John Brewer Reef on the Great Barrier Reef via Sunsea Cruises - Townsville - Things To Do Reviews

Sunsea Cruises does a great job getting you out and back to experience some of the most beautiful marine life in the world on John Brewer Reef, part of the Great Barrier Reef northest of Townsville, Australia. The huge powered catamaran "reef cat" type boats are very steady and well equipped for 130 people to all have fun in the water at the same time. The snorkelling, scuba diving (including an intro to SCUBA for beginners without requiring a diving certification), smaller glass bottom boats, and surface floatations make the experience of interacting with the natural reef life a truly memorable experience.

The price of $145 per adult may seem expensive but it is well worth it. There is also a family discount of $381 including 2 Adults and 2 Children (5 - 15 years). Diving cost $70-$90 extra but Sunsea Cruises supplies the equipment and you do not have to be certified to dive. We got a group discount and it does take a couple hours to sail out to the reef and back which consumes quite a bit of fuel. Sunsea Cruises is very Eco-friendly and has been awarded "best practices" by Advanced EcoTourism Accreditation. You get to spend about 4 hours on the reef and a light tropical buffet meal is included with your fare.

The staff is very friendly and helpful--they always try to make you feel comforatble and the marine biologist on each voyage is very knowledgeable if you have any questions about the marine life. The marine biologist also does a fantastic presentation on the way out to the reef. Nobody got seasick on our trip due to the large size and catamaran style of the Sunsea Cruise "reef cat" ships which also have easy access to the water from the fantail. Besides the beautiful colors of the tropical fish, we also were treated to a giant sea clam estimated to be over 100 years old due to the pointiness of the shell worn away by the ocean over the years. The live reef is absolutely amazing! Highly recommend if you travel to Australia to visit the Great Barrier Reef! Don't miss this opportunity!