• Half Day Snorkelling Tour to Low Isles with 2.5 hours on the Reef - Morning or Afternoon Tour
• Includes guided snorkel tour, island walk & glass bottom boat tour.
• Visit Low Isles, only 30 minutes from Port Douglas.

After a short 30 minute ride from the Port Douglas Reef Marina to the aqua-blue waters of Low Isles, you can explore the tropical Low Island along its white-sand paths through the trees and/or jump off the boat to view the underwater world filled with colourful fish and coral gardens up close.

What to Expect

Discover the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef with a half-day snorkelling tour to Low Isles from Port Douglas. This half day reef tour offers an ideal combination of adventure and relaxation, allowing you to explore the vibrant underwater world and the serene tropical island setting within a few hours.

Features and Highlights

Half Day Great Barrier Reef Snorkelling Tour to Low Isles from Port Douglas

Morning or Afternoon Half Day Tour Options:

• Morning Tour: Depart Port Douglas at 7:30am and return by 11:30am.
• Afternoon Tour: Depart Port Douglas at 1:15pm and return by 5:15pm.
• Quick Boat Ride: Enjoy a swift 30-minute journey from Port Douglas Reef Marina to the pristine Low Isles.

Half Day Snorkelling and Island Exploration:

• 2.5 Hours of Fun: Dive into snorkelling and explore the beautiful Low Isles Island.
• Guided Snorkelling Tour: Learn from an experienced snorkelling guide who will show you the best spots and marine life.
• Island Walks: Wander through white sandy paths amidst lush vegetation (available on the morning tour).
• Glass Bottom Boat Tour: For those who prefer to stay dry, explore the Great Barrier Reef and marine life through large glass panels on the glass bottom boat.

Wildlife and Marine Life:

• Marine Diversity: Encounter colourful fish, lots of sea turtles, and various sea birds in their natural habitat.
• Dolphins and Whales: Keep an eye out for playful dolphins and, during winter months, majestic whales on their migratory route.

Comfort and Convenience:

• Modern Catamaran: Travel on a state-of-the-art 12m motor catamaran introduced in 2016, ensuring a smooth and comfortable ride.
• Limited Capacity: With a maximum of 23 guests, enjoy a more intimate and relaxed atmosphere on this small group Great Barrier Reef tour to Low Isles.

Half Day Tour Itinerary

Great Barrier Reef Half Day - Morning Tour

07:15am: Arrive at the check-in shop at The Reef Marina, Port Douglas for your half day reef tour.

07:30am: Board the vessel, receive a safety briefing, and depart the Port Douglas marina.

08:00am: Arrive at Low Isles, gear up for snorkelling, and take a glass bottom boat to the island. Enjoy snorkelling, exploring the island, guided tours, or relaxing on the beach.

11:00am: Return to the boat and head back to Port Douglas.

11:30am: Arrive back at The Port Douglas Reef Marina.

Great Barrier Reef Half Day - Afternoon Tour

1:00pm: Arrive at the check-in shop at The Reef Marina, Port Douglas.

1:15pm: Board the vessel, receive a safety briefing, and depart the marina.

1:45pm: Arrive at Low Isles, gear up for snorkelling, and take a glass bottom boat to the island. Enjoy snorkelling, exploring the island, guided tours, or relaxing on the beach.

4:45pm: Return to the boat and head back to Port Douglas.

5:15pm: Arrive back at The Port Douglas Reef Marina.

Destination Low Isles

Low Isles:

• Tropical Paradise: A picturesque island covered in lush green vegetation, perfect for nature walks and relaxation.
• Bird Sanctuary: Home to a variety of seabirds that breed and nest on the island, making it a birdwatcher's paradise.
• Coral Gardens: Explore the vibrant coral gardens surrounding the island, teeming with marine life.
• Sea Turtles: Low Isles is very well known as the island to visit to see sea turtles.

Woody Island:

• Secluded Snorkelling: Located southeast of Low Island, featuring a sheltered lagoon ideal for calm water snorkelling.

Historical Significance:

• Captain Cook’s Legacy: Named by Captain Cook in 1770, Low Isles is steeped in maritime history.
• Iconic Lighthouse: Built in 1878, the lighthouse adds a historical charm and serves as a base for scientific research on the Great Barrier Reef.

Additional Notes:

• Weather Conditions: Beach access may be restricted due to adverse weather conditions.
• Non-Swimmers Welcome: For the non-swimmers flotation equipment is available to ensure everyone can enjoy the Great Barrier Reef snorkelling experience.

Things to Do and See on Low Isles

• Snorkelling Adventure: Dive into the clear blue waters and explore the diverse marine ecosystem up close on a snorkelling tour.
• Island Exploration: Walk along the white-sand paths through lush greenery and discover the island’s natural beauty.
• Glass Bottom Boat Experience: Observe the vibrant underwater world without getting wet on a glass bottom boat tour.
• Wildlife Spotting: Look out for dolphins, sea turtles, and a variety of seabirds.
• Relaxation: Unwind on the serene beach, soaking up the sun and enjoying the tranquil surroundings.

Discover the unparalleled beauty of the Great Barrier Reef and Low Isles. This half-day snorkelling tour from Port Douglas offers a perfect blend of adventure, relaxation, and natural splendour, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

See all half day Great Barrier Reef tours from Port Douglas.

Learn more about the Great Barrier Reef on our blog.

Glass Bottom Boat

If you’d prefer to stay dry and still check out the reef and sea life, there is a glass bottom boat tour included on this half day tour to Low Isles.

