We had an amazing 2 weeks during our vacation in Australia: we especially loved the rainforests, Great Barrier Reef, Sydney, and the amazing animals! Australia had some of the best snorkeling and scuba diving we’ve ever experienced; this might be one of the best places in the world to snorkel. We saw so many varieties of fish, sharks, sting rays, corals, whales, crocodiles, koalas, kangaroos, birds, caves, and more. On land, the beaches and scenery were breathtaking. The rainforests was also so lush. And we really loved Sydney! We hope you enjoy this video of our 2 weeks down under in 4k!
One week in the Great Barrier Reef
Our week of snorkeling and diving in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia was fantastic! So many underwater wonders in the coral reef. This is our snorkel, scuba, and on-ship footage. This was one of our bucket list dream “things to do” and we had an amazing time. We did multiple dives at several dive spots. We started at a Ribbon Reef, then a couple of other spots, and another Ribbon Reef. We hope you enjoy this video of our snorkeling and scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia in 4K! We have other videos with just our snorkeling or just our scuba diving as well if you want to compare the experiences!
Scuba Diving vs Snorkeling: The Great Debate
So you’re going on vacation, and aren’t sure if you should be going snorkeling, or making that extra effort to scuba dive. Snorkeling is so much easier, doesn’t require the extra training you’ll have to do (and keep doing), and costs a lot less. But everyone makes it seem like you’re missing out if you don’t scuba dive! Well, we went to the Great Barrier Reef, and went snorkeling and scuba diving for almost a week; here is our experience!
Continue reading “Scuba Diving vs Snorkeling: The Great Debate”
Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef for a Week
We went snorkeling and diving in the Great Barrier Reef for a week in Australia and it was fantastic! This is our snorkel footage. There are so many underwater wonders in the coral reefs! The GIANT CLAMS were AMAZING! They grow up to 300 pounds!! One of our bucket list dream vacations and we had an amazing time. We did multiple dives at a few dive spots. We started at a Ribbon Reef, then a couple of other spots, and another Ribbon Reef. We hope you enjoy this video of our snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia in 4K! We have another video with our scuba diving in the channel as well if you want to compare the experiences!
Lots of koalas at this wildlife habitat near the Great Barrier Reef!
The Wildlife Habitat in Port Douglas, Australia, is an interactive zoo featuring guided encounters with koalas, kangaroos, birds, reptiles & more. There were lots of cute koalas and birds. We especially enjoyed feeding wallabies and kangaroos. It’s a great wildlife habitat. The black necked stork was very beautiful.
A week of scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef
We went scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and it was fantastic! One of our bucket list dream vacations and we had an amazing time. We did multiple dives at a few dive spots. We started at a Ribbon Reef, then a couple of other spots, and another Ribbon Reef. We hope you enjoy this video of our scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia in 4K!
Tour of the Coral Expeditions II
In looking for a multi-day tour of the Great Barrier Reef we found that the majority of cruises are designed for scuba divers, so we were thrilled when we discovered Coral Expeditions and their ship the Coral Expeditions II, which offers itineraries that cater to snorkelers.
This was our first cruise on a small vessel (the ship holds around 50 passengers), and we were pleasantly surprised with the amenities and level of service onboard. The common spaces, including a lounge, dining room and sundeck, were clean and well-maintained. Our cabin on Deck C featured two fixed twin beds with drawers for our belongings, a small closet, and a built-in writing desk. The bathroom was our least favorite part of the room, as we struggled to alleviate the humidity and moisture that would build up after showering.
We would definitely travel with Coral Expeditions again, although next time we’d probably choose a larger room with a double bed.
Tour of the Pullman Reef Hotel Cairns
The 5-star Pullman Reef Hotel in Cairns, Australia is a beautiful hotel with a luxurious, tropical style. Our spacious guest room had a king bed, couch, and writing desk, and the surprisingly large bathroom featured a double vanity, spa bathtub, marble shower, and separate powder room. We loved the perks at the Pullman Reef like the complimentary mini bar, pillow menu, free drink each night in the trendy BAR36, and complimentary daily breakfast in the Thai-inspired Tamarind restaurant.
Tour of the Hilton Cairns
We enjoyed a one night stay at the Hilton Cairns in Queensland, Australia during our trip to the Great Barrier Reef. Our King Deluxe room was clean, the bed was super comfy, and our balcony overlooked the stunning waterfront. The hotel staff was extremely friendly and accommodating of our early check-in and late check-out request, which we greatly appreciated after our (very!) long flight to Australia.
Overall, we found the Hilton Cairns to be a great value for the price, and would definitely consider staying there again.
Adventures for two 