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AquaQuest is a part of the Deep Sea Divers Den fleet and provides Cairns reef tours, for snorkelers and divers, with daily departures from Marlina Marina. They give you up to 5 hours at the reef and visit 2 separate Great Barrier Reef sites, each day. The tour price includes morning and afternoon tea, a hot and cold buffet lunch, up to 3 snorkel sessions at the 2 reef sites, guided snorkel tours and all of your snorkelling equipment. The modern boat is spacious, comfortable and well maintained.
Certified scuba divers can do up to 3 dives each day. AquaQuest provides the opportunity to do guided or unguided diving. If you want to try scuba diving for the first time, this is possible too with introductory diving (no experience necessary, minimum age to participate is 12 years old). All diving is in addition to the tour price.
The AquaQuest Cairns reef tour is suitable for snorkelers and divers. Visits 2 reef sites, up to 5 hours at the reef. Guided or unguided diving.
What We Love About Aquaquest. We love the fact that you can choose unguided diving on AquaQuest. Our son is a Junior Open Water Diver, so can only go to 12m, plus we always have an underwater camera with us, so having the freedom to dive as a buddy group of 3, is perfect for us. Deep Sea Divers Den have moorings at some of our favourite reef sites and you can do up to 3 dives, maximizing your diving day and time in the water. Read Our AquaQuest Trip Review.
Get a free underwater camera rental when you book tours through us valued at over $750, we’ll lend you a GoPro underwater camera to use for the duration of your tours. Numbers are limited and allocated on a first-come basis. Get in touch with us to claim this deal today.
AquaQuest provides daily dive and snorkel tours from Cairns to the Great Barrier Reef. They visit 2 reef sites each day and can choose from over 15 locations, at 3 different reefs – being Norman, Saxon and Hastings Reef. These are all outer reef locations, so the water visibility is usually good. These tours focus on providing maximum in-water time for snorkelers and divers and they pick the best locations each day, to maximise your reef experience pending tide and weather. Please note all the AquaQuest destinations are open water sites, located on the Outer Great Barrier Reef. You should be a confident swimmer with reasonable fitness, as waves and current are sometimes present. Flotation devices are available, if required. There are no glass bottom boat tours available.
AquaQuest provides guests with up to 5 hours at Cairns’ Great Barrier Reef, with snorkeling at 2 separate reef sites. All your snorkelling equipment is included in the tour price – mask, snorkel, fins and lycra suit for sun protection in summer, wetsuit in winter – and there’s guided snorkel tours. To maximise your snorkel time and discoveries, the crew provide snorkel site briefings. Water access to and from the boat is easy, thanks to a platform of stairs which is lowered into the water with ladders.
There are flotation devices and buoyancy vests, should you require them.
AquaQuest provides you with the opportunity to try scuba diving for the first time, on the Great Barrier Reef. The minimum age to participate is 12 years old and no previous experience is necessary to particiapte. You can book up to 3 introductory dives during your AquaQuest Cairns reef tour. All your equipment, instruction and your dive guide, is provided and included in the Introductory Dive price, which is in addition to the tour price. The maximum depth you will reach is 12m and introductory dives generally last around 30 minutes. You will be in physical contact with your dive guide, for the entire dive.
Please note certain health conditions can prevent you from trying scuba diving, this includes but is not limited to: asthma, epilepsy, chronic sinus conditions and ear problems, heart disease and sugar diabetes. It is not advised to try scuba diving if you are pregnant.
Certified scuba divers can choose between guided and unguided dives when travelling with AquaQuest. If you are travelling with your dive ‘buddy’ you can dive with them, if you are not, then the dive crew will pair you with someone for the day. You can book up to 3 dives, which will be undertaken at 2 different reef sites. All of the AquaQuest reef sites are located on the outer Great Barrier Reef, with a maximum dive depth generally around 18m – but you can sometimes go deeper, to the limits of your certification. All dives generally last around 40 minutes.
All diving is in addition to the tour price. The dive price includes your equipment and site briefings. If you want to have guided dives, then this is additional cost as well. Please note that you will be required to provide proof of your certification and you will be required to complete a safety waiver, prior to dive (and snorkel) activities.
AquaQuest is moored at Cairns’ Marlin Marina. Check-in is at the boat, at Finger B – keep an eye out for the distinctive branding on the boat. Boarding commences from 8am with an 8.30am departure. This Cairns reef tour arrives back into Cairns at 4.30pm. Snorkelling equipment, morning and afternoon tea, as well as a hot and cold buffet lunch are included in the tour price. You should take a towel, sunglasses, hat, change of clothes and sunblock for the day, as well as cash or credit cards to make any beverage purchases. Tea, coffee and cold water is supplied and included.
