Airlie Beach Diving Day Trip

[M P]

Hi everyone,

Myself and a group of 4 mates are staying near Airlie Beach and would like to do some SCUBA diving day trips. First off, should we pay for a dive boat to take us out - and does anyone have any recommendations?? or should we hire a boat and explore the islands - and does anyone know some good spots?

Cheers!

 

[Aquapro Dive Services]

The obvious top trip is going to be numerous posts that will appear here about diving the Yongala which is out of Alva Beach which is about 2.5 hours drive south. One of the best wreck dives in the world.

Other than that take a boat trip out. Very little of interest around the immediate coast but there are some great fringing reefs around the islands.

 

[WetPup]

Alva is 2.5 hours north of Airlie, not south...lol

Admittedly been a decade since I was in the Whitsundays, but even then the diving around the islands fringing reefs was mediocre. The day trips out to the reef are ok if you have never seen the reef before, but will tend to leave experienced divers a bit disappointed. Good for a chill out holiday and a snorkel, but I'd go elsewhere to dive. Also bearing in mind the Whitsundays got smashed severely in a category 5 cyclone earlier this year and the damage to the reef system was widespread. Recovery from that will take a long time.

 

[clownfishsydney]

We have just spent 6 weeks sailing the Whitsunday Islands. Two years ago we were also here and did some great dives. This year it was totally different. Cyclone Debbie in late March has trashed most of the reefs around the islands. Spots that were good are now bare. Even out at Bait Reef it was nowhere as good as before. I have heard that Hardy Reef is still okay, but most operators do not get out there, even when they advertise it. You may be able to dive there from the huge catamarans that go to the floating pontoon, but I really do not know if they cater for diving.

You might be better off driving to Alva Beach to do the Yongala.

 

[priorityjim]

I know this thread is old but for anyone in future who would like to know good spots to dive with your own boat in the Whitsundays and the great barrier reef there is a great guide here from a local dive centre

Great Barrier Reef Diving Spots