Great Barrier Reef for 3 nights - input please

[LiveaboardCom]

I have never been to AU and an opportunity to go in a week landed in my lap several hours ago. I am going and hope to dive the GBR. I've been googling and searching for hours and have just gotten more confused. I want to dive for two days, have my day before flight day and then head to the western coast. Can anyone recommend the best place to fly into for GBR diving and perhaps suggest a dive shop? I'm AOW, 50-ish dives and traveling solo. Thanks in advance!

If you're still interested in a dive trip to the outer GBR, the Ocean Quest and Coral Sea Dreaming liveaboards both offer 2-day dive safaris out of Cairns and have departures each month. If you're thinking of heading to Ningaloo, you can read more info about that in our guide to Western Australia scuba diving. The diving is great all year there, but be aware that this time of year is outside the main season for whale sharks and manta rays.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[caydiver]

We much preferred diving in the north Whitsundays than the Cairns area. Not a fan of the big dive platforms but liveaboard might be better. Up by Lizard Island was awesome.

 

[Deepas]

I was looking the other day, Mike ball seems to be doing expedition and exploratory trips including outer reefs, osprey, lizard island, up to 24 dives over 7 nights. Shark dives, pelagics, bommies, caves, swim throughs, drop offs, walls, etc. maybe even a wreck or remains of 1. Deep sea divers den may of changed boats and as far as I know and at minimum runs day trips.
The Yongala wreck can be accessed from townsville or Ayr. Out of townsville the weather can be hard to pick-so allow time to avoid disappointment, there's other tourist type stuff in the area magnetic island maybe some snorkeling / diving etc not if the boat doesn't go out , also a dive shop on the island. Ayr is a couple of hours from TV from memory,offers a more direct entry point and accommodation, again the boat didn't go out first time for me. It's not far from mission beach. Use the greyhound bus. I've done the trip both ways; from the witsundays (airlie beach) and from cairns using the greyhound bus, makes it more affordable, it's a fairly relaxing drive to.