shahnm77

Hi,

A few of my friends and I are going to Cairns sometime in November for about a week. We have 2 schools of thought.

#1 A few of the people want to stay on a live-aboard charter and scuba dive for 7days/6 nights.

#2 The other half is interested in Scuba diving during the day and hanging out in town at night.

The live-aboard is quite expensive at about $1300 USD, but is said to go to better parts of the reef.

Any thoughts? Suggestions?

Thanks!

pat_woolford

Shahhnm - you could compromise a little bit and do a shorter liveaboard - Tusa's Spirit of Freedom does a 4 day 3 nighter to Cod Hole and Ribbon Reefs with a one way low level reef flight to or from Lizard Island to Cairns. Then take daily dive trips to different reefs out of Cairns with Tusa Dive for hanging out in Cairns at night. Just a thought.

shahnm77

Are the outer reefs that much better? Also I know there are islands on the reef where there are places to stay. Any of those "easy on the wallet?"

Thanks

jenn_nj

The town of Cairns has a good nightlife - especially if you're a backpacker.
I wasn't too impressed with what I saw on my day tour of diving - I think it was Norman Reef. You probably want to go out further. I think Pat's suggestion is excellent.

If you're set on day dives, I heard that Quicksilver was one of the best.

Kimbis

I dive (although the weather didn't cooperate when *I* went to Cairns) but I think you'll be disappointed if you miss out on everything ELSE the area has to offer. I mean, I *love* diving, but there are a LOT of other things to do.

Pat, I'm going to keep plugging until someone else takes you up on your advice to do the Play Postie thing. Yeah, it was a little pricey ... but it was a once in a lifetime sort of experience.

pat_woolford

Kim, I do try from time to time here, but it seems to fall on deaf ears. You are not a tourist on these different outback trips, you're a passenger with experienced bush pilots who deliver mail and freight to remote and vast outback cattle stations (ranches) - one of the world's longest mail services. There are five different trips on each weekday - stopping for a few minutes at each station. Passengers are often invited for a "yarn and a cuppa" but need to bring their own food and drink. It's a great way to experience Outback Australia. In dry season of May-November there is a special trip from Cairns, flying over GBR to Torres Strait. www.capeyorkair.com.au

pat_woolford

andrew 98682 - I'm sorry to hear of your unfortunate experience at Sebel in Palm Cove, a suburb of Cairns. But to dismiss Cairns as being "ugly", particularly when it happens to be minutes from a World Heritage listed Wet Tropics area , only shows you haven't looked very far beyond. Of course the tourist strip in the middle of Cairns city is just that, shanhnm 77 is looking for nightlife with his mates, he won't find that at Palm Cove. Or Port Douglas. Shahnm 77 - you asked for an easy on the wallet island experience - the only one is Fitzroy - its a continental island with some fringing coral, but is still quite away from GBR proper.

pat_woolford

If this post doesn't seem to make sense now its because it was in answer to another post on this thread which Fodors has wisely seen fit to delete.