Ocean Safari Great Barrier Reef Experience in Cape Tribulation

Excellent snorkel trip with a great operator

Very well run trip with an excellent crew - Muzza and Connor did a great job making everyone feel welcome and safe while having plenty of laughs along the way. The snorkelling was great too, we got lucky with excellent visibility.

Incredible experience

We had the best morning. Great snorkeling, incredible staff, and beautiful scenery. The Captain and Eleanor could not have been any more gracious. Surprise visit to the little island was perfect break. Highly recommemd!

Ocean safari tour of reef at cape Trib

Great experience, quick fast fun boat and thanks Connor for sharing knowledge about the reef and guiding in the water! Highly recommended! Music food drinks and view on offer!

Amazing best reefs in GBR! great staff

We saw so many healthy and colourful reefs (better than other tours we went to).Lots of fish and amazing corals. You have to pay extra for snacks because it is a half day tour. I preferred a half day tour to full day, as did the same amount of snorkelling which is what matters.

Disneyland under the water

Thank you Cole and Brooke for a memorable trip to the reef. You are so committed to creating a perfect guest experience including keeping us safe and informed about many aspects of the reef & marine life. We loved seeing the turtles, giant clams & stingrays plus every kind of large and small fish. The access to the reef from Cape Trib of only 40 minutes and the smaller number of passengers beats the other trips I’ve taken out the the reef hands down.

These guys do it fine

Hard to imagine a more special day, April 6. What a team we interacted with. From the ride out and back, pure fun. The training, tbe equipment big and small, the scuba for beginners, the snorkelling, pictures, food was great, staff so friendly and happy and wow service all over. The reef was alive and right there. Life memory day.

Cape Tribulation Ocean Safari Tour

An amazing day out on the reef after only a 30 minute exhilarating boat ride on a rubber raft boat out to the reef. Cape Tribulation is the closest point to the GBR which is great for those of us who may get sea sick! The staff were extremely helpful and kept everyone informed. The views were stunning and the water warm. Snorkelling with sea turtles and fish, sea cucumbers, reef sharks, rays etc. A really laid back crew who you could tell loved their jobs and who catered to all sorts of concerns and conditions. Nothing was too much trouble and safety was paramount.

Fantastic day out on the reef

Excellent experience, fun boat ride, 2 x snorkelling spots with plenty of time. Liz and Brooke were great fun and extremely competent guides.

Magic for families

We first visited and snorkelled off the Daintree in 2006 for our honeymoon. We came back in 2023 with our two kids 9 and 12. It was magical. Thanks to Brooke and Eliza for being a great crew and making our kids first experience so positive. If you want to experience the GBR as it should be then you need to go in a small group and set off from the oldest rainforests in the world. Such a beautiful location. We were also lucky enough to swim with a turtle. Highly recommended.

SNORKEL 10/10

The best time snorkeling with Brooke and Lizzie as our guides!!! 10/10 would recommend to anyone traveling to Cairns. We stayed at Daintree and had a quick drive for the morning cruise. Safe and so fun!! Thanks again to Brooke and Lizzie 15/10 guides!!!

Swam with a turtle!! Amazing! This felt like a safe but exciting tour.

Excellent trip, staff were friendly and interested, got to swim with a turtle which was amazing but all the snorkllng was good. Boat felt well maintained with good crew. Great trip thank you. Crew gave an excellent safety brief that was fun to listen to but also covered all the important points. On the reef it felt like they were watching carefully and were sensible about recommendations on leaving inhalers, epipens etc easily accessible. Lovely welcome when we arrived. Met at the office, we were a late booking but this presented no problems, usual health decs to be completed and sensible advice given. Cafe on site for coffee etc. Stinger suits given out and lovely to see advice given on how to wear them. Basic toilets, changing room available. Walked to beach as a group to get on boat, few steps up so need to be reasonable mobile but none on our trip had any issues. Boat was very stable and option to sit in front for an exciting ride or the 'captains lounge' at the back for a more sedate journey. I was pleased this wasn't a crazy bouncy thrill ride trip as i was concerned it might be. Sat in the back was fine in our trip for those with previous injuries. Good safety brief, clear where safety kit is, how to use lifejackets, where liferaft is, vhf radio was clearly working. There is a toilet on board but it is more for emergencies, boat toilets on this size vessel are notoriously tricky to use! Visit the toilets at the office first. Two separate snorkle sites plus visit to the island, all amazing. Lots to see, guided trip first. Guide in water happy to help at any time. Noodles and buoyancy jackets available for those that wanted it and no issue going back to boat when you'd had enough. Made it standard that a noodle was a good idea and in reality this provided them with much better visability of people too. Basic provisions available to purchase on board, snacks and drinks but didn't seem to have an issue if you had your own. As with all boats try to limit what you take with you as space limited but amazing dry storage for a small bag. Really you just want camera, towel, medication and personally I'd consider a windbreaker for trip back. They provide everything else from reefsafe suncream to floatation to stinger suits, snorkle s, flippers etc As with all trips I would try to buddy up with another person and keep an eye on each other, this trip was small numbers and staff were great at observation but do take some personal responsibility too. A bright swim cap might work but don't know if it would interfere with visor? Be aware most people look the same in the water in a stingersuit with mask on. I believe crew were Lizzie and Brooke ( hope I've got that right!) great to see a competent, capable, all girl crew - we are lagging behind in equality on the water in my home country so inspiring to see that gender made no difference to the way this boat was operated. Thank you guys for a great trip, safe and enjoyable.

