A Travel Advisor’s Guide to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef, which stretches over 1,400 miles along Australia’s east coast, is bigger than the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands combined. Given its size, there are many ways to experience it—including private villas, exclusive-use islands and superyachts. As a travel advisor who’s visited this technicolor natural wonder multiple times, here are my top tips for planning a trip there. 

Where to Stay

For a truly private reef encounter, consider exclusive-use islands like Pelorus Private Island, which has a full-service beach house that accommodates 11 guests. For a more remote and rustic location, Haggerstone Island is in the far north reaches of the reef. Other luxury resort options include The House at Lizard Island and The Residence at Qualia.

There are adult-only properties if you’re looking for a romantic experience. Enjoy sunset cocktails in your own plunge pool at Qualia on Hamilton Island, detach from the rest of the world at Bedarra Island Resort, or slip away to Wilson Island for intimate glamping. 

Families with younger children are welcomed at the new Sundays on Hamilton Island and the InterContinental Hayman Great Barrier Reef resort in the heart of the Whitsunday Islands. Further north, Orpheus Island also offers a collection of family-friendly amenities and activities. At the fabulous Silky Oaks Lodge, visitors can experience two UNESCO World Heritage-listed natural wonders side-by-side: Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef.

What to Do

Incredible snorkeling and scuba diving can be found across the Great Barrier Reef. Lizard Island, for example, provides opportunities to snorkel with green turtles above giant clam gardens or dive at the famous Cod Hole. For serious underwater explorers, stay on a dive ship that goes to some of the most remote and biodiverse spots on the planet. 

For those who’d rather stay above water, the 74 tropical islands in the Whitsundays offer spectacular cruising grounds for bareboat charters and superyachts alike. If you’re interested in visiting the Outer Reef, which is approximately 90 minutes by catamaran from the mainland, you might consider a scenic heli-transfer to beat the crowds and enjoy aerial views that help contextualize the Great Barrier Reef’s vast scale.

When to Visit 

Generally speaking, May through October is considered to have the most stable weather conditions and best underwater visibility. But there are certain natural phenomena that travelers may want to time their trip around. 

• Swim with Minke Whales at the Ribbon Reefs in June-July.
• Take part in reef conservation by joining The Great Reef Census in September-January
• Game fish for black marlin on Lizard Island in September-November
• Witness coral spawning in the Reef’s northern reaches just after a full-moon in October-December
• Watch turtle hatchlings make their way out to sea at Mon Repos, Heron Island, or Lady Elliot in February-April.

Stuart Rigg is a member of Travel + Leisure’s A-List and specializes in trips to Australia. You can create a tailor-made itinerary with Rigg at [email protected].