Fitzroy Island Day Tour from Cairns

Great Eacape!

A short ride from Cairns, but a world away. Feels like you just went to a distant tropical island! Lots of places to get away for some solitude.

The few people that make the difference. Its not the view . It's the staff...thankyou apii

Apii was amazing...she my sure i got my roasting dish to cook. She went out of her way above and beyond ...she finished work at 4.30. and still chose to help me one her returned days off ...so glad she was here . You need more ladies like her on board...so proud

Excellent service, 5 thumbs up!

Apart from the excellent view and exciting activities, what makes our memorable stay is the excellent service of one of the best staff @ FISH (Fitzroy Island Sports Hub) receptionist KAMI. She exceeds all expectations. We are very happy. We will definitely come back with friends and relatives. 5 thumbs up!

We really enjoyed the island and made it to Nudey Beach!

Ellie, who was a new employee with Fitzroy Island Adventures helped to make our day really pleasant. The weather was decent the day that we went and the trip to the beach although a bit hard for us 'oldies' was still great, the water was really nice. We will definitely come back or go to Green Island next time we go back to Cairns. It was rough going out and I did get a bit crook, but the staff responded very professionally.

Weather Fitzroy Island

Not great weather at all. If raining DO NOT GO, boring and can't see anything. Nice walk to Nudeys Beach. A little disappointing especially at the price advertised including snorkelling gear. Tour operator friendly.

Expensive Ferry and bring your own gear

We found the booking options somewhat confusing. We wanted to do a half day of snorkeling but it wasn't super clear to us which option that was so we booked a half day and then rented gear once on the boat. We arrived at the stated time and it felt odd that nobody was there and ready to greet us, when we walked into the boat we had to ask someone if we were at the right place. We found seats and then asked about gear, which we were able to add to our day for $30 each for a snorkels, mask, fins, stinger suits and one life jacket. The boat ride out was fine, got dropped off and told to meet back at the boat to leave at 2pm. So the half day was leaving around 10:45, getting to the island at 11:30 and back on the boat at 1:45. That's a very short half day for what we spent for the ferry and rental gear. The rental gear was very low quality and we fought with the snorkels filling up with water because they had the bottom clearing thing which seemed to leak for everyone. I'd recommend anyone doing this to book the full day and either buy or rent good gear from a dive shop. The snorkeling was ok but with so much effort to come up to clear the snorkel and mask it was hard to relax and enjoy it.

catering best for tourist

not very impressed with Fitzroy, it caters to tourists I'd rather see it before all the new buildings and pathways, lots of places to purchase food but it's not that good. not a lot to see unless you go snorkeling or scuba diving and I hear that's quite good.

Fitzroy island

The views were amazing as well as the scenery. Only downside is the weather was too hot. We really should have gone during winter or dry season.

Fitzroy Island Day trip

Water clarity just so so, we expected to see more fish. Hiked to Nudey (not a nudist) Beach For snorkeling would probably have done better the opposite direction

Fitzroy island cruise

Had an amazing day. Staff were friendly, and very thorough with safety and presenting info for the tour. A truly spectacular day. Prices were great.

Snorkeling great

Snorkeling was great...lots of coral and fish to see to left of rocks when looking out to pier. Glass bottom boat not worth time and money.. Ferry out was fun and relaxing.

Gear/crew response was not up to expectation

While the island was beautiful, the service provided was not as expected. This company issues gear and the boat leaves. My snorkel mask was crappy plastic and would not seal. Water in my nose and eyes, fogging up my mask. I walked down to their “table” twice but no one around. I ended up renting and paying for a mask from the dive shop so I could enjoy the day. At end of day, I reported the issue to the crew and they didn’t care. I thought they should take that mask out of commission so it wasn’t given to someone else but they just shrugged it off. I’m Padi certified, so dive some and snorkel a lot, but they didn’t care. Total opposite of the experience 2 days earlier with a different reef snorkel day and company. Frustrating.

