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Discover insider tips, local stories, and expert travel advice on our Cairns Discovery Tours blog. From exploring the Great Barrier Reef and hidden rainforest walks to uncovering the best day trips and cultural experiences, our blogs are written to inspire your next adventure. Whether you’re planning your first visit to Cairns or returning to explore more, you’ll find helpful guides, travel ideas, and authentic local insights to make the most of your journey.

Aerial view of Green Island with jetty and surrounding reef in clear turquoise water near Cairns

One-day trip to Green Island – what to expect

Green Island sits 27 kilometres off Cairns and takes about 45 minutes to reach by catamaran. On paper, that sounds like a quick hop to a reef island. In practice, it delivers something that surprises most visitors – a coral cay with its own national park rainforest, fringing reef you […]

Aerial view of Green Island beach and rainforest surrounded by clear turquoise water

Things to do on Green Island

Most people book a Green Island day trip expecting a beach and some snorkelling. What catches them off guard is just how much there is to do on a 12-hectare coral cay. Between the reef, the rainforest, and a handful of genuinely unique experiences you will not find elsewhere on […]

Split view of Green Island and Fitzroy Island near Cairns showing reef and coastline

Green Island vs Fitzroy Island – which should you visit?

Two islands, both within 45 minutes of Cairns, both sitting on the Great Barrier Reef, both offering snorkelling, beaches, and rainforest. On paper, Green Island and Fitzroy Island look almost interchangeable. In practice, they are very different days out – and the right one for you depends on what you […]

How to get to Green Island from Cairns

Green Island sits just 27 kilometres off the Cairns coastline – close enough that you can see the mainland from the beach, yet far enough out that the water shifts to that clear reef blue during the crossing. Getting there is one of the easiest parts of any Cairns holiday, […]

Your complete introduction to diving at the Great Barrier Reef: everything you need to know

Snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef is one thing. Dropping below the surface on scuba – leaving the world above behind and breathing through a regulator while coral formations rise around you – is something else entirely. An introductory dive, sometimes called a resort dive or discover scuba dive, lets you […]

Colorful coral reef ecosystem at the Great Barrier Reef with diverse marine life

Great Barrier Reef conservation and protection: how to visit responsibly

The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system, a World Heritage-listed ecosystem, and one of the most closely studied marine environments on the planet. It’s also under real pressure – from warming oceans, bleaching events, and a range of threats that don’t pause between tourist seasons. Anyone […]

How to take great photos underwater at the Great Barrier Reef

You’ve planned the trip, booked the tour, and found yourself floating above a coral formation with a turtle drifting past two metres below – and the photo you take looks grey, blurry, and nothing like what your eyes just saw. The Great Barrier Reef is visually extraordinary, but underwater photography […]

Giant Maori wrasse swimming over colorful coral reef in the Great Barrier Reef, surrounded by tropical fish

Great Barrier Reef marine life guide: meet the world below the surface

Put your face in the water at the right outer reef site on a clear Cairns morning, and the first thing that hits you is the scale of it. The Great Barrier Reef is home to more than 1,600 species of fish, 600 types of coral, six of the world’s […]

Two snorkelers smiling and swimming above colorful coral with fins and masks

What to expect on a Great Barrier Reef tour from Cairns

Most people spend weeks or months looking forward to their reef day. Then the morning arrives, and somewhere between packing the bag and finding the dock, the questions start. How long is the boat ride? What do they actually do when they get there? Is lunch included? What if the […]

Woman snorkelling over coral reef at the Great Barrier Reef in clear water

Great Barrier Reef safety tips  

Most people spend months looking forward to their reef day – and then spend the actual morning in a mild panic, wondering whether they’ve forgotten something important. The good news is that reef tours from Cairns are genuinely well-run, the crew are experienced, and the Great Barrier Reef is far […]

Aerial view of Great Barrier Reef with tour boat and coral formations in clear water

First-time Great Barrier Reef visitor guide

There’s a moment – usually about thirty seconds after you put your face in the water – when it hits you. The coral is right there. Not in a documentary, not behind glass. Just there, in every colour, with fish weaving through it like they have no idea you’re watching. […]

Split view of snorkelling and scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef with tour boat above

Great Barrier Reef snorkelling vs diving 

You’re on the boat, the water is that ridiculous shade of blue you only see in photos, and someone hands you a mask. Now comes the question most first-timers wrestle with – do you float along the surface and snorkel, or strap on a tank and drop below? It’s one […]

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Explore Cairns & surrounds with our curated tours.