Look through the big glass panels on the bottom of the boat down into the clear blue water, where you can spot colourful coral, fish and even a turtle. Your boat skipper is an experienced guide who will take you over the best spots and point out the different life forms swimming beneath the boat in the clear blue water.

Fast Boat To Low Isles

The boat used for this Great Barrier Reef tour was introduced in 2016, offering the latest safety, comfort and technology to make your trip out to the reef as smooth as possible. The 12m motor catamaran can carry up to 28 people, but is limited to 23 on this tour to provide a more relaxed and less crowded atmosphere on the boat. The boat is nice and fast and will have you to Low Isles in around 30 minutes from Port Douglas.

 

Snorkelling at Low Isles Reef on the Half Day Tour

Roughly 600m to the South East of Low Island lies Woody Island, with the sheltered lagoon between the two islands offering perfect snorkelling conditions in the calm water.

You can jump straight off the brand new boat or wade in from the beach to explore the reef where you’ll see a variety of colourful hard and soft corals, big and small fish, turtles, sea cucumbers and other sea life hiding in the nooks and crannies between the coral.

A guided snorkel tour is also included, so you can join an experienced guide who can point out all the different interesting things to see on the reef at Low Isles. No experience is needed!

All snorkelling gear is supplied for you on this half day Great Barrier Reef tour, as well as full body sun suits and flotation devices.

Great Barrier Reef Half Day - Morning Tour

07:15am - Guests make their own way to check in Shop at The Reef Marina before being directed to their vessel. Once on board the vessel, you will be asked to remove your shoes and place them either in an allocated shoe container or in your own bags.
07:30am - Welcome on board (outline of the tour announced and safety briefing conducted by the crew), vessel departs Reef Marina.
08:00am - Arrive at Low Isles. Guests are fitted with a mask, snorkel and fins. These are kept with the guests for the morning. Guests receive a snorkel briefing then take the glass bottom boat to the island. From there, guests can snorkel, explore the island, join a guided snorkel tour or relax on the beach.
11:00am - All guests back on board and start travelling back to Port Douglas.
11:30am - Arrive at The Reef Marina

 

Great Barrier Reef Half Day - Afternoon Tour

1:00pm - Guests make their own way to check in Shop at The Reef Marina before being directed to their vessel. Once on board the vessel, you will be asked to remove your shoes and place them either in an allocated shoe container or in your own bags.
1:15pm - Welcome on board (outline of the tour announced and safety briefing conducted by the crew), vessel departs Reef Marina.
1:45pm - Arrive at Low Isles. Guests are fitted with a mask and snorkel and fins. These are kept with the guests for the afternoon. Guests receive a snorkel briefing then take the glass bottom boat to the island. From there, guests can snorkel, explore the island, join a guided snorkel tour or relax on the beach.
4:45pm - All guests back on board and start travelling back to Port Douglas.
5:15pm - Arrive at The Reef Marina

Destination Low Island, part of Low Isles

Low Island is a beautiful tropical island just like you’d see in the movies, that is covered in lush green vegetation and is home to a variety of sea birds who breed and nest on the island.

Low Island lies roughly 8 nautical miles from Port Douglas, and is home to beautiful colourful coral gardens and a myriad of sea and bird life. Low Isles consists of two islands; Low Island and the much larger Woody Island. Low Island was named by Captain Cook as he passed through the area in 1770, describing it rather lazily as a ‘small low island’.

Low Island is home to a lighthouse first built in 1878 which has since become a base for important scientific research on the Great Barrier Reef, and adds to the picturesque romance of the island with the iconic red and white structure rising from the green vegetation.

Read our blogs for more information on the Low Isles

• Things you need to know before you go snorkelling at Low Isles
•  Things to do and things to see on low Isles
• Is Low Isles worth visiting

See more island tours on the Great Barrier Reef and more half day tours.

Tour Languages Offered

• English

Departs From

Port Douglas

Departure Time

• Morning Trip: boarding at 7:15am, departs at 7:30am returns 11:30am
• Afternoon Trip: boarding at 1:00pm, departs 1:15pm, returns 5:15pm

Departure Instructions

Please check in at least 30 minutes before boarding time at Port Douglas Marina.

Destinations

• Great Barrier Reef
• Low Isles
• Low Isles

Months of Operation

January - December

Days of Operation

Daily

During the off season, our Low Isles tours may be reduced to one departure per day. Due to some weather conditions, it may not be possible to access the island. Please contact us for more information.

Duration

2.5 hours (approx) at Low Isles

Available for Purchase / Hire

• Underwater camera hire
• Onboard purchases: soft drinks, bottled water and chocolate bars
• Merchandise
• Morning tea for infants ($5)

Fitness Level Required

Low

Additional Information

• Languages offered: all safety equipment is offered in many different languages. Interpreters are available upon request, at a fee, for groups
• Please note: a credit card surcharge will apply to credit card payments at the prevailing rate for any onboard purchases
• Please note: no responsibility will be accepted for loss of personal items while on board. Guests are urged not to bring valuable items.
• With fluctuations in world oil prices, it may be necessary to apply a fuel surcharge to the ticket price. In such cases, the levy will be collected on departure
• During the off season, our Low Isles tours may be reduced to one departure per day. 
• Due to some weather conditions, it may not be possible to access the island. Please contact us for more information.

Eco Certifications

• Swimwear, towel, hat, sunscreen and sunglasses
• Change of clothes - showers are available on board
• Cash for soft drinks (sorry, no credit card facilities on board)

Child price applies to children 4 to 14