FAB Marine Conservation Program with Marine Biologist! :)

I had SUCH an amazing time doing the marine conservation program with Emma the Marine Biologist and dive master. She has a brilliant energy, super lovely and bubbly and really knowledgeable - I learned heaps about the turtles, the reef and the marine life. Plus the reef is stunning and brimming with marine life!! Ash is the lovely lady who looks after the turtles in the rehabilitation centre. Again, she had such a great energy, fun, very enthusiastic and passionate about her turtles. She helped us get involved with feeding and looking after the beautiful injured turtles. All the staff in the dive shop were really helpful and friendly. There was a great atmosphere and vibe among all of the staff on the island and on the ferry. Really worth a visit to Fitzroy and I highly recommend the Marine Conservation Program, thank you everyone! :)

Family Holiday

Great day out to the island. Great facilities on the island and our tour guides were friendly and helpful. We really enjoyed our snorkelling - was amazing. The food at the restaurant was so good!

Wonderful experience

Such a wonderful resort and they have everything you need! Special thanks to Krishna for the warm welcome, reception staff, Snorkeling Safari staff and Tay the instructor for being really amazing all throughout our stay! 100% recommended!! Would definitely come back!

Great snorkelling

Great day trip to Fitzroy Island, snorkelling along the beach and lunch at the bar/cafe were great experiences and I would highly recommend to everyone!

A day in paradise

Wonderful trip to an island - feeling like Moana - my 7 yrs old loved it. The snorkeling was really nice and the restaurant provided delicious food. A day in paradise

Good way to see the reef

Even on a cloudy day with rain this trip was a great way to see the reef close to shore. The sky cleared off and on and we enjoyed the island

Fitzroy Island Day Trip and Snorkel Safari

The Fitzroy Island Day trip with snorkel safari was amazing, a shoutout to Ty and Andy who made the experience a lot more fun and enjoyable, I was new to snorkelling but their teaching was really helpful and they were both very knowledge about the reef

Decent excursion though we were overcharged for the snorket gear

Fitzroy Island Adventures does a decent job of organizing this trip to Fitzroy Island. Their boat is fairly easy to find - just make sure you get the one that reads "Fitzroy Island Adventures" as there are several tour operators going to the island. We opted to include the additional Snorkel Safari ($120.00 for the two of us) and it would have been nice to be informed that snorket gear was included in the snorket safari. Instead, when I booked snorket gear for my son, because he didn't have any - they let me pay the additional $25.00 - for his rental, instead of doing the decent thing and pointing out that we didn't, in fact, need an additional rental. His snorket leaked a lot as well, but he may have been using it wrong. The Snorket Safari is not really worth it. You're simply taken to the reef a little past the turtle rehabilitation center and the coral reef was no better than the reef at the far end of the beach - by the campground. THAT reef was very good - lots of coral gardens with great colors, stingrays, sea turtles and a great variety of fish. The lunch was OK - couple of sandwiches and an apple - and Nudey Beach is lovely as well. Fitzroy is a very good island for snorkelling - it was my second time here) IF you know where the coral gardens are. You don't need a special tour or guide to get to them.

Great Island Snorkeling Day Trip

This was a fun snorkeling day trip before we went on our scuba liveaboard experience. The beaches are pristine and snorkeling was amazing. We saw a few small reef sharks and a turtle. The cafe was great, and walk to Nudey Beach was nice and shaded and worth the hike. Just make sure to wear a stinger suit during their summer months to be safe. It didn't seem as busy as the Green Island.

Do yourself a favour and dong do a day trip Here

Dear Families, We went to Fitzroy Island for a 1/2 day to do a snorkeling Tour the snorkeling tour was fantastic with the guide Ty. That was the only good thing about it. The Resort Manger Rodney is rude and disrespectful when as a tourist was only seeking advice/help. He needs to do a course in customer service. We travel a-lot and had recently attended Green island and the staff and atmosphere there was great. Nothing was an issue. Fitzroy island is very run down and old. Do yourself a favour go to Green Island instead.Green island has much more do,better beaches,snorkeling and more food options.

We snorkeled here for...

We snorkeled here for entire day. The experience was better than snorkeling at Great Barrier. We spotted turtle, stingray, plenty of other fishes and beautiful coral formations.

