Scuba Dive Trips

Itineraries

Lady Elliot Island [Dive05]

9 Days/7 Nights - Great Barrier Reef Island Dive Adventure

Travel to Australia to Dive one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This trip is perfect for the serious diver offering a generous combination of day & night dives across a wide range of different dive sites. Dive either right of the shore or by short boat ride to specific dive sites.

Island facilities will also well support the accompanying non diver with sensational snorkeling, relaxation and Marine Park educational activities - bring a book and soak up the Australian sunshine.

Features

• Accommodation - Sydney (2 nights), Lady Elliot Island (4 nights) - Breakfast & Dinner, Brisbane (1 night)
• Diving Activities - 10 Dives including tanks, Air fills & Weight Belts (combination of Night & Day Dives)
• Non Diving Activities - Snorkel Equipment, Guided Reef & Nature Walks, Glass Bottom Boat or Boat Snorkel Trip (limit one per person), Use of Reef Education Centre
• Day Tours Sydney (Optional - not included) - Sydney Bridgeclimb, Explorer Bus Tour, Harbor Dinner Cruise
• International Air & USA Domestic Air are not included (as per your own arrangements)
• Australian Domestic Air sectors: Sydney to Brisbane, Brisbane/Bundaberg (and return), Bundaberg/Lady Elliot (and return)
• Transfers - Sydney Airport to Accommodation (and return), Brisbane Airport to Accommodation (and return)
• Visa Issuance for entry into Australia.
• All Taxes & Fuel Levies

Detailed Itinerary

Friday Afternoon (Day 1) - Domestic Flight for your USA City Location

Your Home City flight to Los Angeles will be selected to suit the International Departure Flight to Australia

Please allow 3 hours between arrival of your US domestic flight and departure of your International flight.

Friday Evening (Day 1 cont) - International flight Los Angeles to Sydney

After departing from Los Angeles, you will be provided with an evening meal, you can relax, have a drink, watch a movie and rest. You will be given Breakfast before landing in Sydney, Australia. (You lose one day crossing the International Date Line but don't worry you catch it up again on your return flight to the USA)

The Qantas Boeing 747-400 is equipped with the latest entertainment features of any Airline. The overnight flight to Australia can be a good opportunity for sleeping or to watch the latest movies after your evening meal.

Sunday-Tuesday (Days 2-4) Enjoy the Spectacular City of Sydney

Travel to your accommodation in the heart of Sydney, Australia, where you will be staying whilst on vacation for 2 nights.

Your vacation hotel is located within walking distance to Sydney's most exciting playground, Darling Harbour. Explore the Darling Harbour area, which is a modern collection of unique Australia Shopping Malls, Parkland, Restaurants and Harbour Front activities. Travel by Monorail to the City Center is also a must, or walk to Circular Quay. Or maybe travel by ferry to our wonderful harbour-side Taronga Park Zoo, or to the lovely tree-lined beach suburb of Manly. If plan your vacation in Sydney over a weekend, visit the Rocks Market and shop for local Arts, Crafts & unique Souvenirs of Australia.

Optional Day Tour 1

On your vacation climb the famous Harbour Bridge in Sydney, Australia.

Achieve exhilaration and personal satisfaction as you climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge. For approximately two hours you, along with 11 other eager climbers and a climb guide, weave through catwalks, climb up ladders and then arrive at the most spectacular point of all - the upper arch climb. The steady incline to the upper arch leaves you free to focus your attention on your Sydney experience, with opportunities for 360 degree views of Sydney, including east to the ocean, west to the mountains and the harbour city surrounds. It is at this point that you not only have a bird's eye view of the beautiful Sydney Harbour and the city, but have the exhilaration of the truly rewarding experience of reaching the top to the Harbour Bridge in Sydney, Australia. When you reach the top you will have a sense of achievement that you'll remember forever - you've conquered an Australian icon recognised the world over! No other Sydney tourist attraction can give you this feeling of standing at the top of the world, with the Harbour spread before you. All climbers will be issued a complimentary photograph of their climb group.

Optional Day Tour 2

Sydney Explorer Bus Tour -Recommended but not included

The Sydney Explorer visits 26 stops, offering an amazing insight into the history and majesty of Australia`s most popular city.