Check in at the AquaQuest boat, which is moored on B Finger in the Cairns Marlina Marina. There is complimentary tea and coffee, as well as a selection of muffins waiting for you on board. You will be given the relevant paperwork for diving and snorkelling. If you are diving, you are allocated a tank and equipment.
AquaQuest departs Cairns and commences its journey to the Outer Great Barrier Reef. All safety, dive and snorkel equipment briefings are conducted on the boat, on the way to the reef.
Arrive at the first Great Barrier Reef site. Certified divers enter the water. Followed by introductory divers and snorkelers. If you are doing multiple dives during the day, then you will do 2 dives at this first location.
A hot and cold buffet lunch is served in the air conditioned interior. You can eat inside, or outside on the sundecks. While you enjoy lunch, the boat moves to its second reef destination for the day.
AquaQuest moors at its second reef destination. This where you will complete your third dive and/or continue snorkelling.
All guests back on board AquaQuest for a final head count and the boat commences its return journey to Cairns. Afternoon tea is provided and included and you are welcome to purchase additional beverages from the bar.
AquaQuest arrives back to Cairns.
Deep Sea Divers Den has moorings at 3 different outer Great Barrier Reefs – Norman, Saxon and Hastings Reef – they will pick the best reef and location to maximise your in-water experience, on your day of travel. It visits 2 different sites, each day.
The snorkelling on AquaQuest is good. The outer Great Barrier Reef is known for its excellent underwater visibility, coral cover and diversity of marine life. The boat is always moored close to the reef, and the corals usually come to within a few meters of the surface. Please note you will be snorkelling in the open ocean, so for your comfort, it is recommended that you have reasonable swimming ability and fitness. There are flotation devices available for your use.
Yes, AquaQuest and Deep Sea Divers Den provide diving opportunities for certified divers, and those wanting to try scuba diving for the first time, on an introductory dive. All diving is in addition to the tour price. Certified divers can choose unguided or guided diving. You can do up to 3 dives on each day tour. The minimum age to participate in an introductory dive is 12 years old. The maximum depth you will go on an introductory dive is 12m.
Certified scuba divers and introductory scuba divers can all do up to 3 dives each day. Introductory divers may be limited to less dives, pending demand on the day.
The scuba diving with AquaQuest Cairns is good. You can choose guided or unguided and if you do not have a ‘buddy’, the crew will allocate one to you on the day. The equipment is well maintained and the dive deck is well managed. Water entry is giant stride, either off the side of the boat, or from the platform lowered at the back of the boat.
We prefer to offer genuine value over hidden vouchers. While you won’t find legitimate discount codes for Aqua Quest online, you can secure the best price by creating a “Reef & Rainforest” combination. Simply booking Aqua Quest alongside a Daintree Rainforest Tour reduces the overall cost. Additionally, for any booking total exceeding $750, we include Free GoPro Hire to capture your underwater highlights, a bonus you won’t get from standard coupon sites.
Yes, you should be able to swim in open water to go on this Cairns reef tour. This is a dive / snorkel boat. It does not have a glass bottom boat or semi-submersible, so the only way to ‘see the reef’ on AquaQuest is to get in the water and swim / snorkel / dive.
No, AquaQuest does not have a glass bottom boat.
Yes, AquaQuest Cairns is suitable for kids, who can swim with confidence in the open ocean. We have taken our son scuba diving on AquaQuest, many times. If you have younger children, or children who are not comfortable swimming at sea – where there may be waves and/or current, pending conditions at the time of travel – then we suggest a reef pontoon or island trip.
Yes, AquaQuest Cairns is family friendly – especially for families with older children, who are confident at swimming in open ocean. This tour is not really suitable for families with young children or infants.
Lunch on AquaQuest Cairns is pretty good. The hot and cold buffet has a range of breads, deli meats and salads. There’s plenty of food for everyone. Cold water is included in the tour price and you have the option of purchasing additional drinks (soft drinks etc) at the bar, at additional cost.
If you have any question regarding this tour, please do not hesitate to contact us, we can help you find the perfect tour for you, we understand it can be overwhelming trying to decide. Our advice and booking service is free.
Unguided diving in Cairns is possible, but you must book the ‘right’ boat to do it, as most reef operators insist on guided dives. We’ve found the tour for you, so step right up and stride right in, it's dive time on the Great Barrier Reef.
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When it’s a glass out kind of day, it’s always going to be dive time for us! Our Cairns dive trip on AquaQuest ticked a lot of boxes. Time with a turtle, tick, clownfish, reef sharks and maori wrasse – tick, tick, tick - big blue sky above and clear blue water below. 5 hours at the reef. 3 dives. So good! It's dive time on the Great Barrier Reef.
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