Fitzroy Island dilemma

We spent 3 nights on Fitzroy Island (3/01/2024 to 6/01/2024). This place is an absolute disgrace. It would not pass an OH&S test, a Building Standards exam would shut this place down & Health regulations would also close the place immediately. How they can justify the cost of everything they offer is plane robbery. Every price is way above reasonable. There is no customer service and no interest in visitor welfare. I would definitely not recommend staying here & I will definitely never wast my time & money even to consider returning. As I said above, Fitzroy Island Resort is an absolute disgrace & I cannot give it a low enough number on the rating scale. It is not worth itemising the the various troubles they are too numerous to mention.

Fitzroy Island Half Day Trip

The Tour (10.15 boarding) was late starting and the Motor Cat was 15mins late arriving at the dock. No explanation given but as it was 93% humidity and we are an elderly couple, a bit much to expect us to stand outside in the heat - we were there 15min early as per tour instructions too which made it 30mins waiting. The crew were nice, but the cabin was still sticky even with the A/c on. So on the trip back to Cairns we opted for the upper deck in the open air breeze which was warm but great. The optional addition of the glass bottom boat trip was a waste of money as cyclone Jasper had stirred up the water and covered all the Coral with a grey sand, no colour at all. Only a very few coloured fish. The Bar/Cafe on Fitzroy Island had insufficient tables for all the arrivals to be seated at so we had to sit on steps to eat our lunch and drinks we purchased from the bar. On the upside the scenery was beautiful as were the beaches with a water temperature of 28deg C, great for a swim, but beware the Stingers (jellyfish), and hire a stinger proof suit to wear in the water.

Gorgeous tropical island

Fitzroy is a beautiful island with plenty to do an see. Wether it’s going on a hike or snorkelling or just enjoying sitting on the beach. We saw a baby reef shark and spotted sting ray. The fish and the reef was amazing to see.

Full day tour w/snorkel hire, solo trip.

For me this was a 3.5-4 experience. Overall i'm glad i did it, but not without one or two qualms. Though some may be more of a personal preference than anything, you can be the judge. I booked the full day tour at $114aud, including snorkel equipment hire. There is a half day option, but half day and full day are the same price. To be honest i think the half day would have been enough for me, but yeah personal preference. Overall it was very nice, very much the tropical island, great beaches with wonderful scenery. It was nice to walk around and take a swim for a while on the beach near the jetty and attend a talk at the Turtle Rehabilitation Centre. Unfortunately, i didn't get to do any snorkeling as i think the mask i was given was faulty. To be fair i'm not sure if it was actually faulty, or if i wasn't using it right. But i did what they demonstrated on the boat on the way there (to tighten the mask) but the tightening strips would come out whenever i tried. Still though, i'm not sure if it would have mattered much as the water was cloudy. Perhaps there were better spots for it. As i mentioned earlier, i didn't really need the full day and the last couple of hours i was killing time. However, i was getting annoyed because the one area with seating, Foxy's Bar & Cafe was rammed with people and there are no seating elsewhere. I had left it later in the day to get some lunch from Foxy's figuring most people would have eaten by then, but i was dead wrong and ended up getting something to eat once we got back to Cairns. Something else i didn't really like was once you reach the end of the jetty you're welcomed by a sign outside the resort/hotel area saying 'private property'. I don't know, just doesn't seem much in the spirit of a tropical paradise to me. I don't know the layout, but i would have thought that the outside seating area you see by the sign would be accompanied by an additional restaurant for day visitors (who can use the extra seating). Not to moan too much, but the last hour was a bit of a balls up. It was raining, which gradually resulted in a tropical downpour (not so surprising given it's tropical, but only a little rain had been forecast). The jetty was full of people and there was a single marquee set up that sheltered about 10 people out of at least 250. A different company was trying to load their customers onto their boat, who were getting stressed out and quite testy towards us waiting. The company i traveled with (Fitzroy Island Adventures) turned up but we understandably had to wait. We eventually got the go ahead to board our boat after 20mins or so and it was all a bit chaotic, reason for that being it was an open top boat and whoever didn't get inside would have to ride in the downpour on a pretty rough sea. I understand these things happen, but I'd suggest a cover the whole way down the jetty would be a good idea. And the staff should try to refrain from sarcastic comments, i understand it was probably stressful for them, but i didn't think it was necessary to say to us waiting that we need to suck it up. Overall it was fine, i'd definitely recommended people visit, but it might be an idea to bring along a fold-able chair and a lunch (and umbrella).

