A 20 Million Year Old Wonder
You can find the Great Barrier Reef just off the coast of Queensland, Australia. It is the biggest living thing on the entire planet. It is home to reefs, coral islands, colourful fish, turtles, dolphins, sharks and much more – an underwater utopia.
Popular activities around the Reef include snorkelling, diving and fishing, particularly on the Whitsunday Islands where the bright sands and crystal blue waters create the ultimate tropical paradise.
Why See The Great Barrier Reef?
WhyThe Great Barrier Reef is under immense threat due to climate change – it may not be here for very much longer. In the past 30 years alone, half the coral cover has been lost. Pollution is killing the sea life, plastic is filling the oceans and global warming is causing coral bleaching.
Whether you want to experience the reef in person or not, we should all strive to prevent it from disappearing completely. We can change what impact we have on the climate with our day-to-day actions.
Where To See The Great Barrier Reef
where
Cairns
Cairns is the father of all entry points to the Great Barrier reef with endless options.
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Airlie Beach - The Whitsunday Islands
Not only is the sand as fine as self raising flour, it's without stone skimming distance of 74 islands!
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Our Pick
By Boat
The simplest way to see the reef is to ride out on a boat to see it. Many tours include water activities meaning you can immerse yourself in the water and dreamy experience.
From £119
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Other Ways To Experience The Great Barrier Reef
where
By Helicopter
Why not see things from the skies too? It won’t be quite as high up as the famous shot from space, but it’ll be breath-taking nonetheless.
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Stay On An Island
There are several tropical islands that are available for you to stay on. This is a great way of spending quality time around the reef without feeling rushed by other tourists.
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Faq?
A coral reef forms when larva from another reef is released into water. Coral then develops into one of the three reef types. One of these is a barrier structure which is why it is known as the Great Barrier Reef. The reefs then all attach together to form one big one – or ginormous in this case!
The reef is 348,700 km² or the size of 70 million football fields (to put things into perspective.
Because the reef is a living thing, parts of it are continuously dying and being replaced. This means that whilst the Great Barrier Reef is over 20 million years old, the actual age of the current one is closer to 8,000 years in age.
Great Barrier Reef Essentials
Skyscanner
- Use Skyscanner to find the most convenient flight for the cheapest price.
Booking.com
- Find the best accommodation for your budget for your trip by using Booking.com.
Amazon
- Make sure you're geared up for your trip with Amazon, your photos are going to be worth it.
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