Great Barrier Reef, Best Australian Beaches & Dives

Posted on: August 18th, 2015 by Lexie Cargile No Comments

Are you looking to soak up the sun on warm, salty beaches or go “under the sea” for some incredible scuba diving? Australia lends itself to some of the best scuba diving in the world. With over 27,000 beaches and being home to the World Heritage Listed Great Barrier Reef, it’s not surprising it’s a scuba divers and beach lover’s dream destination; the crystal clear waters are magnificently mysterious and provide out-of-this-world experiences. We have compiled a list of top Australia vacation spots, and the most popular and iconic beaches & dive locations; no matter your diving background, there are quintessential locations for everyone to explore.

Travel Tip: The seasons are reversed, making the weather in Australia different than the US.

The northeast region of Queensland yields the most diversity for travelers. Queensland is home to the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns, Heron Island, Lizard Island and Brisbane, making it an ideal region for those looking to combine the best beaches, scuba diving, and a touch of urban culture.

The Great Barrier Reef is the most iconic scuba diving and snorkeling location in the world. The reef is surrounded by 900 islands and spans across 1,400 miles, roughly the size of 70 million football fields. You will come face-to-face with the world’s most unique and vibrant aquatic life.

  • Heron Island, one of the reef’s luxury resorts, allows you to fully experience the tranquility of the reef and all of its wonders. The leisurely island experience focuses on exploring the beauty of nature and leaving the hectic outside world behind.
  • Lizard Island, an exclusive Great Barrier Reef resort, accessible only by plane, is located directly on the reef. It is perfectly secluded from the world with private beaches you can unwind on and escape the “touristy” areas of the reef, as well as indulge in private, luxury spa treatments and 5-Star cuisine
True or False? Great White Sharks can be found on the Great Barrier Reef. FALSE. The reef’s waters are too warm and shallow for Great Whites; the most common shark found on the reef is a reef shark. These smaller sharks are extremely docile due to the warmer waters and the large amount of fish in the area, leaving you with nothing to worry about.

Liveaboard Sciba Diving Trip AustraliaHeron Island Scuba Diving AustraliaAustralia Beach Travel Destination

Cairns, the closest mainland entrance to the reef, is a tourism powerhouse with pristine beaches and an array of activities. PADI also rates Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef as sites for the World’s Best Big Animal Dives. In addition to the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns also has the World Heritage Listed Daintree Rainforest, where you can embark on an award winning Skyrail Cableway tour across the rainforest and national parks for the “world’s most beautiful rainforest experience.” You can choose from over 600 tours a day, including: guided reef walks, scenic helicopter flights, glass-bottom boat & submarine tours, beach adventures, and fishing & sailing.

  • If you’re looking for a really authentic scuba dive experience, Cairns has various liveaboard divetrip operators that venture across the reef’s greatest dive spots for 2-7 days, where you can dive or snorkel between breakfast, lunch, and dinner everyday.

Port Douglas & Cape Tribulation are the perfect mixture of beach and scuba diving. You are still close enough to the Great Barrier Reef to scuba dive at your leisure, but far enough away from everything where you can lay out on white, sandy beaches and relax without the hustle and bustle of an urban city. Cape Tribulation is the only place in the world where two Natural Wonders of the World meet – the Great Barrier Reef and the rainforest.

Brisbane serves as a hub of Australian experiences for those with a short amount of time, and also provides easy access to the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast & Hinterland- breathtaking beaches, adventure theme parks, the Australia Zoo (home of the Crocodile Hunter) and incredible rainforests. While in Brisbane you can explore the South Bank Parklands – a great place to take the kiddos, lay out at Kodak Beach – Australia’s largest man-made inland beach/pool, ride a “River Cat” (ferry) across the rivers, and shop ‘til you drop at the Brisbane Mall.

Sydney, located in New South Wales, is Australia’s number one travel destination. It is worldly famous for the Sydney Harbor, the Sydney Opera House, and some of the highest rated beaches in the world; our two favorites include Manly Beach & Bondi Beach. The critically acclaimed beaches are the perfect sandy getaway with views that stretch as far as the eye can see, and offer world-class surfing, friendly locals, an incredible seafood.

Port Lincoln, also known as the “Sea Food Capitol of Australia,” sits along the shore of the Boston Bay in South Australia and is a thrill-seekers paradise. You will have the opportunity to swim with sea lions & tuna, go game fishing, or take the plunge, if you dare, and cage dive with Great White Sharks. Unwind after all of the excitement with some retail therapy at one of the countless boutiques, or dine in at one of the exquisite restaurants.

