The spectacular wonderland of the Great Barrier Reef unfolds right in the Whitsunday's backyard... many of the 74 tropical islands that make up the Whitsunday's have beautiful fringing reefs with the whole Whitsundays region enjoying a central position in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef... the largest single ecosystem on earth.

The most difficult choices you'll have, will be how to experience the beauty of this undersea world... In the Whitsundays you have a range of options... you can book a Whitsunday's yacht charter... organize a scuba diving holiday... take a trip on a crewed sailing yacht or select one of the many Great Barrier Reef tours... High speed air conditioned power boats whisk you away for a scuba diving or snorkeling adventure, these Whitsunday Island day trips take you to some of the best scuba diving locations around the Whitsundays.

There's an underwater observatory on Hook Island, seaplane and helicopter flights can transfer you to glass bottom boats on reef lagoons and extended scuba dive and snorkel charters can be taken out to the continental shelf.

The Whitsundays also offers day trips that allow you to go snorkelling or scuba diving off two of the largest pontoon facilities anchored on the outer Great Barrier Reef... These large floating platform have sub surface viewing chambers where you can view the coral and fish life while staying dry.

Scuba divers and snorkellers of all experience levels are catered to on these pontoons with easy water access facilities for divers... Day trips to the Outer Great Barrier Reef can also be made to Fantasea Reefworld thath incorporates accommodation... however only six guests per night on each trip are able to share this unique experience of a sleepover on the Great Barrier Reef.

Semi submersible craft also abound in the Whitsundays and offer another dry option for reef viewing whether it be off an uninhabited island or one of the Whitsunday holiday resorts.

For thousands of Australian and international visitors each year the Whitsunday is the place to organise a liveaboard diving boat to go scuba diving.The Whitsundays offers pristine coral environments and an abundance of marine life at scores of scuba diving sites both off the islands and at the outer Great Barrier Reef.

With high safety standards, crystal clear waters and sea temperatures about 25 degrees year round its no wonder so many people choose to start diving or continue this sport in the Whitsunday's... The adventure of scuba diving is something everyone should try to experience at least once in a lifetime.

A scuba dive is a journey into another world... a float zone of rushing bubbles and emotions. It is a chance to come face to face with incredible marine creatures and marvel at the striking colours and shapes of a coral based ecosystem..you'll see graceful manta rays and stately marine turtles as well as spotted coral trout stripy clown fish and sluggish sea cucumbers... the species you'll meet under the surface are many and varied.

There's giant clams and Spanish dancers the chance to encounter playful pods of dolphins, you could even hear whales singing underwater... you'll glide over gardens of coral descend drop offs and float though underwater caverns.Forests of swaying sea fans, clusters of fleshy soft corals, thickets of blue tipped stag horn single polyp mushrooms and outcrops of giant brains are all in abundance.

First time scuba divers can experience all this with an introductory dive experience available on board most charter yachts, Whitsunday island resorts or pontoons on the outer reef... Dive instructors can also join groups on private yacht charters and many snorkel and dive operators employ marine biologists to give expert advice on The Whitsundays Marine Park... These operators offer scuba diving training ranging from basic open water courses to rescue diving and master instructor qualification.

Each dive site in the Whitsundays is special whether it be a fringing reef in an island bay or on the outer Great Barrier Reef itself... A fine example of an island dive is Blue Pearl Bay on Hayman island. Here depth ranges from 1 to 15 metres (3-49ft) with access from either beach or boat... Diving Blue Pearl Bays rich fringing reefs, scuba divers can expect to find fish life in abundance as numerous species dart about colonies of plate and stag horn corals.

Alternatively, the stepping stones on Bait Reef offers outer reef divers some 24 coral outcrops that rise from a sandy bottom around 20 metres in depth to near or above the sea surface at low tide. This unique site features numerous swim through gullies, crevices, overhangs, and caves which are accessible only by boat.