from Lizard Island, either at the start or the end of the cruise.
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Coral Sea Liveaboard Trips]
Cairns Outer Barrier Reef Trips
These trips operate only about 50 km off shore and provide easy diving around coral bommies and reef flats. You can expect to see many schools of fish, a broad range of reef critters, large groupers and wrasses as well as white tip reef sharks. Coral coverage is impressive with boulder corals, table and plate corals. Bommies rise up from gullies and a landscape of staghorn-covered peaks and sandy valleys. The diving here is not the best that the Great Barrier Reef has to offer, but it represents a great entry-level liveaboard option and, with short and affordable dive tours, it is a popular choice. These trips visit the reefs of Flynn, Milln, Pellowe, Saxon and Norman. [More details on these dive sites: Cairns].
You can hop on board a liveaboard cruise to the Cairns Outer Barrier Reef any day of the week, although these trips are very popular, so booking in advance is strongly recommended. You can take a 2, 3 or 4 night stay on these liveaboards and combine them with a dive course if you wish. The atmosphere on liveaboards to the Cairns Barrier Reef is one of fun and enthusiasm. Guests tend to be young, with many backpackers taking courses on board. Divers are generally quite inexperienced but delighted to be sampling the underwater delights of the Great Barrier Reef. More experienced scuba divers tend to opt for longer trips in the Coral Sea.
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Cairns Outer Barrier Reef Trips]
Minke Whale Safaris
These short, seasonal trips run only during the winter months (June to July), when dwarf minke whales migrate to the northern Ribbon Reefs. You do not chase them. Instead, you drift on a surface line or mooring, watching as these curious animals approach on their own terms. They circle, make eye contact, and sometimes hang vertically in the water, inspecting the divers below. No one fully understands why they behave this way. That mystery is part of the draw.
Beyond the whales, this Great Barrier Reef liveaboard itinerary includes classic Ribbon Reef sites. Expect Cod Hole with its resident potato cod, the soft coral draped pinnacle of Pixie Pinnacle, and night dives at Gotham City where hunting trevally and sharks patrol. Cruises typically run 4 to 7 nights. Experience level: intermediate to advanced. Currents can run, and you will spend time on the surface waiting for whale encounters, so patience matters.
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Minke Whale Safaris]
Yongala Dive Trips
This 7-night Great Barrier Reef expedition runs from Townsville to Cairns. It combines 2 very different worlds: the famous Yongala wreck and the remote Coral Sea. The world famous Yongala is a 111-metre steel steamer that sank in 1911, now resting on its starboard side in 30 metres. Expect giant groupers, sea snakes, rays and dense schools of fish. The wreck is advanced diving. Current and swell can be significant. You will typically get 4 to 5 dives on the Yongala itself. You will also dive Wheeler Reef and the Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA). From there, the trip pushes east to Flinders and Holmes Reefs. These are big-wall dives: vertical drops beyond 300 metres, visibility over 40 metres, and pelagics such as sharks, tuna and barracuda. Holmes Reef offers caves and swim-throughs.
This is advanced, expedition-style Great Barrier Reef liveaboard diving. You need comfort with deep profiles and potential currents.
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Yongala Dive Trips]
Far North Expeditions
These are the most remote liveaboard tours available on the Great Barrier Reef. 7 nights, up to 27 dives. Departures from Horn Island or Cairns, these diving expeditions push north to the very edge of Australian waters.
The Far North trips cover Raine Island, the world's largest green turtle rookery. Between October and December, tens of thousands of turtles gather here. You will also dive Great Detached Reef, Tijou and Cat Reefs, and if conditions allow, the historic wreck of the RMS Quetta. The Ashmore exploratory pushes even further, reaching Boot Reef - arguably the most remote site that any Great Barrier Reef liveaboard visits. Ashmore itself sits near the Papua New Guinea border, a place where 19th century ships came to grief. The drift dive known as 'The Flight of the Cassowary' is spoken of in near-mythical terms by those who have done it.
These expeditions require solid advanced experience. Currents are strong. The weather can be fickle. You need to be comfortable with drift diving, deep profiles, and long stretches between land. In return, you get pristine coral, shark-rich waters, and the feeling of diving somewhere few have ever been.
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Far North Expeditions]
