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Tusa Reef Tours is starting a new half day snorkel tour on 19 March 2026. We previewed it today and can confirm, this is an excellent addition to Cairns’ reef tours. The Tusa boat was purpose designed and built for Great Barrier Reef touring, prioritising speed and passenger comfort. It has a combination of air-conditioned interiors, exterior sundeck and a shaded back-deck. Water entry is easy, thanks to a staircase / platform lowered into the water. Their half day snorkel tour departs Cairns at 9am and returns at 2pm. It visits 1 outer reef location and provides guests with 2 hours snorkelling time, with the option to try an introductory scuba dive. The beauty of the Tusa half day snorkel tour, is you’re not compromising reef location for time. Tusa has access to 7 outer reef sites, across Saxon and Hastings Reef. These are all excellent sites for visibility, coral cover and diversity of marine life. The boat takes a maximum of 60 guests. This tour is great for people who want to snorkel the outer Great Barrier Reef in comfort and away from the crowds.
We saw a lot of giant clams when snorkelling today and are always impressed by their vibrant colours. Fun fact, did you know every giant clam has a different pattern and no two are the same. A bit like our fingerprints.
Check in for the Tusa half day snorkelling tour is on the boat, which is moored at A Finger at Cairns’ Marlin Marina. Check in starts at 8.40am for a 9am departure. Once aboard the crew help you get a mask, snorkel, fins and lycra swimming suit, these are stored upstairs under the lounge style seating. There is complimentary tea and coffee, and you can sit in air conditioned comfort or relax on the sundeck. Once everyone is aboard the boat prepares for departure and a safety briefing is provided. This covers everything from the boat facilities to seasickness medication and emergency procedures. A camera briefing follows, provided by the on-board underwater photographer. He will be taking guest pictures throughout the day, which you have the option to preview and purchase at the end, there is also a limited number of underwater cameras which you can rent. Finally a snorkelling briefing, which covered equipment and how to correctly fit your mask. Then we settled back into our seats and enjoyed a smooth ride to the reef.
“Firstly, we love this boat. We’ve been on Tusa many times before, when it was a dive and snorkel boat. It’s thoughtfully designed to maximise passenger comfort, from the seating to the stability of the ride and water access. It was a pleasure to be back on board. The friendly crew provided assistance and advice whenever needed and you can join a guided snorkel tour to learn more about the reef; this is included in the tour price and I highly recommend this for first time reef visitors. Unlike the other half day Cairns snorkel tours, Tusa provides its guests the opportunity to try an introductory scuba dive, with no prior experience necessary. So, there’s lots of ways you can engage and explore the reef with Tusa, making this an awesome half day Cairns reef tour option.” – Julie Johnston
The Outer Great Barrier Reef offers some of the best dive and snorkel sites. They are the furthest distance from the mainland and usually have excellent visibility. Side Note: Must mention the weather today was not amazing and we’ve recently had quite a lot of rain in Cairns due to a passing cyclone. This has impacted underwater visibility today and you’ll see this in our photos, but please note this does not reflect usual conditions. Tusa has access to 7 different reef sites across Hastings and Saxon Reef and today we visited a site called ‘Wildside’ on Hastings Reef, which has coral walls, gardens and bommies. There was an abundance of marine life including giant clams, lots of large blue starfish, schools of scissortail sergeant fish, chromis, clarke’s anemonefish and barrier reef anemonefish, lined surgeonfish, parrotfish, angelfish, butterflyfish, coral trout, rabbitfish and more. My personal highlight was seeing several Moorish idol fish, I love these guys, a blue spotted stingray, white tipped reef shark and a stunning yellow feather star.