BAD BAD BAD experience on Fitzroy island

Our original cruise was canceled with no formal notice AT ALL. And we had to book another one to the Fitzroy land with Sunlover on the spot. I had the full package plan which was 128 dollars, but we were informed that the glass bottom boat was canceled again when we went to the departing spot. What’s even worse, we were only refunded for 14.4 dollars for the cancellation. Another thing about this spot is that you can barely see any sea life around the beach. And the island was a resort, so most of the place was restricted to enter, leaving us only one place to have food and toilet. Could u guys imagine walking for 1.2km for a toilet which is the only available toilet for cruise visitors? NOT RECOMMENDED

Great trip but snorkeling equipment supplied was below par

The snorkeling tour by Nicole was great. Ended up seeing the common green sea turtle during this tour. The snorkeling equipment supplied was below par. The strap on one side kept slipping up constantly interrupting my snorkeling on Nudey beach and the other. Beach. The flippers too kept slipping that I eventually swam without them.

Perfect if the weather is good!

Unfortunately for us the weather wasn’t great. The boat trip was rough and the water was murky so was hard to see the fish and coral when snorkeling but I can see if it was a good day, it would have been amazing Such a beautiful little Island, the food and drinks at the cafe were good too Would definitely do it again!

Ferry ticket

The trip was essentially a ferry service to the Fitzroy Island and nothing much. There could be other ferries you could consider rather than going on this tour. The most expensive ferry ticket I have ever bought! You have to pay additionally for snorkeling kit and glass bottomed boat trip. I took a half day trip and will not recommend it to anyone.

The Good and Bad…

We went on the full day trip with family. Nudey Beach is worth the 15-20 minute walk. The other beach to the left of the hotel and pier were subpar and not worth the trip. As far as the tour company goes, the boat and ride were good. The rental equipment is cheap and of poor quality which isn’t shocking for this type of thing. If you can bring your own mask and snorkel, do so. Their masks and snorkels leaked. The stinger suits are a total pain to get on and should be two pieces plus they get awkward and an inconvenient to lug around. More than half the people went without and had no issues but you never know. Carrying all the equipment around without a pack is a chore but there are lockers there near the restaurant. Bring footwear that is comfortable on a trail to get to Nudey Beach. Not a horrible walk but won’t be easy for the elderly and out of shape. Once on the beaches, you’ll need surf shoes or something similar since there is broken dead coral everywhere. It isn’t sharp but it’s not pleasant to walk on.

Laid back nature

Everyone ssys you have to see the great barrier reef, and visiting Fitzroy island is part of that. Beautiful island. Relaxed boat trip to and from the island.

Coral is alive and healthy

I chose this trip exclusively to snorkel. The ferry from the wharf was located right behind my hotel, but not too well marked. My many thanks to the pleasant locals who assisted me in directions. A 45 minute sunny water ride brought us to the island which is nice for just spending the day. There is also a resort located on the island should anyone want to stay awhile. My snorkel trip was fantastic. A short 1 hour, I could have stayed out all day. Jake took care to watch us, educate us and keep both the reef and the swimmers safe. After returning to shore, I snorkeled for another half hour. I signed up for a full day but took the earlier ferry back to Cairns, as the beach was steep and consisted of brittle coral bones, making it slippery and impossible to sit on. There is another section where I sat on a fuzzy flat rock shaped like a sandbag and watched a few people going in or walking along the shore.

Great my holiday

There’s amazing island. I went hiking n go snorkeling. Also under the sea is colorful coral reefs. Nice cafe at the beach side.

Loved it, a must do trip from Cairns

Loved the trip to Fitzroy Island. All the staff on the boat were really friendly and helpful. We had lunch at the restaurant and it was fantastic. We all had a different salad and they we amazing, great value for money and a great plateful of food. Glass bottom boat was fab and the instructor was very knowledgeable about the coral and the area. A great day out, not to be missed.

