How Much Does It Cost to Visit Great Barrier Reef?
Average daily budget: $3000-3500
What Great Barrier Reef costs per day, by travel style. Most visitors stay 4-6 days. Local currency: AUD (Australian Dollar).
Daily budget by travel style
Budget$150-200/day
Mid-range$300-450/day
Luxury$600+/day
Reef day trip from Cairns: AUD$200-280 ($130-185 USD). Liveaboard 3-day: AUD$800-1,400 ($530-930 USD). Great Barrier Reef Marine Park levy: AUD$7/day included in most tour prices.
Where to stay, by price level
Cairns city centre$-$$
Best base for outer reef and liveaboard departures, full range of accommodation, loud at night on the Esplanade
Port Douglas$$-$$$
45 minutes north of Cairns, quieter, slightly upmarket, closer to Mossman Gorge and Daintree, good reef operators
Hamilton Island (Whitsundays)$$$
Resort island with reef access, expensive and convenient, more package-holiday than adventure travel