Attractions

Exploring the Reef -- Mission Beach is the closest point on the mainland to the Reef, just 1 hour by the high-speed Quick Cat Cruises catamaran (tel. 07/4068 7289; www.quickcatcruises.com.au). The trip starts with an hour at Dunk Island, 20 minutes offshore, where you can walk rainforest trails, play on the beach, or parasail or jet-ski for an extra fee. Then it's a 1-hour trip to Beaver Cay on the Outer Reef, where you have 3 hours to snorkel or to check out the coral from a glass-bottom boat. There's no shade on the cay, so bring a hat and sunscreen. The trip departs daily from Clump Point Jetty at 9:30am. It costs A$160 (US$144/£72) for adults, half-price for children 4 to 14. An introductory scuba dive costs A$90 (US$81/£41) for the first dive and half-price for the second. You should prebook your introductory scuba dive to ensure a place. Qualified divers pay A$60 (US$54/£27) for the first dive, A$45 (US$41/£20) for the second, all gear included. Free pickups from Mission Beach are included. You can also join this trip from Cairns; coach connections from your Cairns or northern beaches hotel will cost extra.