best place to snorkel on the reef

Full Van · Veteran Member

best place to snorkel on the reef

Rob Driver · Guru

If you are in Airlie Beach and do not want to pay exorbitant fees to go all the way out to the reef you may consider Bowen off the beaches.

www.google.com.au/search

Our son and his wife and kids visited there last year and they said that Hoerseshoe Bay snorkelling was as good as going out to the reef as far as viewing reef life is concerned.
In any case the area gets great reports for snorkelling.

It is not a big drive from Airlie, about 80 kms from memory and what you save on the boat trip would buy you and family a great lunch at the cafe in Horseshoe Bay.

Regards

Angie

Full Van · Veteran Member

bentaxlebabe wrote:
If you are in Airlie Beach and do not want to pay exorbitant fees to go all the way out to the reef you may consider Bowen off the beaches.

www.google.com.au/search

Our son and his wife and kids visited there last year and they said that Hoerseshoe Bay snorkelling was as good as going out to the reef as far as viewing reef life is concerned.
In any case the area gets great reports for snorkelling.

It is not a big drive from Airlie, about 80 kms from memory and what you save on the boat trip would buy you and family a great lunch at the cafe in Horseshoe Bay.

Regards

Angie

Hi Angie,

That's great to know, thank-you. We're passing through Bowen on our way from Townsville to Airlie Beach, so that fits in well.

Thanks again,

Lyn

Knight · Senior Member

Full Van wrote:
bentaxlebabe wrote:
If you are in Airlie Beach and do not want to pay exorbitant fees to go all the way out to the reef you may consider Bowen off the beaches.

www.google.com.au/search

Our son and his wife and kids visited there last year and they said that Hoerseshoe Bay snorkelling was as good as going out to the reef as far as viewing reef life is concerned.
In any case the area gets great reports for snorkelling.

It is not a big drive from Airlie, about 80 kms from memory and what you save on the boat trip would buy you and family a great lunch at the cafe in Horseshoe Bay.

Regards

Angie
Hi Angie,
That's great to know, thank-you. We're passing through Bowen on our way from Townsville to Airlie Beach, so that fits in well.

Thanks again,
Lyn

It's quite safe, the dreaded by certain groups Adani Mine is 300 kilometres inland.

wink!

Bobdown · Guru

Ningaloo Reef off Exmouth............only 100 m offshore, you can swim there. Try Turquoise Bay.

Go WA.......LOL biggrin biggrin biggrin

Valkie · Veteran Member

I would suggest in the water.

Its definitely more interesting

HunnyBunny · Senior Member

I snorkeled off Airlie Beach & Port Douglas. I thought Airlie Beach was the best of those two places.

Sarge9 · Senior Member

Have to say one of the best places we found was Lady Elliott Island. Don't usually go to the added expense such trip involve but very well worth the flight cost, lunch included. We will stay the night next time for much longer snorkeling. We flew fom Bundaberg, left the van at the airport no drama.

Sarge.

LLD · Guru

Make sure you have something to protect your back from the sun. The most horrific dose of sunburn I've ever had was from snorkelling.

Phill of Townsville · Member

Try Dingo Beach ( Nelly Beach).. Absolutely perfect.. Put the van in Hideaway Bay CP. Short 1 hr drive from Airle. MAGICAL. Cheers Phillip

Hylife · Guru

As an avid SCUBA diver and snorkeler I can tell you that 99% of all the coral surrounding 15 kilometres or so of Airlie Beach was wiped out by cyclone Debbie in March 2017.

It will take many years to get back to even a fraction of what it once was.

Was diving all around there in September this year and there is still only perhaps 10% live coral and only maybe a third of the fish. Everything still looks like Bikini atoll (nuke test site).

If you want to snorkel make sure the trip is to the outer Great Barrier Reef.

My advice is to consider another departure location such as Mission Beach which is very close to the outer reef.

agent13 · Member

I have been to Lady Musgrave, Heron(twice) and Lady Elliot (twice) and I think Lady Elliot is my choice for seeing the reef. In my experience it has the best scuba diving and snorkeling. You can fly from Bundy to the island so there is no sea sickness to deal with. The island is not over the top touristy like many reef locations, no crowds. The food is excellent too.