Island retreats, early starts and private boats, how we plan time on the Great Barrier Reef.
The Great Barrier Reef is vast, larger than many countries, yet most visitors see it from a crowded day boat. With a little planning, it can feel entirely your own.
Stay on the reef, not beside it
An island retreat puts the coral at the water's edge. You can snorkel before breakfast and again at dusk, when the day boats are long gone.
Choose the right months
June to October usually brings the clearest water and the most comfortable weather. In warmer months we arrange protective suits and advise on conditions.
A private boat to the outer reef, leaving at seven, changes everything.
A seaplane to a remote sand cay is the reef's great indulgence, and a sight from the air that no photograph prepares you for.