Boat ride

Basically a taxicab to and back 35min each way.Provided snorkeling gear. Nudey beach is a 20 min mild to moderate hike on stone steps up and down. For more elderly will take longer. Bring a large bag for snorkel gear fins and such. Schools of fish are to the right rocks. Wonderful We went for 1/2 day tour not much time to explore the island

Beautiful place but poorly organised

Fitzroy Island is a stunning place, we love to visit however I think the Day trip could be done so much better. We arrived before 9am and the Dive shop where you get your snorkel equipment didn't open until 9.15 and was so busy. It made for a lot of wasted time on the Island. We were booked in for a snorkel guided tour at 10, didn't leave until after 10.30 and included 45 minutes of snorkelling which was great, the coral and fish sighted was incredible. No-one advised us this would be late so we spent over 1.5 hours just waiting around when we could have been swimming. We were booked on 12.15 boat to Cairns so most of the time on Island was wasted which is disappointing as it's not a cheap trip when having the inclusions.

Wouldn’t do it again

The captain on board the ship was very rude and did nothing but talk bad about us using Viator. Even though our name was clearly on the list of customers. He threatened about not letting us on board because we used what he called a worthless third party company to book our trip. As expected everything on the island is very expensive and there was very little direction on what to do. Basically it is a ferry ride to the island providing snorkel items.

Great day out

Beautiful tropical island with coral, fish and turtles right at the beach, very easy to find for snorkelers. The equipment we hired was good and the crew very knowledgeable.

Little slice of paradise

Had a perfect day on this island. Great weather, saw turtles whilst snorkeling. The turtle rehab center was interesting too. The ride out and back was comfortable. Take sunscreen though!

An experience not to miss....

From pick up to return, the experience was 5 star. Staff were exceptional and fun. Fitzroy island and snorkelling is a must have activity in Cairns. The water was warm, turtles, all types of fish, the coral on a beautiful tropical island. To end it all with a relaxing cruise back to the mainland with a chance to see dolphins and stunning photo opportunities of the natural tropical landscape.

Beautiful island

We had a fabulous time! The hiking was beautiful and the beaches were gorgeous. Highly recommend checking out the Turtle Rehabilitation Center and booking a turtle talk.

Snorkelling and Sun

We had a lovely day at Fitzroy Island. The snorkelling between the main beach where the boat drops you off and Nudey beach was great, but took a while to find the good spots! The meals at the bar are very substantial. Secret garden walk was short with lots of wildlife to see. Be aware if booking through trip advisor they do not send you a boarding pass - you need to go into the terminal to get this from the info desk down the far end (which can be very busy!) We followed the trip advisor ticket instructions to meet at the vessel 1/2 an hour prior to departure, and were told off for doing so by the crew.

Amazing Day

The day was amazing from start to finish. The journey to Fitzroy Island was comfortable and the weather was calm. We walked to Nudey Beach and took in the views before returning for the glass bottom boat tour which was very informative and well organised. The optional lunch was great and very tasty. We hired snorkelling gear and took full advantage looking at all the coral and fish just off shore and just sat on the beach turtle spotting. The lockers on the island were really useful for storing all the gear when not needed. All in all it was an amazing day and very well organised. The crew were friendly and very helpful throughout the day. I would thoroughly recommend this trip.

High expectations

Had high expectations of this trip and although it was effected by some fairly average weather the island itself was disappointing.Nudey beach voted best beach in Aus?Dont get that one.

Had the best day

The staff were friendly and helpful from the moment you stepped on board. Lovely trip out to the island. Did the snorkelling tour and loved it. Had the best day and highly recommend to everyone to do it.

worth every penny, too good

Paradise on earth! Never thought a trip to the Australian tropics would be this wonderful except for the vomity ride to the island itself :D

Nice coral island

Nice beach But not so good for swimming Except there is a further part at Nudey beach, which a but far But it is a seasick issue with the fast boat

Enjoyable day out & professional crew.

The boat trip to Fitzroy Island was great despite very windy conditions. The crew were outstanding settling everyone in and giving advice on sea sickness and suggestions on taking motion sickness tablets etc… we hired snorkeling gear which was in good condition. I recommend trying on your gear quickly before you the vessel leaves cairns so you can swap if fins don’t fit or gear not right. They are a ferry service so they drop you off and leave so you need to know what your doing. There’s not a lot of time to swap things over. Highly organised, the crew friendly & professional. In regards to Fitzroy island, if you want to save some money bring food with you or you can buy from the cafe and gift shop. A relaxing day, lots to see. It’s a coral beach so if you have them wear surf booties or take runners. Very sharp on the feet. Great snorkeling. Highly recommend overall.