4-Night Minke Whale Adventure｜Dive or Snorkel with Dwarf Minkes on the Great Barrier Reef

For tour meeting point and time, please take the tour vouchers as the final confirmation. The meeting point and time in the tour info are only for reference. Enquire through our service: LINE ID: @fittravel or Wechat: FIT_TRAVEL_AU

Day 1 

Off we go! Check-in will either be at our dive centre or directly onboard Ocean Quest (our team will advise details with your booking confirmation). We then make our way out to the Outer Barrier Reef and enjoy two dives at either Saxon or Norman Reef. You’ll enjoy one more afternoon dive and one night dive before we steam to the Ribbon Reefs overnight.

Day 2 

Wake up to the sun rising over the Great Barrier Reef at Steve’s Bommie, one of the best dive sites on the reef thanks to its huge array of marine life including schools of fish, sharks, rays, nemos, octopus and more. You will enjoy four dives today, two at Steve’s Bommie and two others (including one night dive) at various other sites on the upper Ribbon Reefs.

Day 3 

We kick the weekend off with more diving and snorkelling opportunities throughout the Ribbon Reefs, giving you the opportunity to explore some of the Great Barrier Reef’s most untouched areas. Four dives are included in today’s itinerary. Your two morning dives will be at Lighthouse Bommie, where most of our interactions with Minke whales take place. You’ll also have an an afternoon dive and another night dive.

Day 4

Explore more of the Great Barrier Reef at various dive sites along the Ribbon Reefs over four incredible dives – two in the morning, one in the afternoon and one night dive. The reef locations that we visit are less frequented by any other boats, and are home to many tropical fish species and bright mesmerising coral. After your night dive (finishing around 8pm) we will steam south towards Cairns.

Day 5 

Wake up to your last morning on OceanQuest. After breakfast, you will be transferred back to your Cairns city accommodation at approximately 9am, so you’ll be able to plan other activities on this day.

Please note itinerary may vary slightly depending on weather conditions. Our dive schedule will be adjusted to enable as much in-water interaction with the Minke whales as possible.

What is a Minke Whale?

The Minke Whale is one of the smallest and most commonly seen baleen whales in the world. Belonging to the Mysticeti (baleen whale) suborder, it is known for its sleek body, shy yet curious behavior, and widespread presence in oceans worldwide.

Quick Facts:

• Scientific Name: Balaenoptera acutorostrata (Northern) / Balaenoptera bonaerensis (Southern)

• Common Names: Minke Whale, Dwarf Minke Whale (a smaller subspecies)

• Size: 7–10 meters long, weighs 5–10 tonnes

• Diet: Primarily krill, small fish, and plankton

• Lifespan: 40–50 years

• Habitat: Found in oceans globally, including the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Cairns, Australia

• Behavior:

  • Fast swimmers with a streamlined body

  • Usually shy, but Dwarf Minke Whales are known to approach humans during snorkeling or diving

  • Their gentle and curious nature makes them a highlight of whale-watching tours

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