Awesome

Wow what can I say - definitely bucket list. Thanks to the wonderful staff loved it and will recommend to all

Good snorkeling

Lovely snorkeling sites even for non experienced snorkelers. Takes off from a gorgeous beach. Can be very crowded on the boat, minimum to no space for storage so don’t bring many things. Staff was young but experienced and safety-minded. Bring jacket as it can get cool during the ride.

Great snorkeling!

I have gone to the reef at port Douglas on a big boat and one on a smaller boat but the ocean safari at Cape Trib was more exciting and a much better reef! Staff were excellent and the boat so much fun! No one was ill and the amount of fish, turtles and great reef was awesome! I recommend this reef experience to all my friends!

ALWAYS an incredible trip with Ocean Safari!

This was my 4th time doing this tour and I cannot recommend it enough. I have lived in the Cairns region and worked in tourism for the last 4 years and this is my favourite day trip to the Great Barrier Reef. The staff are always so incredibly friendly and helpful. I would say that my favourite thing about this trip is the snorkelling sites the tour goes to - they are out of this world. I have always seen turtles, reef sharks and so many different species of tropical fish. I absolutely love Ocean Safari, and so will you!

Amazing to see sharks,...

Amazing to see sharks, turtles, fish and huge mountains of coral on Mackay reef. Incredible experience.

GBR day trip in Daintree NP

I love snorkelling. This trip was epic. Great location, very good snorkelling and not too many people. Highly recommend

A must at Cape Trib

The whole thing was fantastic. From the time we arrived to suit up to boarding the boat we were having fun. The ride out to the reef was great and when we arrived it was gorgeous. We got a guided snorkel from Eve and had plenty of time to enjoy the reef and see the marine life. We then had time to explore the sand kay and a refreshment after our snorkel. Jai the boat driver was also excellent. I would highly recommend this to anyone if they can do it. You will not be disappointed.

Pristine reef

We had a fantastic snorkelling experience, both reefs were magnificent the crew both Jye and Eve were helpful and friendly. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars was the bloke in charge of getting people on and off the boat was rude and rushed everyone. An elderly lady slipped and fell into the water because she was being rushed off the boat for the afternoon tour. I was also very disappointed to see snorkellers kicking and breaking the coral with their flippers. It was unintentional of course, the water was to shallow. More emphasis on reef protection should be enforced.

The landscape, staff,...

The landscape, staff, reef, boat ride with just a handful of people, the whole experience. One has a sense of peacefulness and how lucky we are in this country

Fun Day

Well organized and excellent staff. A very enjoyable afternoon snorkeling on 2 reefs with a bonus of seeing a turtle.

A Perfect Day Out

This was an incredible experience for our whole family! We were very fortunate to have amazing weather and also to see some hump back whales. The crew where very friendly and informative teaching us about various fish and showing us where the turtles hang out. If we ever find ourselves back in the Daintree, we will defiantly be doing this again. Thank you so much for this amazing experience!

Perfect day

We had the best weather and a beautiful time snorkling on the reef with Col as our guide. I liked the walk through the forest and along the beach to meet the boat and that it was only a 25 minute trip to the reef. Headed back after 4 hours feeling fulfilled, relaxed and energised with the bonus experience of getting right up close to a mother hump back whale resting while her little one flapped and slidi and played on her and in the water. I could have watched this for hours.

Sensational day out

We had a fabulous time, The trip out there was so fun and we saw an astonishing variety of sealife and turtles up close. Eva and Brooke are a class act. Excellent and super-friendly briefings to make sure that everyone was happy and safe and the precious reef protected. Eva's tour at the first site was really interesting and well done. We learned so much. High recommended. J X

Not to be missed!

