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Green Island Snorkelling & Glass Bottom Boat from Cairns

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/9

Duration3h–12h

GroupUp to 300

LanguagesEN · JA

Mobile ticketAccepted

A 6,000-Year-Old Coral Island with Rainforest & Reef Access in One Trip

You board a fast catamaran from Cairns and spend half a day or up to seven hours on Green Island, choosing between snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef from the beach or viewing it from a glass bottom boat. You walk through the island's rainforest at your own pace, use the swimming pool, and return by catamaran. Morning tea is served onboard; lunch is available for purchase on the island.

3h–12h

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Green Island and Great Barrier Reef

Depart from Cairns to Green Island
Choose snorkelling or glass bottom boat
Snorkel from white sandy beaches
Or view reef from glass bottom boat
Walk through the island rainforest
Enjoy island swimming pool and facilities
Return to Cairns

The Experience

The catamaran leaves Cairns three times daily, which means you can fit Green Island into a half-day or stretch it to seven hours if you want the full rhythm of the place. What makes this different is that Green Island isn't just a reef stop — it's the only coral cay on the Great Barrier Reef that has rainforest growing on it, so you're not choosing between snorkelling or walking through trees. You get both. The boat ride out takes you across clear water, and they serve morning tea and coffee onboard before you arrive, which is a small thing but it sets the tone for the day.

Once you're on the island, you pick your reef experience: snorkelling gear (mask, snorkel, fins) if you want to be in the water, or the glass bottom boat if you'd rather stay dry and watch the coral and fish move past below you. The snorkelling happens from the white sandy beaches, so there's no long swim to get somewhere interesting — the reef is right there. The glass bottom boat is its own thing; you sit inside the hull and the reef comes to you, which sounds passive but it's not — the visibility is usually good enough that you see the detail, the movement, the actual structure of what you're looking at. After that, there's a self-guided walk through the rainforest, which takes you through the island's interior without needing a guide talking at you the whole time.

The island has a swimming pool (exclusive to Great Adventures guests), a pool bar, a restaurant, and retail if you forgot sunscreen or want to buy a souvenir. Lunch and snacks are available but not included, so you can eat what appeals to you rather than what's on a set menu. The day visitor facilities are well set up — it doesn't feel like you're roughing it. The catamaran brings you back to Cairns, and the whole operation has Advanced Ecotourism Certification, which means they're actually managing the reef and the island with some care about what happens to them.

What’s included

Return fast catamaran transfers from Cairns.
morning tea and coffee served onboard.
choice of snorkelling equipment or glass bottom boat tour.
use of the island swimming pool.
self-guided rainforest walk.
access to island day visitor facilities including pool bar, restaurant, and retail outlets.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcome

Operated by The Quicksilver Group

Is this one for you?Pick this if you want to see the Great Barrier Reef without committing to a full-day boat trip or arranging your own transport — the three daily departures mean you can fit it around other plans, and the choice between snorkelling and glass bottom boat lets you decide how much time you spend in the water.