Australia's GREAT Barrier Reef

What ever you're looking for from a dive you will find it somewhere on the Barrier Reef. It's such a vast area that you can find your own space to investigate and spend weeks just poking around a variety of dives. Personally I enjoy swimming amongst the strange coloured coral formations and there are lots of places where you can go without much kit or even snorkel and still see an amazing array of marine life. The main problem is the tourists, but then they're mostly around a few spots and if you beg borrow of steal a boat you can find your own tourist free patch. Port Douglas has lost a bit of it's charms because of it's popularily with tourists, but if you go in the off season (and it's still be warm don't worry!) you can avoid the crowds and the worst of the dodgy tourist markets. It's touristy but worth doing - go on one of the glass bottomed boats around Green Island, it'sll spur you on to get your diving quals if you haven't already. So get a boat get some gear, find a quiet patch and be careful where you put your feet - this is an animals home remember and coral is living.