Kangaroo on Kangaroo Island AustraliaSea Lion on Kangaroo Island Australia

Kangaroo Island, another South Australian treasure, is home to the extremely unique leafy sea dragon which can ONLY be found in Australia; it is a scuba-divers dream to dive with something so rare and fascinating. In addition to Australia’s favorite land animals – kangaroos, sea lions, and koalas -all these remarkable creatures are what make Kangaroo Island special. You can marvel at these Aussie natives in their natural habitat and explore the wonderment that Kangaroo Island holds, above and below the water.

Ningaloo Reef is located along the coast of Western Australia, and is a World Heritage Listed site. You’re able to dive with whale sharks (seasonal), snorkel through incredible coral lagoons, and watch dolphins, manta rays and humpback whales migrate (seasonal). You can explore several different national parks as well as off-road through sand dunes – another great stop on an adventure travelers bucket-list.

Australia has over 27,000 beaches – that’s a new one to visit everyday for 27 years. We’ve made it easy on you and listed the top 5: White Haven Beach, Turqoise Bay, Cable Beach, Burleigh Heads Beach, and Manly Beach. For a full list of the best beaches in Australia click here.

Similarly, Australia has just as many fantastic dive and snorkel sites, the top 5 include: Cod Hole on the Great Barrier Reef, Flinders Reef, Fish Rock Cave, Lord Howe Island, and Ningaloo Reef.

Annual seasonal events among these locations include: turtle watching, whale watching, festivals & events, and birding which add a little bit of special Australian culture to your adventure. We can accommodate to include any of these seasonal events to personalize your trip even more.

 

or Phone us Toll Free on 1-888-3592877 (CT USA, M-F 8.30am – 5pm).

 


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Australia at DEMA Show 2014

Posted on: November 13th, 2014 by veronicap No Comments
Great Barrier Reef Australia

Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Our Australian Dive Specialists will be attending the DEMA Show in Las Vegas next week (19-22 November, 2014).

DEMA is a trade-only event for qualified professionals, attracting more than 9,000 attendees and features over 500 leading manufacturers, destinations, wholesalers and service providers all dedicated to the diving, action watersports and travel industries.

We’ll be showcasing our Travel Services to Dive Groups & Shops who sell International Dive Trips to their customer-base. Our niche & specialty being travel to Australia and Scuba Diving the Great Barrier Reef. Land based or Live-aboard diving we can coordinate all arrangements including flights, transfers, accommodation, diving plus additional touring. For group travel we assist with marketing, handle all logistics, create travel documents plus make the planning of a trip a profitable exercise for your business.

DEMA Show 2014
Event Date: November 19-22, 2014
Location: Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Company: AboutAustralia.com
Booth: 1545

Drop by our Booth and say G’day!

Tacoma Dive Show & Travel Expo 2012

Posted on: February 18th, 2012 by veronicap No Comments

Our in-house Dive Specialists from “About Australia” will be at The Tacoma Dive Show & Travel Expo this weekend (21-22 April, 2012).  We’ll be flying the Aussie flag for Vacation Packages tailored specifically for scuba divers to Dive Australia and the Great Barrier Reef. Although our travel packages will have a dive focus at the show, we can tailor any package to suit your needs.  So stop by our booth and say G’day!

The Tacoma Dive Show & Travel Expo
Event Date: April 21-22, 2012
Location: Tacoma Convention & Trade Center, Tacoma, Washington, USA
Company: About Australia

DIVE SHOW SPECIAL: BUDDY DEAL, UP TO 50% OFF 2ND PERSON

Liveaboard Dive Boat:  Spirit of Freedom

7 Day Cod Hole & Coral Sea Tours (Monday departures)
For every booking of 2 people, the 2nd person receives a 50% discount off the Liveaboard (boat only).

3 Day Cod Hole and 4 Day Coral Sea Tours
For every booking of 2 people, the 2nd person receives a 25% discount off the Liveaboard (boat only). Liveaboard

Travel window: 06 August – 03 September 2012
Deposit by 31 May 12

Conditions: The discount is on the Spirit of Freedom Liveaboat boat trip fees only, (not applicable to gear hire, courses, nitrox fills or levies). The second person must travel on the same date, same tour, and same cabin type for the discount to apply. The offer is not valid with any other specials. Subject to Availability. Subject to Change Without Notice.

View Sample Liveaboard Dive Trips or Spirit of Freedom’s Liveaboard Specifications

Contact us to check availability for your preferred travel dates and to make a booking.