4.9 stars, 363 reviews
Google Reviews
Carnival Encounter
29 Jul 2026, Wed
Cairns Port
9:30 AM
7:00 PM
Carnival Encounter
15 Aug 2026, Sat
Cairns Port
7:00 AM
4:00 PM
Carnival Adventure
Carnival Encounter
8 Sep 2026, Tue
Cairns Port
7:00 AM
4:00 PM
Carnival Encounter
Carnival Splendor
13 Sep 2026, Sun
Cairns Port
9:30 AM
6:00 PM
Carnival Splendor
Carnival Encounter
29 Sep → 30 Sep
Cairns Port
Tue, 9:30 AM
Wed, 6:00 PM
Carnival Encounter
Carnival Encounter
28 Oct 2026, Wed
Cairns Port
9:30 AM
5:30 PM
Carnival Encounter
30 Oct 2026, Fri
Cairns Port
7:00 AM
5:00 PM
Crown Princess
7 Nov 2026, Sat
Cairns Port
7:00 AM
7:00 PM
Costa Serena
8 Nov 2026, Sun
Cairns Port
7:00 AM
7:00 PM
Riviera
14 Nov 2026, Sat
Yorkeys Knob Port
9:30 AM
8:00 PM
Celebrity Edge
15 Nov 2026, Sun
Cairns Port
8:00 AM
6:00 PM
Viking Venus
20 Nov 2026, Fri
Yorkeys Knob Port
7:00 AM
6:00 PM
Royal Princess
Noordam
23 Nov → 24 Nov
Cairns Port
Mon, 9:00 AM
Tue, 7:00 PM
Noordam
26 Nov 2026, Thu
Cairns Port
7:00 AM
7:00 PM
Riviera
26 Nov 2026, Thu
Yorkeys Knob Port
9:00 AM
9:00 PM
Celebrity Solstice
27 Nov → 28 Nov
Cairns Port
Fri, 8:00 AM
Sat, 6:00 PM
Azamara Pursuit
28 Nov 2026, Sat
Cairns Port
8:00 AM
11:00 PM
Silver Moon
29 Nov 2026, Sun
Yorkeys Knob Port
9:00 AM
7:00 PM
Royal Princess
Viking Orion
2 Dec → 3 Dec
Cairns Port
Wed, 12:00 PM
Thu, 6:00 PM
Viking Orion
5 Dec 2026, Sat
Cairns Port
9:00 AM
7:00 PM
Grand Princess
6 Dec → 7 Dec
Yorkeys Knob Port
Sun, 9:00 AM
Mon, 6:00 PM
Celebrity Edge
9 Dec → 10 Dec
Cairns Port
Wed, 7:00 AM
Thu, 3:00 PM
Riviera
Carnival Luminosa
10 Dec 2026, Thu
Cairns Port
9:30 AM
6:30 PM
Carnival Luminosa
Seven Seas Navigator
12 Dec 2026, Sat
Cairns Port
8:00 AM
7:00 PM
Seven Seas Navigator
Carnival Encounter
16 Dec 2026, Wed
Cairns Port
7:00 AM
4:00 PM
Carnival Encounter
Viking Orion
17 Dec 2026, Thu
Cairns Port
8:00 AM
6:00 PM
Viking Orion
20 Dec 2026, Sun
Cairns Port
9:30 AM
9:30 PM
Riviera
Carnival Luminosa
1 Jan 2027, Fri
Cairns Port
9:30 AM
6:30 PM
Carnival Luminosa
12 Jan 2027, Tue
Cairns Port
8:00 AM
10:00 PM
Silver Moon
17 Jan → 18 Jan
Cairns Port
Sun, 8:00 AM
Mon, 6:00 PM
Westerdam
Carnival Luminosa
18 Jan 2027, Mon
Cairns Port
9:30 AM
6:00 PM
Carnival Luminosa
19 Jan 2027, Tue
Yorkeys Knob Port
9:00 AM
6:00 PM
Quantum of the Seas
Carnival Encounter
3 Feb 2027, Wed
Cairns Port
7:00 AM
4:00 PM
Carnival Encounter
4 Feb 2027, Thu
Cairns Port
7:00 AM
6:00 PM
Costa Deliziosa
12 Feb → 13 Feb
Yorkeys Knob Port
Fri, 8:00 AM
Sat, 5:00 PM
Celebrity Edge
21 Feb → 22 Feb
Cairns Port
Sun, 8:00 AM
Mon, 9:00 PM
Crown Princess
2 Mar 2027, Tue
Cairns Port
9:00 AM
6:00 PM
Queen Victoria
4 Mar 2027, Thu
Cairns Port
8:00 AM
6:00 PM
Grand Princess
Carnival Splendor
5 Mar 2027, Fri
Cairns Port
9:30 AM
6:00 PM
Carnival Splendor
6 Mar → 7 Mar
Yorkeys Knob Port
Sat, 9:30 AM
Sun, 5:00 PM
Celebrity Edge
9 Mar 2027, Tue
Yorkeys Knob Port
8:00 AM
6:00 PM
Quantum of the Seas
12 Mar 2027, Fri
Cairns Port
9:30 AM
9:30 PM
Riviera
13 Mar 2027, Sat
Cairns Port
7:00 AM
7:00 PM
Grand Princess
Viking Orion
15 Mar → 20 Mar
Cairns Port
Mon, 8:00 AM
Sat, 6:00 PM
Viking Orion
Carnival Luminosa
17 Mar 2027, Wed
Cairns Port
9:30 AM
6:30 PM
Carnival Luminosa
21 Mar 2027, Sun
Cairns Port
8:00 AM
6:00 PM
Viking Venus
21 Mar → 25 Mar
Cairns Port
Sun, 10:00 AM
Thu, 6:00 PM
Crystal Serenity
5 Apr 2027, Mon
Yorkeys Knob Port
7:00 AM
5:00 PM
Celebrity Solstice
Carnival Encounter
9 Apr 2027, Fri
Cairns Port
7:00 AM
4:00 PM
Carnival Encounter
11 Apr 2027, Sun
Cairns Port
8:00 AM
6:00 PM
Seabourn Quest
View all popular tours