From the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House to Darling Harbour and King`s Cross, with plenty in between. Our on board commentary details the attractions near each stop for you to explore at your leisure.The Sydney Explorer departs everyday from Circular Quay approximately every 18 minutes from early morning to late afternoon. You can hop on or hop off wherever you like all day long. If you want to stay on the bus, a full circuit will take about 100 minutes.

There`s no need to book, just jump onboard at any of the distinctive red stops and buy your ticket from the driver. ***Note: This is not a pre-organised day tour but is a recommendation.

Optional Day Tour 3

On your vacation take a sightseeing harbour dinner cruise in Sydney, Australia.

Cruise the harbour as the sunsets over Sydney, Australia. The cruise includes canapés on arrival, a two-course dinner of Australia's contemporary cuisine, sparkling and still wines, and spectacular views of the city. The cruise takes about 1.5. hours.

Upgrade to Window Seat or Starlight Dinner Available (Pricing Upon Request)

Tuesday Morning (Day 4) - Domestic Flight to Bundaberg via Brisbane

Travel within Australia by domestic air from Sydney to Brisbane.

Tuesday Morning (Day 4) - Flight continues from Brisbane to Bundaberg

Travel within Australia by domestic air from Brisbane to Bundaberg.

Tuesday Morning (Day 4 cont) - Fly from Bundaberg to Lady Elliot Island

Travel within Australia by domestic air from Bundaberg to Lady Elliott Island.

Tuesday - Saturday (Days 4-8) - Dive Dive Dive - Lady Elliot Island on the Great Barrier Reef

Lady Elliot Island offers a truly remarkable Diving experience. The island is a Coral Cay allowing direct access to the Great Barrier Reef from the beach. Lady Elliot Island is also a permanent home to a 40 strong population of manta rays.

The Reef surrounding Lady Elliot Island is one of the worlds richest eco-systems.

The moment you step onto the island, you know you’ve arrived somewhere special. Formed over 3000 years ago, this beautiful coral cay is home to 57 species of birds, nesting sea turtles and a stunning underwater world of coral formations and diverse marine life.

Experienced divers and snorkellers can join one of our regular group dives, where our qualified dive staff will take you to their favourite reef sites - swim with the majestic manta rays at the Lighthouse Bommie, drift dive in the late afternoon at Encounters, or explore secret caverns at the Blow Hole and Hiro's Cave. Dive sites are accessed either straight from the beach or via a short boat ride. Visibility regularly exceeds 20 metres, with water temperatures ranging between 18 and 27 degrees Centigrade.

Your diving schedule will be as follows:

Day 1 - 1 day dive
Day 2 - 2 day dives & 1 night dive
Day 3 - 2 day dives & 1 night dive
Day 4 - 3 day dives
Day 5 - No diving due to High level flight

Apart from the tremendous diving available on Lady Elliot Island, the following activities are also available:

Reef Walking:

When the tide is low, you can venture all the way through the lagoon from the beach to the reef edge. You'll see a multitude of marine life as our experienced guide introduces you to the complexities of the reef eco-system.

Nature Walks:

Learn about the unique eco-systems on a coral cay during our guided walks around the island. The itinerary changes every day to highlight the natural wonders of the beach and lagoon, the bird rookery, the lighthouse and the historical artifacts left behind by the guano miners.

Whale Watching

From June to October, the great humpback whales make their annual migration from the Antarctic to the warm waters off the central Queensland coast. You don't need to go out on a boat; just sit and watch the passing parade from the beach or reef edge.

Turtle Watching:

From November to February, Green and Loggerhead turtles come ashore at night to nest. Our guides will help you find the best vantage point without disturbing the turtles while they lay their eggs or the tiny hatchlings as they make their way to the water.

Fish Feeding:

A multitude of reef fish appear at the "fish pool" everyday, and our activities officer will show you how to hand feed them.

Slide Shows & Evening Lectures:

Learn more about the Great Barrier Reef and Lady Elliot Island during our evening presentations in the Reef Education Centre.

Other Activities Include:

Try your hand at volleyball, frisbees, ping pong, pool, cards and board games.

On Lady Elliot Island, you set the pace: Maybe just grab the latest bestseller and find your favourite stretch of deserted beach

Lady Elliot Dive Sites

On your vacation explore Australia’s underwater world in Queensland by participating in this unique diving adventure.

