Cairns Ocean Freedom Upolu Reef & Coral Cay Snorkeling Cruise

Board Ocean Freedom and
head to Upolu Reef

Check in at the Cairns Reef Fleet Terminal, then board the 20 m catamaran at Marlin Marina. Coffee or tea, fresh fruit and Danish pastries are served as you board, and you cruise about 75 minutes to the first site enjoying the morning sea breeze.

Snorkel along the coral wall at the "Wonder Wall"

The first site is the "Wonder Wall" on the outer edge of Upolu Reef. Step off the boat and the reef is less than 1 m below the surface, so you can easily see corals and marine life while snorkeling along the top of the wall.

Join a guided drift snorkel tour with a marine biologist or marine interpreter, as the crew shares fascinating facts about the reef and its creatures. With an optional certified or introductory guided dive, descend along the wall to meet hard and soft corals, giant clams, sea fans and tropical fish.

Discover the sea from a glass-bottom boat and at the "Aquarium"

At Upolu Coral Cay Reef, sea conditions permitting, take a glass-bottom boat ride to learn about blue-spotted stingrays, sea turtles, damselfish and other reef residents. Then snorkel in the clear turquoise water to see marine life up close. On low-tide days, you may even be able to stand on the cay in the middle of the ocean.

Enjoy a buffet lunch and cruise back to Cairns at leisure

Between the two sites, enjoy a buffet lunch of smoked salmon, prawns, three cold meats, a chicken platter, three salads and bread. After about 6 hours on the reef, relax with tropical fruit, cheese and crackers on the 1 hour 15 minute return cruise, arriving in Cairns at around 4:30 PM.

※ Sea turtles and other marine life live in the wild, so sightings are not guaranteed.
※ The glass-bottom boat tour depends on sea conditions, and standing on the cay is only possible at low tide when conditions allow.