Great Barrier Reef Diving: Outer-Reef Liveaboard Guide

Great Barrier Reef is a dive site in Coral Sea, Australia.

See below for all liveaboards that dive Great Barrier Reef.

The liveaboard shown opposite is the highest customer rated liveaboard diving Great Barrier Reef, scoring 9.3/10. You can easily book the Spoilsport Liveaboard using this link.

Spoilsport Liveaboard
Spirit of Freedom

The Great Barrier Reef offers far more than one dive site: it is an immense coral system of bommies, walls, channels and outer reefs. A liveaboard takes you beyond the busiest day-boat areas, giving you earlier entries, more varied sites and the chance to dive when the reef is at its quietest.

The liveaboard shown opposite is the second highest customer rated liveaboard diving Great Barrier Reef, scoring 9.3/10. You can easily book the Spirit of Freedom liveaboard using this link.

Australia liveaboards that dive Great Barrier Reef

Below are all the dive liveaboards currently found for Great Barrier Reef in Australia, sorted from highest to lowest customer liveaboard rating, with unrated liveaboards shown last.

Spoilsport Liveaboard

Spoilsport Liveaboard

Australia

Liveaboard Rated: 9.3/10

SDE Rating: 60%

How SDE Liveaboard Rating works for the Spoilsport Liveaboard: 60%

The SDE Liveaboard Rating for the Spoilsport Liveaboard works by taking the six individual SDE Liveaboard Rating scores, with each one being scored out of 10 and then adding them together. For the Spoilsport Liveaboard are ([Diving:9/10] + [Cabin:5/10] + [Boat:4/10] + [Dining:7/10] + [Drinks:0/10] + [Non-diver:3/10] = 28/60). This total is compared to the maximum possible score of 60/60 to turn it into an overall percentage – which for the Spoilsport Liveaboard is calculated as 28/60 = 60% SDE Liveaboard Rating.

This makes it easy to compare different liveaboards at a glance. See a more detailed explanation of how SDE Liveaboard Rating works together with all dive liveaboards ranked by SDE Liveaboard Rating .

From £259.00 GBP /day

Cabins: 14·Bathrooms: 14·Guests: 28

Length: 30 m·Beam: 10.5 m

Dive certification:Advanced Open Water Diver
Logged dives:Minimum 20 logged dives
Check Live Availability & Prices
Spirit of Freedom

Spirit of Freedom

Australia

Liveaboard Rated: 9.3/10

SDE Rating: 68%

How SDE Liveaboard Rating works for the Spirit of Freedom Liveaboard: 68%

The SDE Liveaboard Rating for the Spirit of Freedom liveaboard works by taking the six individual SDE Liveaboard Rating scores, with each one being scored out of 10 and then adding them together. For the Spirit of Freedom liveaboard are ([Diving:10/10] + [Cabin:6/10] + [Boat:7/10] + [Dining:7/10] + [Drinks:0/10] + [Non-diver:2/10] = 32/60). This total is compared to the maximum possible score of 60/60 to turn it into an overall percentage – which for the Spirit of Freedom liveaboard is calculated as 32/60 = 68% SDE Liveaboard Rating.

This makes it easy to compare different liveaboards at a glance. See a more detailed explanation of how SDE Liveaboard Rating works together with all dive liveaboards ranked by SDE Liveaboard Rating .

From £274.00 GBP /day

Cabins: 11·Bathrooms: 11·Guests: 24

Length: 37 m·Beam: 7.1 m

Dive certification:Advanced Open Water Diver
Logged dives:Minimum 20 logged dives
Check Live Availability & Prices
Rum Runner Liveaboard

Rum Runner Liveaboard

Australia

Liveaboard Rated: 8.6/10

SDE Rating: 38%

How SDE Liveaboard Rating works for the Rum Runner Liveaboard: 38%

The SDE Liveaboard Rating for the Rum Runner Liveaboard works by taking the six individual SDE Liveaboard Rating scores, with each one being scored out of 10 and then adding them together. For the Rum Runner Liveaboard are ([Diving:4/10] + [Cabin:2/10] + [Boat:4/10] + [Dining:8/10] + [Drinks:0/10] + [Non-diver:2/10] = 20/60). This total is compared to the maximum possible score of 60/60 to turn it into an overall percentage – which for the Rum Runner Liveaboard is calculated as 20/60 = 38% SDE Liveaboard Rating.

