Cairns to Hastings Reef snorkelling cruise: Evolution yacht tour cost
The Evolution super yacht cruise from Cairns, Queensland, visits Hastings Reef on the Outer Reef – one of the best snorkelling spots in Australia. Hastings Reef tours cost from $240.
What is Hastings Reef?
Hastings Reef is justifiably regarded as one of the best snorkelling and diving spots on the Great Barrier Reef near Cairns, Queensland. There’s a wonderful, colourful mixture of aquatic life on this section of the reef. Theis means the Hastings Reef a top choice for a day trip from Cairns.
To skip the explanation and just book your Hastings Reef cruise, come this way…
Trip-booster! 8 great day trips from Cairns to power-up your holiday
- Kuranda combo package – take the Kuranda Scenic Railway up and the Skyrail cable car down.
- Green Island tours with beach time, glass bottom boat and snorkelling. (Or pick a Fitzroy Island trip instead).
- Moore Reef day tour – with underwater observatory, snorkelling gear, glass bottom boat & semi-submersible cruises.
- Great Barrier Reef snorkelling cruise – with snorkelling stops at two excellent spots on the Reef.
- Cape Tribulation rainforest day tour – with Mossman Gorge Aboriginal cultural experience and Daintree River crocodile-watching cruise.
- Atherton Tableland waterfalls and rainforest tour – including wildlife-spotting and a swim in a volcanic lake.
- Outback 4WD tour – visiting Chillagoe Caves, Aboriginal rock art and Granite Gorge.
Evolution cruise to Hastings Reef
Down Under Cruise and Dive makes Hastings Reef its second stop on its full day tour from the Reef Fleet Terminal in Cairns. The tour happens aboard the Evolution, a 35 metre super yacht. This is one of the fastest tour boats operating on the Great Barrier Reef.
The advantage of that speed is that it can get to the Outer Reef – where the coral is in the best condition – quicker.
Hastings Reef tour price
The first stop on the Evolution cruise from Cairns is at either Saxon Reef or Norman Reef, depending on weather conditions. The yacht then moves to Hastings Reef in the afternoon. In all, five hours is split between the two locations.
The Hastings Reef cruises on the Evolution super yacht cost from $240. It should be booked online.
Save time queuing – Book these Cairns attractions in advance
- From the air: Outer Reef helicopter flight | Sunrise hot air balloon ride | Skyrail Rainforest Cableway.
- At night: Sunset dinner cruise | Pub and club tour | Aquarium by Twilight experience.
- For wildlife: Birdworld Kuranda | Kuranda Koala Gardens | Cairns Zoom and Wildlife Dome | Cairns Aquarium | Rainforestation Nature Park
- For culture: Cairns Museum tickets | Street art walking tour | City and surrounds highlights bus tour.
- For thrills: AJ Hackett giant jungle swing | High speed jet boat tour | Barron Gorge white water rafting | Mulgrave River tubing.
Hastings Reef tour from Cairns inclusions
This Cairns super yacht tour price includes a barbecue lunch, a semi-submarine outing and a guided snorkelling tour. All snorkelling gear and flotation devices are included, as is a 10 min scuba diving demonstration. There are extra charges if you decide to continue with the dive session, however.
Other Cairns boat tour options include the Green Island ferry and Fitzroy Island ferry, the Ocean Freedom tour to Upolu Cay and the Sunlover cruise to Moore Reef. The latter offers glass bottom boats and underwater observatories for seeing the Great Barrier Reef without snorkelling.
On dry land, you can see fish at the Cairns Aquarium, go bungy jumping at Skypark Cairns and learn about native plants at the Cairns Botanic Gardens.
Cairns accommodation near the Reef Fleet Terminal includes the Pacific Hotel, the Hilton Cairns and the Sebel Cairns Harbour Lights.
Find your ideal Great Barrier Reef tours by location
Great Barrier Reef tours run from numerous destinations along the Queensland coast. Different tours cater to different tastes – some make sure they go to the best snorkelling spots, others build in beach time and some throw in extra such as underwater observatories and glass bottom boat tours.
Use the following links to start picking the best Great Barrier Reef tour options where you’re going on holiday.
- The best Great Barrier Reef tours in… 1770 | Airlie Beach | Bundaberg | Cairns | Cape Tribulation | Mackay | Magnetic Island | Mission Beach | Palm Cove | Port Douglas | Townsville.
