Experience the ultimate reef and island adventure with the Reef & Fitzroy Island Full Day Reef Tour, a seamless blend of underwater wonders and tropical island paradise!
Departing from Cairns, step aboard a comfortable, air-conditioned catamaran for a scenic 1.5-hour cruise to the Sunlover Moore Reef Pontoon, your gateway to the vibrant Outer Great Barrier Reef.
This floating hub is fully equipped for an incredible day of exploration, offering snorkelling gear for up-close encounters with dazzling coral formations, colourful marine life, and even graceful sea turtles.
Little adventurers can splash about in the enclosed ocean pool or take on the exhilarating 30-metre spiral waterslide, twisting straight into the warm, clear waters of the reef.
Prefer to stay dry? Glide through the reef’s beauty on a semi-submersible or glass-bottom boat tour, or head to the underwater observatory, where you can marvel at nature’s most breathtaking aquarium without getting wet.
Thrill-seekers can elevate their experience with optional extras like a guided snorkel tour, a Seawalker helmet dive, or a breathtaking scenic helicopter flight over the reef.
After an action-packed morning, the journey continues to the stunning Fitzroy Island, where a buffet lunch awaits at Zephyrs restaurant on Welcome Bay.
With 99% of the island covered in lush tropical rainforest, dotted with rugged granite outcrops, mangroves, and coral-fringed beaches, Fitzroy is a favourite escape for Cairns locals.
Whether you fancy swimming or relaxing on the beach, or exploring scenic walking trails, the island offers a perfect balance of adventure and tranquillity.
You get to experience the best of the Great Barrier Reef and the charm of Fitzroy Island in one incredible day, packed with unforgettable moments and picture-perfect scenery!
Thanks so much, Vickster! We’re thrilled to hear your family had an awesome day with us at Moore Reef while visiting from Nelson. It’s especially lovely to hear that, even as a less confident swimmer, you were still able to enjoy seeing the marine life from the ledge. The pontoon is designed to give guests different ways to enjoy the reef, whether they’re keen to snorkel, prefer to stay close to the platforms, or simply want to take it all in at their own pace. We really appreciate your recommendation and hope the rest of your family holiday in Cairns was just as memorable.
We unfortunately had a very rough trip to Moore Reef - there were pretty strong winds. No fault of Sunlover of course, can't do anything about the weather. Take some motion sickness meds before you go if you are prone to sea sickness. In spite of the bumpy seas, we enjoyed the snorkelling on the reef. The staff were great, the boat was very safe, the gear was fine & plentiful. The trip out was about 90 minutes. We returned to Fitzroy Island for a buffet lunch, which was very good. Then a walk over to Nudey beach before jumping back on board for the return to Cairns. Fortunately the weather had improved & we had a calm trip home. We all enjoyed our day & recommend the trip.
We had booked the cruise in advance as we were visiting Cairns only for a week with young kids. On the day, the weather turned bad. I raised concerns re going to the reef in bad weather but the staff told us it would be fine. The sail was horrible with most people throwing up around us. The water was too choppy to snorkel even for adults let alone the kids, so we barely snorkelled. We had booked a reef and island package and our island experience was washed out by heavy pouring. We stayed in the boat for a couple of hours before another horrible sail back. Sunlover should have canceled in the day giving option to either choose another day or get a refund rather than forcing such a poor experience. It was money and time wasted.
Thanks for sharing your feedback, Pragati. We’re genuinely sorry your day did not feel like the family outing you had hoped for, especially when travelling with young children and only having a short time in Cairns. Weather on the Great Barrier Reef can be very changeable, and while we only operate when conditions are assessed as safe, we understand that “safe to travel” does not always mean “comfortable” for every guest. The crossing can be unpleasant for those prone to motion sickness when the sea is unsettled, and we’re sorry this affected your family’s day so heavily. We also understand your disappointment with the Reef & Island itinerary. Rain and wind can impact visibility, snorkelling comfort, and time spent enjoying Fitzroy Island, even when the tour is still able to operate safely. Our crew will always provide the best guidance they can based on the conditions at the time, but we appreciate that the day did not deliver the relaxed family experience you were expecting. We do not cancel departures lightly, as many guests are also visiting Cairns for a limited time, but safety remains the key factor in whether a tour proceeds. That said, your feedback is important, particularly around how conditions are communicated to families before departure, and we’ll share this with our operations team for review. We’re sorry your day felt like money and time wasted. That is never the outcome we want for any guest, and we appreciate you taking the time to let us know.
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Britta Marthen from Germany wrote on 18 August 2025
Abenteuer
War sehr cool, insbesondere das Scuba Diving, der Lehrer war klasse, aber manche extra Kosten , wie den Wet Suit oder die Mask für Brillenträger, sollten schon beim Buchen kommuniziert werden.