Cairns tour companies/Barrier Reef tours

[Tuppence]

hi all, I'm after some advice of the holiday kind. We're escaping Melbourne for Cairns in July - yay .
We want to do a Great Barrier Reef tour while we're there, and also the one that takes in the rail-gondola thing - Kuranda?. I'm researching tour companies and options at the moment and, wow , some of it is a bit exxy. A reef tour looks like being about $450 for the family for the day. I'm happy to pay that for the experience, if that's what it's going to cost, but I'd hate to get it wrong and choose the wrong company.
So, my question is, does anyone local or with experience have any recommendations? Or otherwise? Also, these companies all advertise their destination on the reef as the best (naturally ). What is the best part?
FWIW, our family is two kids - 6 and 11 - and two adults. We're interested in snorkelling, but not scuba-diving (kids can't do it anyway, as they're too young).
TIA

 

[depreciator]

Yeah, it's a big day going out to the reef - especially for a 6 year old. The reef is a fair way off-shore. And if it's rough, the trip out isn't pleasant. I've heard those boats can be awash with vomit sometimes.
I'm presuming you'll take a drive up to Port Douglas? It's a great drive and only takes an hour.
I go to Port every year or so because my brother lives there. Up in Port is a boat called Reef Sprinter. It takes maybe 20 people and goes bloody fast. It goes out to a place called Low Isles, which is apparently the closest the reef comes to the coast. It's near the place where Steve Irwin teased that stingray a bit too much. I recall the boat gets out there in about 20 minutes. They they anchor to a buoy and everybody goes snorkelling for an hour or so.
It's not cheap, but I reckon it's a much better (and loads shorter) day for kids.
Scott

 

[Tuppence]

Thanks, that one does look quite good - and I can sell the kids on a jetboat tour at the same time . It'd be $400, which is not cheap, but cheaper than a lot of that full day stuff - and maybe I'm getting suckered with all the smorgasbord lunches and ''dolphin-speed'' cruising stuff.
We've got two weeks all up - a week at Trinity Beach, three nights in the Daintree and then the last four days at Port Douglas. So we could do the reef thing from there. Cheers.

 

[depreciator]

Yeah, I reckon the 2-3 hour option is better than the whole day thing. Especially for kids. If it's not busy, I bet you could talk them into family pass for a reduced rate.
Of course, the purists will probably say that the reef is much better way out where the big boats go. But every time I go out on the Sprint thing I see turtles, and rays, loads of fish, the odd reef shark, and of course coral. That's enough for me.

 

[Nards]

Hi Tuppence,

Have you looked at Green Island? It is a relatively short boat trip from Cairns and a perfect day trip for kids. There is some fantastic snorkelling from shore, particularly on the jetty side of the island, which is perfectly suitable for kids and inexperienced adults - we have seen some great fish (a massive cod that scared the pants of a friend of mine, as well as the usual colourful myriad of reef fish). There is also a great glass-bottom boat tour and a crocodile park on the island. http://www.greenisland.com.au/

We lived for a while in Cairns and this was a must-see day trip for visitors who didnt scuba. We did a few trips out to the reef "pontoons" and Depreciator is right, if the sea is a little rough sea-sickness can be a big problem! And once you are out there there is no escaping the swell...at least on the island you get to get off the boat/pontoon!

As for Kuranda, I'd recommend doing the train up and the sky-rail thing back...there are plenty of places to eat, markets to explore and bird/butterfly/reptile parks to check out - be warned though that it is very touristy (and pricey!) Still a lovely day out...

Hope that helps,
Nadia

 

[marg4000]

We visited Cairns with our kids when they were aged 12, 10 and 7, around 20 years ago

We did a reef trip to Green Island and Michaelmas Cay, but frankly I would recommend you just go to Green Island. It is about 30-40 minutes offshore, and offers all the reef experiences - semi submersible, reef walks, snorkelling, undersea viewing room. There are all sorts of packages from just the basic trip there and back to fully inclusive all day extravaganzas. From memory the day cost around $350 back then for 5, so $450 for 4 means prices have not risen dramatically. I remember at the time we considered the tour worth every cent.

Agree with Nards, for Kuranda do the train up and the skyrail back. Not that much there unless you are into aboriginal art and didgeridoos, sometimes obviously imported.

Times are tough in Queensland and the tourist industry, it may be worth waiting till you get there and see if you can do a "package" if you want to do more than one tour.

