3 days in Cairns
 

I need some advise - Husband is not a beach person and will not snorkle and doesn't "herd" well..:) (I love the beach and have scuba'd many, many places before husband, but don't snorkle either). With two full days in Cairns, I was planning on doing Kuranda one day & Heli/Green Island 2 hrs/Heli/Pontoon 2 hrs/Cruise back (hubby is a pilot so the helicopter is for him). After discussing this, I don't think he'll care for the pontoon at all. He does enjoy sailing. Does anyone have suggestions on how to enjoy the Cairns & GBR without getting wet? Other possibility is doing a Green Island (to at least look at the reef)/rainforest 4WD combo as a compromise. Doesn't seem right to come all this way and not enjoy the water somehow.
Thanks!

Hello OzNzBound,

I don't know where to begin. Well, let me give it a try.

First of all, I have never been to Green Island, but a word search here at Fodor's will bring up numerous previous threads about it. Apparently it once was a great island, but the eco system has suffered from overuse. People here at Fodor's Talk say that tour operators provide a very mass-market type of experience at Green Island to Asian tourists. Because of the language barrier, those tourists are not in a position to research the options in Australia as you and I are able to do. There are some posters who have been to Green Island who say that you could go to almost any other spot in Far North Queensland and it would be a more enjoyable use of your time than Green Island.

Now let's tackle the issue of snorkeling. It is the easiest thing in the world to do. When we went to the GBR our fellow passengers included little old ladies who didn't know how to swim. They started out saying they wouldn't go in the water. The staff on the boat were wonderful with them. They put life jackets on them, gave them the glass masks, showed them how to use them. It was lovely for all of us to see each other's glee when we put our faces in the water and the magic of the reef was revealed to us.

We also availed ourselves of options that would have allowed us to see the reef if we'd absolutely refused to get wet. We went for a ride in a glass bottomed boat, and we walked down into the "basement" of the dive company's pontoon. The "basement" was like an aquarium, except that what we were looking at were wild fish that were swimming around the pontoon rather than captive fish in an aquarium.

Some passengers availed themselves of the optional helicopter rides over the reef that took off from the pontoon. We did not do the helicopter ride that day. However, on a subsequent vacation in the Whitsunday Islands, we flew over the reef in a light plane, and I do HIGHLY recommend seeing the reef from the air.

We used Quicksilver for our GBR outing. We were satisfied with their service, but since I've come to Fodor's I've found out just how many other GBR companies there are. Anyway, I'm sure there's a company that can provide you with a diving experience and provide your husband with a glass bottomed boat, a helicopter ride and, if he's willing to try it, snorkeling.

Another thing that I have not done, that some Fodorites have done, is a day's flight to Lizard Island. This apparently is expensive, but people who've done it rave about it. The flight gives passengers an aerial view of not only the reef but also the rainforest. Then, if I remember correctly, you can snorkel right from the beach on Lizard Island.

The next highest priority in the area, IMO, is the wet tropical rainforest, from the Daintree River to Cape Tribulation.

The visit to Kuranda is pleasant but, if something has to be sacrificed, that should be it, IMO.

You are cutting things very fine by giving yourselves only 2 full days in FNQ. The conventional wisdom in the area is to give yourself a bit of spare time and to schedule your GBR outing for your first full day there. Then if the weather doesn't permit boats to go out on your chosen day you'll have an opportunity to reschedule. Also, in your case, you have to avoid diving for 24 hours prior to flying, isn't that right? I don't dive, so I don't know for sure, but I think I've seen something about that around here. Luckily you will be there towards the end of September, when you have a better than usual chance of encountering good weather, so hopefully everything will work out according to plan.

Hi Judy, Can I tell you how much I love this site? Wish I found it earlier before purchasing our airfare. Yes I did a search of Green Island after my post and have eliminated it. To clarify, I no longer dive after a bad experience in Bonaire :( but I've done so much diving that it's ok. I'm re-thinking the snorkling, wondering if I could convince hubby. I would enjoy it as long as the water's not choppy/wavy. Daintree Air's trip to Lizard looks interesting albeit pricely.
I also plan to look at Daintree to Cape Tribulation. Just wish I had planned more days.
Thanks again for all your good advice :)
Cheryl

Oh... forgot to add that I will be arriving in Cairns 13:15 a day earlier. Don't know if that will help me at all. A plane/helicopter flight is definitely planned. Just don't know whether it will be a separate event or part of a GBR excursion. Whatever I plan, I need to keep the snorkling aspect at around 2 hrs max if we end up doing this.
Thanks again.

I've never been to Green Island, however, the tours desk at the clarion, when I was staying there, recommended against it. It's not the best place to see the GBR.

>The visit to Kuranda is pleasant but, if something has to be sacrificed, that should be it, IMO.

I agree. Have lunch there and leave. It's the trip to and from that is the fun part. Not the destination.

The concierge at the Lilybank B&B will be able to offer a wide range of possibilities if she sees this question. 3 days of lounging in the garden there would be good enough for me. If your husband stays away from the beach he'll have plenty of opporrtunities to dine nearby at the fabulous Garden Room, while you are off having adventures.
A/D

Take the train to Kuranda, have lunch, shop a little, maybe visit the butterfly sanctuary, and then do the skyrail back down! The skyrail is an neat way to see the scenery IMO.