Located in northern Queensland, this island offers many diving opportunities to make your Australia vacation memorable. The dive shop is a PADI Resort association member. Scuba diving is conducted daily and a staff member escorts all dives. A certification card must be produced prior to diving. All Divers must produce a C-Card and Log Book prior to diving. Dive gear rental is available. A physicians release may be requested. Additionally, travel by glass bottom boat, boat snorkeling and guided snorkeling is subject to tides. Among the many popular diving sites are the following (not an exhaustive list):

Lighthouse Bommie (14-15 metres):
Is a set of coral heads approximately 100 metres offshore in 14 - 16 metres, conducted as either a Boat or Shore Dive. A rope trail has been laid from an easy shore entry to the bommies. It is a favourite haunt all year round for Manta Rays; some 4 metres from tip to tip. Because it is a cleaning station, the site can also host a variety of marine life such as Moray Eels, Bull Rays, schooling Barracuda, Coral Trout, small White Tip Reef Sharks and many other species.

Three Pyramids (18 metres):
Is a short boat ride on the Western side of the Island. An easy descent can be made down a permanent mooring and puts the diver almost on top of the first of three large coral heads (Bommies) in 16 metres. At this site, schools of Cardinals, Anemone fish, Turtles and Eagle Rays may be observed. It is also a great starting point for a drift dive to the Anchor Bommies or the Outer Scatters, depending of course on the direction of the current.

Anchor Bommie (21 metres):
This rather interesting site can be reached by one of two ways - a short boat ride, or an under water swim following a rope trail from the Coral Gardens. It is one of Lady Elliot Island's premium dive sites. The depth at the base is around 19 metres and at the top it is 14 metres. The coral head is an important Manta Ray cleaning station, therefore other marine life to be seen here include the very rare Purple Leafy Scorpion Fish and Cleaner Shrimp, both of which have permanent colonies. Another common site is a rather large Shovel Nosed Ray which can be approached by divers as it rests on the sea floor. The soft and hard corals covering the bommie are also home to the brightly coloured Feather stars, while nearby in the sand, a family of Garden Eels can be observed swaying in the current. Also of interest are the two ancient Admiralty anchors that lie nearby. These anchors were lost by the Guano miners and have been resting on the bottom for some time.

Saturday Afternoon (Day 8) - Depart Lady Elliot Island for Bundaberg

Travel within Australia by domestic air from Lady Elliot Island to Bundaberg.

Saturday Afternoon (Day 8 cont) - Your Scheduled Domestic Flight will take you to Brisbane

Travel within Australia by domestic air from Bundaberg to Brisbane.

Saturday Evening (Day 8 cont) - Overnight Accommodation in Brisbane

Travel to your accommodation in Brisbane, Australia, where you will be staying whilst on vacation for 1 night.

Your 4 Star vacation accommodation is in the heart of Brisbane, with spectacular views of the river and South Bank Parklands. Some of the rooms offer views over the river. The vacation accommodation is equipped with a swimming pool, restaurants, and two bars. Queen Street shopping mall is only a few minutes walk from the front door.

Brisbane, Australia, is a vibrant city offering many vacation activities and sights to enjoy all within walking distance. Enjoy the shops and festivities at Southbank Parklands (World Expo 1988 was held here). See Kodak Beach, one of Australia's large man-made inland beach/pool, surrounded by real beach sand, ferns and palm trees. Explore and experience a living rainforest complete with wildlife in the Southbank Wildlife Sanctuary. Wander the board-walks that follow the river through the city, walk past Kangaroo Point cliffs (watch people rock climb). Ride on a ferry (River Cat) and tour the city from the river (day or night). Cross the river to Brisbane Mall and shop till you drop. Or perhaps rest from your travel through the city and enjoy a coffee in a sidewalk café as you watch the world go by.

Sunday (Day 9) - International Flight from Brisbane to Los Angeles

Mid-day Departure from Brisbane, In-flight Dinner and Movie with arrival in the USA. Note: You will be traveling back across the International Date line so you will gain a day. You actually arrive in the USA on the same day you leave Australia.

The Qantas Boeing 747-400 is equipped with the latest entertainment features of any Airline. The overnight flight to the USA can be a good opportunity for sleeping or to watch the latest movies after your evening meal.

Sunday (Day 9 cont) - USA Domestic Flight, Los Angeles to your Home City

The connection flight to your Home City from Los Angeles will be selected to suit the International Arrival flight from Australia.

Please allow 3 hours between arrival of International flight before departure of your US domestic flight.