Here’s why thousands of customers trustCairns Discovery Tours.

🗓️ Flexible Cancellations

Enjoy peace of mind with our flexible booking policy. Most Cairns Tours can be cancelled up to 24 hours before departure with a full refund. (Helicopter tours are 48 hours) We make exploring Cairns stress free, so you can book with confidence.

💳 Book Now, Pay Later

Reserve your place on our popular Cairns day tours with Klarna’s Book Now, Pay Later option, or just give us a call or send us an email to secure your booking. We will be in touch to arrange payment 7 days before your departure.  Perfect for planning your Cairns holiday without upfront costs.

🌴 Local Since 1995

For over 30 years, Cairns Discovery Tours has been proudly locally owned and operated. Established in 1995, we’ve shared the tropical beauty of Far North Queensland travellers from around the world. Based in Cairns, we offer authentic tour experiences backed by genuine local knowledge and long standing connections to the region.

👩‍🏫 Expert Local Guides

Our passionate Cairns tour guides are storytellers, historians, and nature enthusiasts. With deep local knowledge, they bring the Great Barrier Reef, Daintree Rainforest, and Cairns’ tropical heritage to life, ensuring an unforgettable and educational experience.

SayItLikeItIs
SayItLikeItIs
29 days ago
I booked the two day Rainforest trip on the 23rd & 24th June. The scenery was breathtaking and we were treated to a river cruise where we spotted some famous local crocodiles :D Throughout the journey to the lookouts and the Daintree Rainforest, we were treated to some fascinating commentary by our guides on the history of the area. I would like to give special thanks and appreciation to John and Clinton who were very knowledgeable, humorous and looked after us all very well :) I opted to spend a night in the Rainforest and it was truly an unforgettable experience :)
Jia Wang
Jia Wang
28 days ago
The tour is fantastic, with great views and unique experience. The staffs are friendly and helpful.
Very good support from Marianne to organize our Cairns visits, both for diving and snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef and for Kuranda and Rainforest Cape tribulation tours ! You can trust she will arrange every modification needed at her best ! Loved the trip in Cairns also thanks to Marianne, who listens and adapts to your interests and time ! Big Thank you, Marianne!
Michelle White
Michelle White
1 month ago
Great tour. We covered a lot of ground without feeling rushed. The day was well organised & seamless with a very knowledgeable tour guide/ driver.
madam howling
madam howling
1 month ago
I’m not often impressed enough to comment I certainly am with Maryanne Nothing was too much effort, even to ringing me at 9pm on Friday night to change a trip Refunded was processed within ten minutes of cancellation, new options provided All the five star reviews are true!
Mark Rodahl
Mark Rodahl
8 months ago
Cairns Discovery Tours is such a wonderful company. They all were essential in giving us an unforgettable experience on our first trip to Cairns. Maryanne is so friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful in finding perfect excursions for us. Her Daintree Rainforest tour with the awesome Jeremey as our guide was truly amazing ! On top of all of this, everyone was so kind and helpful to recover and return to my wife a lost sentimental bracelet. I can not thank them all enough for making our vacation so special and memorable. You are all the best !