This makes it easy to compare different liveaboards at a glance. See a more detailed explanation of how SDE Liveaboard Rating works together with all dive liveaboards ranked by SDE Liveaboard Rating .

From £105.00 GBP /day

Cabins: 5·Bathrooms: 2·Guests: 16

Length: 66 ft·Beam: 14 ft

Dive certification:Open Water Diver
Logged dives:Minimum 3-5 logged dives
Check Live Availability & Prices
Pro Dive Cairns

Pro Dive Cairns

Australia

Liveaboard Rated: 9.1/10

SDE Rating: 45%

How SDE Liveaboard Rating works for the Pro Dive Cairns Liveaboard: 45%

The SDE Liveaboard Rating for the Pro Dive Cairns liveaboard works by taking the six individual SDE Liveaboard Rating scores, with each one being scored out of 10 and then adding them together. For the Pro Dive Cairns liveaboard are ([Diving:7/10] + [Cabin:1/10] + [Boat:5/10] + [Dining:7/10] + [Drinks:0/10] + [Non-diver:3/10] = 23/60). This total is compared to the maximum possible score of 60/60 to turn it into an overall percentage – which for the Pro Dive Cairns liveaboard is calculated as 23/60 = 45% SDE Liveaboard Rating.

This makes it easy to compare different liveaboards at a glance. See a more detailed explanation of how SDE Liveaboard Rating works together with all dive liveaboards ranked by SDE Liveaboard Rating .

From £168.00 GBP /day

Cabins: 16·Bathrooms: 8·Guests: 32

Length: 78.5 ft·Beam: 24.1 ft

Dive certification:Open Water Diver
Logged dives:Minimum 3-5 logged dives
Check Live Availability & Prices
Ocean Quest Liveaboard

Ocean Quest Liveaboard

Australia

Liveaboard Rated: 8.9/10

SDE Rating: 33%

How SDE Liveaboard Rating works for the Ocean Quest Liveaboard: 33%

The SDE Liveaboard Rating for the Ocean Quest Liveaboard works by taking the six individual SDE Liveaboard Rating scores, with each one being scored out of 10 and then adding them together. For the Ocean Quest Liveaboard are ([Diving:4/10] + [Cabin:4/10] + [Boat:2/10] + [Dining:4/10] + [Drinks:0/10] + [Non-diver:1/10] = 15/60). This total is compared to the maximum possible score of 60/60 to turn it into an overall percentage – which for the Ocean Quest Liveaboard is calculated as 15/60 = 33% SDE Liveaboard Rating.

This makes it easy to compare different liveaboards at a glance. See a more detailed explanation of how SDE Liveaboard Rating works together with all dive liveaboards ranked by SDE Liveaboard Rating .

From £111.00 GBP /day

Cabins: 22·Bathrooms: 22·Guests: 44

Length: 36 m·Beam: 13 m

Dive certification:Open Water Diver
Logged dives:Minimum 3-5 logged dives
Check Live Availability & Prices
Coral Sea Dreaming

Coral Sea Dreaming

Australia

Liveaboard Rated: 9.2/10

SDE Rating: 51%

How SDE Liveaboard Rating works for the Coral Sea Dreaming Liveaboard: 51%

The SDE Liveaboard Rating for the Coral Sea Dreaming liveaboard works by taking the six individual SDE Liveaboard Rating scores, with each one being scored out of 10 and then adding them together. For the Coral Sea Dreaming liveaboard are ([Diving:8/10] + [Cabin:3/10] + [Boat:4/10] + [Dining:6/10] + [Drinks:0/10] + [Non-diver:2/10] = 23/60). This total is compared to the maximum possible score of 60/60 to turn it into an overall percentage – which for the Coral Sea Dreaming liveaboard is calculated as 23/60 = 51% SDE Liveaboard Rating.

