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Wavelength Reef Cruises is the only Port Douglas reef tour to be owned and operated by marine biologists. This family owned business is passionate about the reef and showcasing it to its guests. Its owners are personally and professionally invested in the reef’s conservation and preservation and are prominent and active participants in the Coral Nurture program. They’ve been operating since 1986 and are a snorkel only tour, visiting 3 different reef sites every day. There’s unlimited snorkelling and guided snorkel tours are included, as is an interactive reef talk provided by a marine biologist during lunch. The boat is surveyed to take 100 guests, but daily numbers are limited to 48.
What We Love About Wavelength Reef Cruises. We love everything about Wavelength Reef Cruises. Their reef sites are excellent for snorkelling with rich coral cover and teeming array of marine life. We were blown away by the reef on our visit. We love that they are locally owned and operated, invested in the community and passionate about the Great Barrier Reef. Awesome tour with knowledgeable crew. Lots of space on the boat. A great day on the Great Barrier Reef. Read Our Wavelength Trip Review.
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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.
Snorkelling, snorkelling and more snorkelling. Wavelength Reef Cruises does not do scuba diving, which means their reef sites have been specifically chosen to maximise the in water experience for snorkelers. Please note that as Wavelength Reef Cruises sites are located in open water, waves and current is sometimes present. As such, you should be a confident swimmer with reasonable fitness. Flotation devices are available, if required.
Wavelength Reef Cruises provide up to 4.5 hours at the reef, with unlimited snorkelling at 3 different reef sites. All equipment, instruction and guided snorkel tours are included in the tour price. Water access is via a platform of stairs that is lowered to the surface from the back of the boat. Their sites have healthy reef, home to a diverse array of marine creatures. When we went, highlights included finding Nemo (we all love clownfish) seeing diagonal banded sweetlips, angelfish, butterflyfish and more. We even saw a Moray Eel.
Wavelength Reef Cruises boat is moored at Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina. Check-in and boarding is at the boat, from 8.10am for an 8.30am departure. Lunch is included. 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 and boarding at the Wavelength Reef Cruises boat, which is moored at Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina.
Wavelength Reef Cruises departs Port Douglas and commences its journey to the Great Barrier Reef. All safety and snorkel briefings are conducted on the way to the reef.
Arrive at the first Great Barrier Reef site – and let the snorkelling fun begin. All of Wavelength Reef Cruises’ sites have been chosen to maximise snorkelling opportunities.
While the boat moves to its second site for the day, you can enjoy tea, coffee and hot chocolate, plus a light morning tea of pastries.
At the second Great Barrier Reef site for the day, the Wavelength Reef Cruises marine biologists provide guided snorkel tours. These are a highlight and allow you to learn more about the reef, its corals and marine life.
Lunch is served, as Wavelength Reef Cruises makes its way to the third Great Barrier Reef snorkel site for the day. Lunch is gourmet chicken and salad rolls or food bowls for special diets. While you enjoy lunch, the marine biologists provide an interactive reef talk, where you can ask questions about the reef and interesting things you might have seen while snorkelling.
Final snorkel site for the day. Explore the beautiful coral gardens with giant clams, anemonefish, boulder corals and more. The Wavelength Reef Cruises crew have cameras with them all day, taking photos of you enjoying your snorkelling and time on the Great Barrier Reef. These are provided to you free of charge at the end of the day, via a Dropbox link.
Once in-water activities are concluded, the crew complete a final headcount, before Wavelength Reef Cruises heads back to Port Douglas. During the return trip to Cairns, you can talk to the crew and marine biologists, or just relax and enjoy the trip. Tea, coffee, hot chocolate and biscuits are provided for afternoon tea. You can purchase beverages from the bar, at your own expense.
Wavelength Reef Cruises arrives back to Port Douglas.
Wavelength Reef Cruises’ Port Douglas snorkel tours visit 3 locations each day. As one of the region’s original reef operators, Wavelength has access to a range of different reefs – Opal Reef, St Crispin Reef and Tongue Reef – and reef sites. Their favourite is Opal Reef which has outstanding coral cover and diversity, so this is where you will most likely go – however, the skipper will pick the best reef and site on the day, to maximise your experience with and of the Great Barrier Reef.
Snorkelling is excellent on Wavelength Reef Cruises’ Port Douglas reef day tours, because they are a dedicated snorkel boat. This means they visit sites which are perfect for snorkelers, without needing to consider the requirements of scuba divers. All snorkelling equipment is provided and included in the tour price, as is guided snorkel tours with marine biologists. You can enjoy unlimited snorkelling at the 3 reef sites they visit. 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.
No, you can not scuba dive on Wavelength Reef Cruises’ Port Douglas reef day tours. They are a snorkel only boat.
No, Wavelength Reef Cruises is not suitable for non-swimmers. All of the sites they visit are open water sites. They do not have a glass bottom boat or semi submersible, so to ‘see’ the reef, you will need to get in the water and swim / snorkel. If you are non-swimmer looking for a Port Douglas reef tour, we suggest a pontoon or Low Isles day tour would be more suited to you.
No, Wavelength Reef Cruises does not have a glass bottom boat.
Yes, Wavelength Reef Cruises is suitable for kids. We’ve taken our son snorkelling with them and he had a great time! Kids should be able to swim with confidence in the open ocean, to enjoy this trip.
Yes, Wavelength Reef Cruises is family friendly – it’s family owned and operated and the crew are attentive and helpful to all members of the family.
Wavelength Reef Cruises focuses on health, taste and the environment when providing lunch on their Port Douglas reef tour. As such, they provide deli-style chicken and salad rolls, or food bowls for special diets. They do not serve ‘red meat as reducing meat consumption is one of the easiest ways to reduce your personal carbon emissions’. Tea, coffee, hot chocolate and cold water is provided and included, with pastries for morning tea and biscuits for afternoon tea.
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.
The Great Barrier Reef. This Port Douglas reef trip stands out for all the right reasons! Small numbers - max 12 guests. Awesome boat. Great crew. Fantastic snorkelling. 100% the best bit is having your own in-water guide. Bucket List.
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Opal Reef is amazing! Vibrant coral gardens with impressive beds of branching and plate corals, giant boulder corals, soft corals, bommies, feather stars and more. Not to mention Nemo, turtles, giant clams and a lot of fish. Welcome to the Great Barrier Reef.
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