Green Island Half-Day Tour: Explore Tropical Paradise from Cairns

Explore the tropical paradise of Green Island on a half day trip from Cairns. Enjoy around two hours exploring the Great Barrier Reef island with plenty of time to snorkel. You can even take an optional semi-submersible submarine tour to get close to the reef without getting wet.

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Big Cat Green Island Reef Cruises - Day Tour - This is where guests start their tour, at the Reef Fleet Terminal.
  • Green Island Cruise - Day Tour (Big Cat Green Island Reef Cruise) - Spend time at Green Island either snorkelling or join a glass bottom boat tour
  • Green Island - A picturesque coral cay situated only an hours boat ride from Cairns. Perfect place for a half day reef/island experience.
What's Included
  • Choice of glass bottom boat tour or the use of snorkel equipment
  • Cruise transfers to and from Green Island by modern air-conditioned catamaran
  • Semi-submersible tour (if option is selected)
  • Environmental Management Charge (Reef Tax)
What's Not Included
  • Optional activities. (Can be booked locally, subject to availability. Payable locally. Introductory Scuba Dive AU$152, Seawalker Helmut Dive AU$165, Semi-submersible Coral Viewing Tour AU$20)
  • Food and drinks (available to purchase)
  • No transfer pick up/drop off
Additional Information
  • Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
  • Wheelchair accessibility is available but limited. Passengers must have some mobility and/or the presence of a carer who can assist them.
Location
Reef Fleet Terminal
Please call to reconfirm your booking prior to travel to receive your boarding pass. If you have not received your boarding pass, please meet directly at the Reef Fleet Terminal, 30 minutes prior to your departure time Please arrive 30mins before your departure time
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
3.9
(92 Ratings)
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Izabela_j
Oct 14, 2024
Great little trip to experience Great Barrier Reef - Great half day trip. Trip over to Green Island was well organised, and staff were friendly, accommodating and professional. Once at island, what a beautiful place to stop and enjoy. And then seeing part of the Great Barrier Reef on such a beautiful day, couldn't ask for more. AAA+++
Review provided by Viator
108kellied
Oct 12, 2024
Great day out. - Smooth trip out, busy full boat, attentive staff, easy to pick up snorkelling gear. Stunning area to snorkel, we saw thousands of fish, so many different species, a sting ray, and turtles! Incredible. Only regret is not going for the full day!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gail_s
Oct 2, 2024
Put Green Island on your list. - We had a perfect day weather-wise, the staff were friendly, informative and helpful. The glass bottom boat and the commentary were fantastic and the semi submersible vessel was wonderful give a different perspective on the coral forms and the fish. A thoroughly enjoyable outing.
Review provided by Viator
Lynbr5746zv
Sep 7, 2024
Very nice experience in Cairns - We found Green Island beautiful and enjoyed the glass-floored boat experience, where we saw not only very interesting corals but also many different fish. A very pleasant route, with great organization and punctuality.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tilldwyer
Sep 4, 2024
The Perfect Amount of Sun - If like me you are someone who prefers not to spend all day getting sunburnt on a boat, this half day tour is the perfect way to get in some beach and snorkel time without having to spend a full day in the sun. The Reef Rocket boat departed Cairns on time and we reached Green Island by 10am leaving just under 2 hours for snorkelling and sunbathing. There’s limited coral however plenty of fish and other marine life to see! Beaches were beautiful and facilities as expected. We were back at cairns marina by 1pm - in time for a nap before heading out for the evening. Not a Reef experience by any means but a great day out leading by a great group of people.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Brandy_b
Oct 15, 2024
Disappointed - It was a nice ride out on the water but we didn’t get to see a whole lot. A bit of coral but it wasn’t as vibrant as you see in the pictures and a few fish but nothing exotic. the tour guides on both the glass bottom and the submarine seemed to be in a hurry and were hardly audible or understood. It was not worth the money but we did enjoy the ride on the water.
Review provided by Viator
W9500frangelaw
Sep 22, 2024
7/10 - 95% of the staff were lovely but one staff member on the big cat (Angela) was rude to me and a few other customers I saw her interacting with (refusing to answer their question, telling them that she doesn’t know where they’re supposed be, walking off while a question was being asked). There wasn’t much guidance about what we should do with prams during the tours and it was chaotic trying to get where we needed to go with a small child. The wildlife is amazing and well worth it but the organisation and customer service could have been better
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sushilendra_s
Sep 21, 2024
Half day green island - Did not get much time to see the island or snorkel. Almost the entire time went into glassbottom boat and semi submarine and fish feeding. Duration should be increased
Review provided by Viator
W2212oustefanoa
Aug 29, 2024
Not a Great Barrier Reef experience and not even 2 hours on the island - The half day tour should not be advertised as a Great Barrier Reef tour. Green island has just little coral in the sea. We deperted 20min late so we had less than 2 hours on the island which is nothing, we could not do all the activities. We also left the island 15/20min late since we waited for 3 girls that were late. You can see some fish, lots of turtles and that's it. If you want to see the Great Barrier Reef this is not the tour you want, but if you have limited time (just half day) this experience is fine but do not have high expectations. Staff was nice. On the island the toilets are so bad and dirty and no change rooms.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jeffrey_b
Sep 28, 2024
A complete waste of time and money - A complete waste of time and money. After getting to the island we spent 20-30 minutes on a glass bottom boat. We saw very little. Save your time and money
Review provided by Viator
From $81
up to 9 guests
1 Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).