The Great Barrier Reef and Port Douglas
“Wait, what? This is overrated? Yeah, it is! The diving in the reef (at least where the day trips from Cairns will take you) isn’t that great due to large crowds and overfishing. Almost every dive expert I spoke to didn’t see why people were so obsessed with the reef. There are far better dive spots in the country, especially on the west coast. So while you may be sharing your view of Nemo with 50 other people, who cares? It’s the Great Barrier Reef! You can see this thing from space!”
From Nomadic Matt Blog https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/overrated-and-cheesy-tourist-activities/
My trip to North Queensland has been incredibly rewarding and although I was disappointed in my reef tours, it was good to go through what the majority of tourists’ experience: the sun doesn’t always shine in Queensland, it often rains (not just in the wet season) and the many cruises are nothing more than money earners for the operators who prey on gullible tourists – you can’t guarantee sunsets and fantastic weather. Tours are rarely cancelled due to bad weather, which means that for a great number of tourists the reef doesn’t live up to expectations. The reef itself has been very badly damaged (by tourism, amongst other things), so the coral doesn’t live up to many people’s expectations (including mine). Tours to the Reef don’t come cheap and even the most expensive tours don’t guarantee satisfaction. An English backpacker who had dived all over the world, shared her disappointment with me – she had paid over a thousand dollars to go diving in the outer reef but told me that the experience left her bitterly disappointed. The tour companies are more interested in making money than in providing worthwhile experiences for people. The Great Barrier Reef is apparently not the best place in the world to go diving…the reason there is so much hype is because it is the biggest, but as we know, the biggest isn’t always the best!
Nevertheless, I have loved my time here, particularly in Port Douglas. If you want to hear me gush, ask me about Port Douglas! What can I say about Paradise? Airlie Beach, Whitehaven Beach, Long Island, Cairns, etc. aren’t a patch on this place! This is where I have spent the most time in any one place. To me, Port Douglas has everything conveniently located in one small area. With a bicycle it is possible to get around safely and easily. There are wonderful restaurants, bars and shops, and the Four Mile Beach is one of the best beaches I have ever seen. It’s even possible to cycle along it as the sand is compact enough. The Marina is another great place to hang out, with more bars, restaurants and shops. On Wednesdays there is even a little market there. Port Douglas is a perfect base for exploring Cape Tribulation, the Daintree River and Rainforest, Kuranda or the outer limits of the Great Barrier Reef.
