Great Barrier Reef Tours for Non-Swimmers

Why a pontoon is usually the best boat option

A permanent outer-reef pontoon works as an activity centre. You can stay on a stable platform, use the dry viewing and spend the day with friends or family who snorkel or dive. Pontoons usually have shade, toilets, lunch and talks from the crew.

Look for at least two dry viewing methods. A ticket with only a glass-bottom boat gives you less to fall back on than a platform that also runs a semi-submersible and an observatory. Ask whether each one is included, how often it runs and whether boarding involves steps.

Cairns, Port Douglas and Airlie Beach all have pontoon days, but the facilities and timetables differ:

• Port Douglas: the Quicksilver Agincourt Reef day ($242, 4.8/5 from 637 reviews) includes the semi-submersible, the underwater observatory, fish feeding by the crew and a talk by a marine biologist. Buoyancy vests and lifeguard supervision come with the snorkelling, if you decide to try it.
• Cairns: the Sunlover Moore Reef pontoon day ($204, 4.5/5 from 406 reviews) includes three dry options: a glass-bottom boat, a semi-submersible and an underwater observatory, plus a buffet lunch.
• Airlie Beach: the Hardy Reef pontoon cruise ($189, 4.6/5 from 384 reviews) includes a guided semi-submersible tour and an underwater observatory.

Choose Quicksilver if you want a ribbon reef on the edge of the continental shelf and the highest rating of the three, Sunlover if you are staying in Cairns and want the most dry options in one ticket, and Cruise Whitsundays if you are based in Airlie. For more on each town, start with outer-reef tours from Cairns or our guides to Port Douglas and Airlie Beach.

Semi-submersible versus glass-bottom boat

A semi-submersible has a viewing cabin below the waterline, so its windows look sideways at the reef instead of down through the surface. It can feel more immersive and cuts surface glare. You usually walk down steps and sit in a narrow cabin.

A glass-bottom boat stays on the surface and is easier to picture before you board, but looking down can bring glare or a stiff neck. Both are moving boats and can make you feel motion sick. Close to Cairns, the Green Island snorkelling and glass-bottom boat day ($112, 4.4/5 from 160 reviews) includes both activities after a crossing of about 45 minutes, and the Green Island half- or full-day cruise (from $80, 4.4/5 from 1,990 reviews) lets you choose the glass-bottom boat instead of snorkel gear. In the Whitsundays, the Airlie Beach glass-bottom boat ($71, 4.2/5 from 271 reviews) runs a one-hour trip from Shute Harbour.

Access varies from boat to boat. Ask about the number of steps, handrails, doorway widths and help for the exact craft. The Airlie Beach glass-bottom boat lists itself as unsuitable for wheelchair users and does not allow walking frames.

Underwater observatories

At Quicksilver’s Agincourt platform, Sunlover’s Moore Reef pontoon and the Cruise Whitsundays pontoon on Hardy Reef, the observatory is a fixed viewing room below the pontoon. Not every operator has one. It needs no extra boat ride, and you can visit at your own pace while it is open. The limits are the fixed windows, the stairs down and the natural visibility on the day.

Check that the observatory is running and included. “Underwater viewing” in a listing can mean only a semi-submersible.

Scenic flights for non-swimmers

A plane or helicopter flight is completely dry and fits into a few hours. It shows you sand cays and reef patterns that are hard to make out from sea level. Flights from the Whitsundays can cover Heart Reef, Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet; flights from Cairns fly over the reefs north and east of the city.

• Cairns: the Outer Edges scenic flight costs $143 and holds 4.9/5 from 3,672 reviews. It includes a window seat and headsets. Passengers must weigh no more than 115 kg and step into the plane without help.
• Airlie Beach: the Whitsundays & Heart Reef Scenic Flight costs $249 (4.9/5 from 1,786 reviews) and the Whitsunday Islands & Heart Reef Scenic Flight $250 (4.9/5 from 1,635 reviews). Both spend about an hour in the air and promise a window seat; the weight limits are 125 kg and 130 kg.

Flights have their own rules on mobility, weight and weather. Check the exact airfield, transfers, window seats and aircraft steps. Our Heart Reef scenic flight guide covers the Whitsunday options, and our scenic flights guide covers Cairns and Port Douglas too.

Can a non-swimmer try snorkelling with flotation?

Some operators provide flotation, guided help and an easy entry from the platform; Quicksilver includes buoyancy vests and lifeguard supervision, and Sunlover includes a life jacket. A life jacket does not make snorkelling suitable for everyone, though. Open water, breathing through a snorkel and putting your face in the sea can all be hard.

Tell the operator how well you swim before you book. If you decide to try, start only with a crew member beside you and be ready to stop. Never let a prepaid activity push you past what feels safe.

What about helmet diving?

Some pontoons and islands offer helmet walks: Seawalker at Green Island and on the Sunlover pontoon, Oceanwalker on the Quicksilver platform. You don’t need to swim, but you do go underwater, and there are rules on health, age, mobility and clearing your ears. The Green Island and Seawalker helmet dive combo ($207, 4.3/5 from 69 reviews) sets a minimum age of 12 and is not suitable for pregnant women. On the Sunlover and Quicksilver days, the helmet walk is an extra you pay for on top of the ticket.

Read the health form early and ask how you get into the water. Treat a helmet walk as an optional extra, not the only reason to book, unless you have confirmed you are eligible.

Questions to ask before paying

• Which activities need no water entry?
• Are they included in the base ticket?
• Do they run once or several times a day?
• What replaces an activity that cannot run?
• How many steps and transfers are involved?
• Is the seating shaded and air-conditioned?
• Can a companion help during boarding?
• Can the staff support hearing, vision or mobility needs?
• How long is the boat crossing?

Frequently asked questions

Is a reef trip worthwhile if I cannot swim?

Yes, if you pick the tour for its dry viewing. A pontoon gives you close underwater views and a flight gives you the wide view from above. A dive boat with no alternative activities is poor value for a non-swimmer.

Can I stay on the boat while others snorkel?

Usually, but how much you get from the day varies. A pontoon gives you more to do than waiting on board a small boat that moves between sites.

Are glass-bottom boats included?

Sometimes. The Sunlover pontoon day includes one; Quicksilver and Cruise Whitsundays run a semi-submersible instead, and on Green Island you choose between the glass-bottom boat and snorkel gear unless your ticket includes both. Check the exact inclusion list.

What if I get seasick?

Choose a larger boat, or fly, if motion is a big worry for you. Ask a pharmacist or doctor about suitable prevention and follow the directions before you travel.

Our booking advice

For a full shared day, choose a pontoon with at least two dry viewing methods included: Quicksilver from Port Douglas if you can get there, Sunlover from Cairns if you can’t. For a shorter, completely dry visit, choose a scenic flight, from $143 in Cairns. Confirm physical access and the backup activities with the operator directly, instead of relying on the word “accessible”, and check your date in the booking panel above, because sailings change with the weather.