Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef: Experiencing the Breath-taking Beauty of Australia

Deep down the beautiful island country, Australia, there’s the mesmerizing the Great Barrier Reef and the Cairns. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef in the world and an abode for the amazing variety of wildlife animals.

Cairns on the other hand is gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and a 90 minutes boat ride to the outer barrier reef. A helicopter flight takes a mere 30 minutes to the outer barrier reef from Cairns.

Those who want to take a trip to the tropical island, they can take a boat ride of 45 minutes to visit the Green Island and Fitzroy Island which is not too far. You can also visit the south of Cairns to experience the charming Frankland Island.

Before you experience the Australian nature and the wildlife, you need to get a Visa to enter the country. You are authorized to visit the country as a foreign resident only if you have the Australia ETA Visa (For Americans, Canadians, Japanese) or eVisitor for European citizens. This is valid for business visits and for tourism purpose.

All you need to do is to apply online for the ETA Visa and it gets electronically connected to your passport without the involvement of any Visa officer. It does not even require a stamp on the passport.

Now that you are ready with all the valid travelling documents, let’s see what the Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef has to offer.

Cairns

It’s a fashionable city known for its laid off, hot climate, and a relaxed ambiance. It takes you to the wildlife wonders in the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. You can choose to relax in the Port Douglas Resorts, on the Mission Beach, on Lizard Island, or simply take a ride to Kuranda in the old railway, you have options to galore explore.

If you are a river fanatic, a tropical drive to the white-water rivers can be ideal for you, or a quick visit to the Atherland Islands to suffice your quest. For an outback trip, you can easily head north towards Cape Tribulation or the Savannah Way.

If you are in the mood for some shopping and explore the local taste, you can shop at the local markets and try the seafood and the tropical fruits as bonus.

The Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is a heaven on earth that stores a world of surprises and some memorable experiences for its visitors. Made of 2900 reefs 900 islands it’s the largest reef platform and marine park in the globe. Yes, it’s so large that you can even see it from the Moon!

It started growing around 18 million years ago. But with certain major geological events like the Ice Ages and the low levels of seawater stunted the growth of the reef. The modern reefs are the ones that have developed over the old reef structures in the last 8000 years.

The reef makes for some high-energy activities for both the swimmers and the non-swimmers. You can even choose to dive or Snorkel, tour the observatory located underwater, get a cruise ride in a semi-submarine, or simply get some sun on the sundeck with some delectable food for lunch.

The Great Barrier Reef offers a dynamic marine life that takes you to the world’s natural wonders. Well, if you are a sucker for more activities then you have more to explore on the Outer Great Barrier Reef activity platform. From a thrilling Scuba Dive to a picturesque helicopter tour there’s a lot more to enjoy at the Great Barrier Reef.

Cairns is a passage to the wonderous Great Barrier Reef and so, you have the chance to explore both the worlds with forests, reefs, and the rivers. All you need is the evisitor Australiaor ETA visa to enter the country and there you are, diving, snorkelling, and taking a ride in the world heritage wonders of the Great Barrier Reef.