Absolute highlight of Cape Trib! Loved the fast boat, enjoyed the music and the sunshine on a quick trip out to the reef, the bonus being we got to spend more time in the water and less travelling. Had a fantastic time snorkelling, saw beautiful coral, fish and turtles, even a whale on the return journey. Got to snorkel along a coral ledge, which was magnificent. The boat and equipment were great, the host (Eve) and the skipper were very friendly, helpful and informative, and we felt very safe. Our two kids - 10 and 12 - enjoyed being out in the water and didn’t have any issues keeping up with the group, we also used some flotation devices to make things more relaxing and easier every now and then. It was also great having a small group, it didn’t feel crowded or too busy. A fantastic day, highly recommend it!

Fantastic snorkeling

Honestly just the best experience—doing this tour is one of those rare days you will remember forever. We saw the most amazing reef and sea life, including a ledge that is not always accessible. Staff was great and made us feel very safe.

Amazing day

We had great time with Ocean Safari, the snorkeling at Mackay Reef was amazing and the little island we went to is a little jewel in the middle of nowhere. They provided us with good equipment (fins, swimsuit and masks). I didn’t put 5 starts only because I didn’t enjoy the music on the boat, it was too loud and I’d have preferred the silence of the sea.

An awesome experience

We joined the morning snorkeling adventure with Brooke and Jai to the low isles from Cape Tribulation and were lucky enough to have the most amazing day for our trip:- a sunny day, no wind - perfect conditions. After a short -25 minute- boat trip out to the reef, we were rewarded with crystal clear water and amazing visibility. The reef put on a show for us with multiple different types of fish, spectacular coloured coral, giant clams, and even a few turtles. Brooke guided around the reef and pointed out the many wonders to be found. After nearly 2 hours of snorkeling, we had time to stretch our legs and partake of some refreshments on a small sand island before heading back to the Cape Trib. To top off our trip, we encountered an mother and baby whale on the way back, and the mother put on a show for us by breaching from the water. All in all , one of the most amazing experiences we've ever had

Loved the snorkelling experience

Wonderful booking and on land staff were very helpful. Fun boat trip out, even on a windy day, with great skipper and reef guide and we saw a great variety of beautiful fish and lovely coral. Snorkelling alongside a turtle was a highlight. Highly recommend this company.

Fantastic snorkeltour!

We went on the ocean safari afternoon tour on the 4th of august. Although the weather was not very good and the ride to the reef was very rocky (20 to 25 knots) we had a great time thanks to the wonderful and very knowledgable crew!! My son's dream of swimming with a turtle came true! I would definitely do this tour again! Also ordered the photo's they made!!

Awesome experience

The girls had excellent knowledge of the reef and it was a great experience. Would definitely recommend it to anyone that wants to visit the barrier reef in the future well worth the trip up north from Cairns to do this

Exceeded all my expectations

It was one really special afternoon. It exceeded all my expectations. The diversity of corals and fish is just amazing. Brooke and Eve were so professional and organized. On our way back we even saw a whale. I highly recommend Ocean Safari.

Amazing experience at Cape Tribulation

We went with Ocean Safari out to Mackay Reef and it was a fantastic experience. Brooke and Cole were great, the trip out was great and the snorkeling was just crystal clear. Plenty of fish, a couple of majestic turtles and a sleeping reef shark all made the experience memorable! If your of Cape Tribulation way, don't hesitate to use this group!!

Great experience

Very professional outfit. Brooke was an outstanding guide and Rhys did a great job with the boat. Beautiful coral and amazing reef aquatic life. Highly recommended.

Fantastic experience!

This was a great experience! The boat ride was so much fun and the reef was beautiful! The staff members were great and we really enjoyed the guided portion because we were able to see things we wouldn’t have spotted on our own.

Ocean Safari - best close to shore GBR tour

Well organised, caters for kids really well, a stunning view of the GBR. Eve was an enthusiastic and well informed host. Plenty of time on the reef and when we were 5 minutes from reaching the shore, the boat captain spotted and whale- he turned around and took the group back out to get a close up (50-70m) view. High recommend

Barrier reef - a beaut of a boat trip!

Truly breathtaking. The coral was so much better from Cape tribulation than I experienced from other tours further south. Smaller group and a much more personal touch. We saw an abundance of healthy coral and fish on the reef and were lucky enough to see whales and their calves from the boat. Would recommend to groups, families and anyone wanting a trip to the reef.