The best way for you to learn more about the Great Barrier Reef, is to join one of their guided snorkel tours. This is included in the tour price and the enthusiastic crew will make sure you catch all the highlights of the day. We did not join it, because we wanted to get photos. For those that are uncomfortable in the water, Tusa provide life jackets and noodles. You have up to 2 hours snorkel time in this half day tour, and you can get in and out of the water as often as you like. The pace is unhurried. For those wanting to try something different, Tusa offers the opportunity to participate in an introductory dive. This is in addition to the tour price ($100 extra) but delivers a completely different experience of the reef. Rather than floating above and ducking down, you can swim around with your experienced dive guide and explore the underwater world with more freedom. The minimum age to participate is 12 years old. The maximum depth is 10m. There’s no prior experience necessary, but certain health conditions will prevent you from participating, this includes asthma, high blood pressure and more.
We’ve personally experienced nearly every tour we offer and have extensive knowledge of the Cairns region, with a special focus on snorkeling and diving on the Great Barrier Reef. Best of all, our advice is completely free! Why not take advantage of our expert travel and package recommendations?
Tusa is the only half day Cairns snorkel tour to offer introductory diving. This is a big tick for us, because it provides the space and opportunity for those wanting to experience scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef. While it’s ‘only’ a half day tour, you aren’t compromising on your time or Great Barrier Reef experience. Their fast catamaran gets you to and from the Outer Great Barrier Reef quickly, putting you on some of the best Cairns reef sites. The small passenger numbers and focus on snorkelling, makes for a less crowded back deck and in-water experience. Another big tick. Tusa picks the best site for the day and stays there, which means you don’t lose time on the boat, as it moves around the reef. The boat itself focusses on passenger comfort and space. It has 4 toilets, 2 with showers, and several freshwater stations to refill your drinks and water bottles.
As above, the boat departs Cairns at 9am and arrives at the reef at 10.30am. You have 2 hours snorkelling time and the option for that introductory dive. At 12.30pm it’s back on the boat for the return trip to Cairns, which gets back to the Marlin Marina at 2pm. You have the option to purchase a lunch box for an additional $30, this must be confirmed at the time of booking. These come individually packed and include a chicken and salad roll, muffin, piece of fruit, cheese and crackers and a muesli bar. Dietary preferences can be catered too (gluten-free and vegetarian) with prior notice. There’s also the option to purchase snacks (crisps and chocolate bars) and beverages (soft drinks, beers and wines) at additional cost, on the way back to Cairns.
The Tusa half day snorkelling tour departs Cairns at 9am from A Finger at Cairns Marlin Marina. Check-in begins at the boat at 8:40am. The tour returns to Cairns at approximately 2pm, making it a convenient option for visitors wanting to experience the Great Barrier Reef without committing to a full day tour.
Tusa Reef Tours has access to 7 outer reef sites across Saxon Reef and Hastings Reef. These reefs are part of the Outer Great Barrier Reef, known for good visibility, healthy coral formations and diverse marine life. The crew selects the best site each day based on weather, tides and conditions.
Guests typically enjoy around 2 hours of snorkelling time on the reef. You can enter and exit the water as often as you like during this time. The tour stays at one reef site rather than moving between locations, which maximises time in the water.
Yes. The tour is suitable for first-time snorkellers and beginners. The crew provide a full snorkelling briefing, assistance fitting your mask and fins, and optional flotation aids such as life jackets and noodles. A guided snorkel tour is included in the price and is highly recommended for first time reef visitors.
Yes. Tusa is currently the only half day snorkelling tour from Cairns that offers an introductory scuba dive. No previous diving experience is required. The dive takes place with an experienced instructor, with a maximum depth of 10 metres and a minimum age of 12 years. This is an additional cost to the tour price.
The Tusa half day snorkelling tour carries a maximum of 60 passengers. This creates a smaller group experience compared with larger reef tours and helps keep the back deck and snorkelling areas less crowded.
Marine life varies each day, but common sightings include giant clams, parrotfish, angelfish, butterflyfish, coral trout, anemonefish, surgeonfish and schools of reef fish. You may also see larger animals such as reef sharks, stingrays, turtles or feather stars, depending on conditions.