Don't forget the Atherton Tablelands if you have a car (or hire one for a day), great scenery, wonderful waterfalls.
Marg

 

[Tuppence]

Thanks all - plenty of food for thought. Green Island sounds (and looks) like another viable option. A friend also recommends it.
I agree, the Kuranda day does look very touristy - but the train/gondola combo will be a hit with the kids, so we'll do that for sure, I think. Might give the Aboriginal/crocodile/butterfly options a bit of a wider berth.
We don't do many big-ticket things - the reef tour and Kuranda will probably be it for that holiday. We will have a car for the second week, so the Atherton trip might also be a goer.
I do have a friend living up there as well, I'm hoping she can offer some recommendations.
Thanks again.

 

[Tuppence]

Also - just had another thought - has anyone been here?:
http://www.paronellapark.com.au/

Is it worth it? Although , it's 120km south of Cairns, I've just discovered. Might be too far.

 

[Luv2Travel]

Also - just had another thought - has anyone been here?:
http://www.paronellapark.com.au/

Is it worth it? Although , it's 120km south of Cairns, I've just discovered. Might be too far.

Yes, I found it very interesting and really enjoyed it.

 

[Shaneelastic]

I'm going back in may to palm cove, 5th time in 5years to cairns. I love it up there. If there was a decent finance industry I'd move there in a heartbeat.

Kuranda - train up sky rail back. Don't pay to go on a tour as your only paying for a transfer back. Get a slapsy maxi back to your hotel it won't be more than. Twenty.

Green island would be good for the tin lids, its only just under an hour by the big catamaran.

If you want to do any diving you'll need to go on a proper boat.

There's a town about an hour away - it starts with m. Its got an aweesome go kart track. If your kids are over 14 I'd go to that one. Also some coffee planttations near there.

Cape tribulation is good. You can get there by car I'd do that with a family.

Beaches are pretty decent.

 

[Sunfish]

I have been to the reef many times, but out of Townsville, and it is a BIG day. Young children tend to find it a little too much. It is a shorter trip from Cairns but have you thought of the much cheaper alternative, ie Reef HQ in Townsville?

http://www.australianexplorer.com/tourist_attractions/9005122/profile.htm

It would be a much easier day and you might even meet my daughter as a volunteer guide. In the same day you could do other things such as the museum with a special display on the HMS Bounty or the Billabong Sanctuary which should be back to it's full glory after Yasi.

I am not suggesting NOT to go to Cairns, just that it is not ALL the North has to offer.

ps I first went to the reef 50 years ago and have only done it once in the last 20 years and didn't find it "spectacular". Note: Depreciator said; And if it's rough, the trip out isn't pleasant. I've heard those boats can be awash with vomit sometimes. That's how it was on my last trip. Even I felt a little queezy. I don't want to discourage visitors to the real reef but the "artificial reef" is probably a better educational experience and everyone will still be energetic enough to go out that night and spend the hundreds you've saved.

 

[Sunfish]

There's a town about an hour away - it starts with m.

Mareeba? They also have a "war birds" display. Either there or close by.

I love the Tablelands because it is always cooler than on the coast. It may not be operating because it has been rough recently but the Lake Eacham Hotel, AKA The Youngaburra Pub is a touch of old world charm, as is the town itself.

 

[Shaneelastic]

Mareeba? They also have a "war birds" display. Either there or close by.

I love the Tablelands because it is always cooler than on the coast. It may not be operating because it has been rough recently but the Lake Eacham Hotel, AKA The Youngaburra Pub is a touch of old world charm, as is the town itself.

That's it. It just passed me that's all.

 

[Tuppence]

Kuranda - train up sky rail back. Don't pay to go on a tour as your only paying for a transfer back. Get a slapsy maxi back to your hotel

This I like ... and it had never occured to me. It's funny how you can sometimes miss the blindingly obvious . I've been checking package prices, never thought to check the prices for the only part of that day we really want to do - the trains and the sky rail. Cheers.
Thanks to others too - it's all food for thought and good advice. I'm not sure we can do Townsville this time - tix and accommodation already booked for Cairns-Daintree-PD.
But it's our first time that far north (we're foreigners, that's my excuse for having seen so little of the country ). Maybe next time it'll be Townsville - that artificial reef place looks great. The kids would definitely love it.