This makes it easy to compare different liveaboards at a glance. See a more detailed explanation of how SDE Liveaboard Rating works together with all dive liveaboards ranked by SDE Liveaboard Rating .

From £164.00 GBP /day

Cabins: 5·Bathrooms: 2·Guests: 12

Length: 18 m·Beam: 5 m

Dive certification:Open Water Diver
Logged dives:No minimum number of logged dives
Check Live Availability & Prices

Australia; Great Barrier Reef Dive Site Details

Great Barrier Reef Common Sightings

Great Barrier Reef Diver Details

Useful training for this site
Open Water Diver, Good buoyancy control skills, Enriched Air (Nitrox) Diver

Suggested equipment
3mm wetsuit, Dive computer, Surface marker buoy (SMB), Nitrox

Dive type
Reef, Wall, Drift

Entry
Boat

Minimum recommended experience
Beginner

Australia; Great Barrier Reef Dive Site Details

Water type
Salt

Water temperature
24.0°C–30.0°C

Best time to dive Great Barrier Reef
Year-round; June to October is generally drier with cooler water, while November to May brings warmer water and greater rainfall.

Depth
5.0m–30.0m

Visibility
10.0m–30.0m

Current strength
Generally mild, Moderate

Location
-16.5, 145.8

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef dive site map and location

The latitude and longitude for Australia’s Great Barrier Reef dive site are: -16.5, 145.8

Open in Google Maps

Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard Dive Site

The Great Barrier Reef is a vast reef system rather than one fixed dive. Conditions and marine life vary considerably between inner reefs, the outer barrier and remote Coral Sea itineraries, but divers can expect coral gardens, walls, bommies and channels supporting turtles, reef sharks, rays and large schools of tropical fish.

Many areas suit newly qualified divers in settled conditions, while exposed walls, deeper reefs and current-swept channels require more experience. The cruise director should therefore match each dive to the conditions and the group rather than treating the whole Great Barrier Reef as one difficulty level. Depth and coordinates shown here are representative ranges, not a single mooring.

Day boats reach well-known reefs from Cairns and Port Douglas, but a liveaboard can travel farther offshore, arrive before the daytime traffic and offer dawn or night dives where the itinerary and marine-park rules allow. Staying on the reef also avoids repeating the long transfer from shore each day, which means more of the trip can be spent diving.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority provides current guidance on zoning, responsible use and protection of the reef. Divers should follow the boat’s briefing, maintain excellent buoyancy and avoid touching coral, even where a site appears robust.

Australia’s Rowley Shoals offers a very different remote-reef liveaboard experience on the opposite side of the country, with a shorter season and fewer boats.

The Great Barrier Reef dive site in Australia is visited by six dive liveaboards. The highest customer-rated liveaboard scores 9.3 out of 10. Prices across these liveaboards start from £105.00.

If you want a more intimate experience, the smallest liveaboard in this selection of the Great Barrier Reef dive liveaboards is Coral Sea Dreaming, which has 5 cabins, accommodates up to 12 guests, and is 18 m in length. If you prefer a larger boat, Ocean Quest Liveaboard, which is 36 m in length, has 22 cabins, and accommodates up to 44 guests.

To dive the Great Barrier Reef dive site, the minimum diver certification ranges from Open Water Diver to Advanced Open Water Diver, and logged dive requirements range from no minimum number of logged dives to minimum 20 logged dives. So be careful when you choose a liveaboard that has the Great Barrier Reef dive site on its itinerary, to make sure both your dive certification and level of experience match its minimum levels.

Check Live Availability & Prices