Yes there is. The on-board photographer will capture photos of you snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef. These can be previewed and purchased on the boat, on your return journey to Cairns. They are in addition to the tour price, but make a wonderful souvenir of your time on the reef. Single photos can be purchased for $25, with photo packs available for multiple photos.
You can also rent an underwater camera on the boat, to take your own photos. This costs $75 and includes a 32GB SD card.
Lunch is optional on the Tusa half day tour. Guests can pre-order a lunch box for $30, which includes a chicken and salad roll, muffin, fruit, cheese and crackers and a muesli bar. Snacks and beverages are also available for purchase on the return journey to Cairns.
The vessel is purpose built for Great Barrier Reef touring and includes air-conditioned interior seating, shaded outdoor deck areas and a sundeck. There are four toilets, including two with showers, freshwater rinse stations and an easy-access water entry platform with stairs for snorkelling.
A half day tour is a great option for visitors who want to experience the Outer Great Barrier Reef but have limited time in Cairns, or don’t want to spend a full day on the water. Because Tusa travels on a fast catamaran, guests still reach quality outer reef sites while enjoying a shorter overall tour duration.
Both tours visit the Outer Great Barrier Reef and provide around 2 hours of snorkelling time. Pure Snorkelling is a dedicated snorkel-only experience with a maximum of about 40 guests, while Tusa carries up to around 60 guests but offers additional options such as introductory scuba diving.
Pure Snorkelling is un-air-conditioned and smaller boat, hence less guests. Tusa is a larger boat and limits guest numbers to maximise experience. Tusa is air conditioned and gives guests the choice to try scuba diving during the trip.
Both Pure Snorkelling and Tusa are suitable for beginners and first-time snorkellers. They provide snorkelling briefings, flotation devices and crew assistance in the water. Guided snorkel tours are provided and included, which is a great way to learn about the reef and spot marine life.
Yes. Both Tusa and Pure Snorkelling travel to outer reef locations, which are known for healthy coral gardens, good visibility and abundant marine life. Outer reef sites are further from the mainland and are considered some of the best places to snorkel from Cairns.
Yes. Two hours is actually similar to the snorkelling time offered on many full day tours. Because half day tours usually visit one reef site rather than moving between multiple sites, you maximise time in the water rather than spending time travelling between reefs.
This really does depend on your group and needs. For us, having done Pure Snorkelling, Reef Adventures and Tusa, I have to say I think Tusa is the best half day snorkelling tour from Cairns. This is based on the comfort of the boat and the quality of the reef sites visited.
Tusa is a fast catamaran that gets you to the outer Great Barrier Reef in 90 minutes (each way).
No, Tusa does not have a glass bottom boat or semi-submersible. The only way to ‘see the reef’ on Tusa is to get in the water. Please note: Tusa visits outer Great Barrier Reef locations, where waves and currents are sometimes present. Buoyancy devices are provided for your comfort, but if you are uncomfortable at the thought of swimming in the open ocean, then you should choose a different reef tour – if you’re unsure where to start – we can help 😊
This all depends on the age and abilities of your children. If your child is confident at swimming in the open ocean, where waves and current may be present, then ‘yes’ this tour is suitable for families. However, if you child is not comfortable with this then perhaps a pontoon or island tour would be more suited to your family. A reef tour is a big investment; you want the whole family to enjoy the day and experience.
Tusa is a half day Cairns snorkel tour that provides 2 hours snorkel time and the chance to book an introductory scuba dive (at extra cost). It departs Cairns at 9am and returns at 2pm. Guided snorkel tours are included in the price, as are buoyancy devices including life jackets and noodles. Tusa visits outer Great Barrier Reef sites, so you should be comfortable at swimming in the open water, where waves and current are sometimes present. Maximum of 60 guests per tour and all snorkelling equipment is provided and included in the tour price.
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