What is the <span class="highlight">best</span> <span class="highlight">time</span> <span class="highlight">to</span> go Cairns for reefs?

September is the best time.... So they'd want to go pretty soon

Serg,

We have been to Port Douglas both in May and September on different occasions and the last thing we even thought about was jellyfish.

The best solution is to take a boat charter from Pt Douglas out to the reef and snorkel or scuba dive, depending on one's preference.

Just about any of the charter boats would provide a great day out on the reef. Don't even worry about the rare event of being "left behind" in the water. You are still much safer than crossing any suburban road.

A good solution is to take a "Quicksilver" cruise out to ribbon reef, if you don't mind crowds. (about a hundred and fifty people at a time on the pontoon), There you have the opportunity to snorkel in a patrolled and observed area, or do an "intro" scuba dive which is very good indeed.

Alternatively, a smaller charter caters for anywhere from 12 to 30 odd people at a time and we have enjoyed both extremes.

I regard myself as one of the most experienced "introductory" scuba diver's around. Every time I go up there, I do an introductory dive, which basically means you are restricted to a certain area and depth, but I love it anyway. I come back home promising myself I will do a scuba diving course, but of course that never happens.

What I have described above, is the best way to "see reefs" but some of the charter services (Quicksilver for sure) also offer a glass bottomed boat trip over the reefs, but this isn't the same as actually being in the water.

Mate, we have even "swum with sharks". At some locations, you are in the water over a reef which has resident sharks present. These sharks are usually white tipped reef sharks and are fairly small, although they look huge through your face mask.

I basically trust the charter operators (and the Queensland Government) to provide an adventure that is exciting but also quite safe.

Gee, I have prattled on enough.

Anywhere "up there" is a great holiday, but I think basing yourself at Pt Douglas, or somewhere just north of Cairns, such as Trinity Beach, would give you and your friends the best holiday. You can commute to Cairns for the day, but really, it's just another "City" in my opinion.

Bill.

After living in Cairns for 4 years and the Whitsundays for 2 I would have to say last 2 weeks of October, first 2 weeks of November is an incredible time of the year. It can be very unpredictible though if the wet decides to come a bit early but if it is a good year there is no wind and beautiful days if you snag a good year. I always find May is a good month too.
As for the Stingers, they usually do not hang out on the reef and they are a coastal jellyfish.
Some one above said the ribbon reefs are a good dive and I would have to agree it would be the best of the pick if you want to dive the reef to say u have dived the reef.
Personally from experience (and being a divemaster) the more expensive/smaller crowds are the best value for money as they do not take u to a pontoon that has had minimum 100 people a day for most of the year. As a consequence the reef is really dead.
My first dive on the reef was 20 years ago. I had the oppurtunity of diving a reef called "Temple of doom" about 16 years ago. Just before they filmed a documentry called "24hrs in the life of The Temple Of Doom". 6 years ago we managed to dive it again after coming in from 3 days diving in the Coral sea. That was the last dive I will ever do on the Barrier Reef. I found it dead from alll the tourists killing the reef. From now on I am looking at going to other less known destinations.
Peter

Thanks everyone for replays and great advise. So far I been only in Townsville on Magnetic Island, but even judging from that I make no mistake that seeing outer reefs is greatest holiday experience indeed. This is exactly why I have advised my friends if they decide to go down under it would be completely silly miss such an opportunity.

Cheers
Serg