Bucket list experience

Absolutely amazing experience! The boat ride was thrilling, the reef was spectacular and we saw turtles, a reef shark and rays. Brook, Jai and Eve from Ocean Safari were fantastic hosts and I couldn’t rate the whole experience more highly! 11/10

Unforgettable Day on the Reef at Cape Tribulation

We went on a snorkeling half day on the reef from Cape Tribulation. Our guide Eve and our skipper were fantastic. I was very so happy to see the reef -one of the 7 wonders of the world . I was also very impressed by the lengths the crew went to to ensure our safety and efforts to preserve the reef. Huge Thanks!!

Fun boat ride and great snorkelling

Although the rain and wind made an appearance, the ride out to the reef was good fun (being at the front!) - think fast rollercoaster ride! It only took about 30 mins to get there, so a relatively short ride compared to getting to the reef from other places. The reef and sand cay were beautiful, we saw lots of fish and sting rays and even the sun came out! Our 6 year old loved it. We saw more here than we did on our snorkelling trip out to the Whitsundays. Many thanks to Eva for looking after us and the skipper for an exhilarating boat ride there and back!

Very much worthwhile

The weather was not the best, it was windy and rainy. The office informed us about a rough sea, and told us eactly what we could expect. We decided to go, as also 12 other people. We had a great time. The guide was very good, showed us the most beautiful parts of the reef. The boat trip to the reef was adventurous, but safe. We all became wet during this trip but with the wet suits and our rain jackets this was part of the fun.

Holiday

Amazing experience. The boat ride out was exhilarating and I never thought the Great Barrier Reef would be so rich in marine life .

Fantastic

Although the weather didn't play nicely and the ride out to the reef was a bit of an adrenaline soaked (litereally!) adventure, Brooke made the whole trip fantastic. Rarely have I seen a tour guide work so hard. Her humour, knowledge, guidance and work rate were full on from start to finish. Mackay reef is astonishing and we saw all you would hope to see. Although the shipping channel was bumpy the sea by the reef was plenty calm enough - as we had been tole it would be. Reef sharks, turtles, rays, giant clams and swimming with oodles of different fish, whilst Brooke guided us and pointed out areas of interest. Fantastic trip - highly recommend

Superb reef experience with fantastic crew

I can't say enough good things about this experience. We took a Great Barrier Reef Morning Tour with French friends who didn't speak a lot of English, one of whom was really anxious about being in water out of her depth. Brooke was so patient and lovely with her, not only helping her into the water but staying nearby for the entire visit and making sure she and everyone else had a fantastic time. We all had the privilege of seeing turtles, rays, giant clams, beautiful untouched coral and masses of brightly coloured fish. My French friend said he thought it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. : ) The fun ride back in the boat was an added bonus! Thank you Brooke and Jai for an amazing experience!

great adventure, great snorkeling

We had a lovely day out at the reef. The weather was not very good and we were afraid that the tour would be cancelled. But it took place. We got rain jackets and we really needed them. It was a rough ride out to the reef. But we all felt safe at all times. Our Guide was great, explained a lot of things to us and also guided us during the snorkelling times. It was a wonderful day!!

Heaven, where the ocean meets the reef

We travelled from Sunshine Coast up to Cape Trib in our van, stopping at Airlie to snorkel with the sister company Ocean Rafting- they recommended to try Ocean Safari and after such a good experience the first time we couldn’t say no. While Ocean Safari trip was shorter (half day) the knowledge(!!!) and experience the team bought was unmatched. We got to see 8 turtles, reef sharks and soo many other amazing creatures all paired with great info about them from the team. Would 10/10 highly recommend this trip to anyone!

Turtles

Such a beautiful morning out on the reef with a great team guiding us. We saw lots of fish, clams, starfish and even a turtle. Highly recommend to anyone visiting Cape Tribulation

Amazing experience without the crowds

Skip the queues and crowds! Head up north 50 minutes to Cape Tribulation and visit the Great Barrier Reef with a small intimate group and interesting and enthusiastic guides. Highly recommend. Saw beautiful coral, exotic fish, a turtle and even a WHALE and dolphins! Worth it.

Snorkeling with Ocean Safaris on Mackay Reef

Had an awesome morning snorkel on Mackay Reef with an amazing team from Ocean Safaris. Exciting boat ride with the very capable skipper Rhys. Hard not to have a great time with the enthusiastic, energetic Benny who's obviously very passionate about the reef (and his job!). Loved the huge variety of fish and coral. Snorkeling with the two green turtles was definitely the highlight. Excellent adventure!

Heaps of fun!

My 13 yo son and I had a great time on the Cape Trib Ocean Safari. The boat ride there and back is a big part of the fun. We saw a whale on the way back as a bonus. Plus we swam with green turtles. The staff are all friendly and knowledgeable. Paul