No, life jackets are optional during both snorkeling sessions. Most participants chose to wear them, though the video notes that if you want to dive deeper underwater, you'll need to remove the jacket first.
At a glance
Length
18 min
Channel
Ben Golden Diamond
Video from
Jun 2026
Rating
⭐⭐ Great video · 2/2
Best for
Families and couples deciding between reef tours, adventure seekers wanting helicopter and underwater in one day.
What this video answers
Is a life jacket required for snorkeling?
How rough is the boat journey to the reef?
What's the helicopter experience actually like?
Can you eat and drink on the boat?
What should I wear to protect myself from the sun and cold?
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What to Expect on This Great Barrier Reef Snorkeling and Helicopter Tour
This full-day tour departs from Cairns, Australia and combines two of the reef's best experiences: guided snorkeling at multiple sites and a scenic helicopter flight over the coral. The video follows a family of three as they spend roughly eight hours on the water, covering the complete itinerary from check-in through lunch and two separate snorkeling sessions, plus an aerial segment that gives context to what lies below.
The experience suits adventurous families, couples, and solo travelers who want both an immersive underwater experience and a bird's-eye perspective of the reef system. It's ideal if you're based in Cairns or willing to overnight there, and if you're comfortable with a full day aboard a working dive boat with variable sea conditions.
Key Moments
Highlights of the Day's Activities
Two separate snorkeling sessions at different reef sites, with live coral, marine life, and the option to wear a life jacket or swim freely
A scenic helicopter flight with panoramic views of the reef's color gradients—from deep blue ocean to teal and light blue shallow waters—plus a front-seat option with full glass visibility
Included lunch featuring steak, pasta, prawns, potatoes, coleslaw, and bread, plus complimentary tea and water aboard the boat
Pre-flight safety briefings and equipment (fins, masks, headsets, and flotation devices) provided as part of the package
The visual transition from water level to helicopter altitude, allowing you to understand the reef's structure and extent
Interaction with crew guides who brief swimmers on safety and help manage group rotations for the helicopter flights
Practical Details Before You Book This Reef Tour
Duration: Approximately 8 hours total; 90 minutes of travel to the first reef site, then multiple snorkeling and helicopter sessions interspersed throughout the day
Check-in location: The Reef Terminal in Cairns—not the boat dock itself. Plan to arrive with time to spare and check in before walking to your vessel
Sea conditions: The video was filmed on a rough-water day; seasickness tablets are sold on board for $3 each and are recommended as a preventative, especially if you're prone to motion sickness
What's included: Snorkeling gear (mask, fins), life jackets (optional), helicopter flight, safety briefing, coffee, muffin, and full lunch with non-alcoholic drinks; no bar beverages are complimentary
Seating on the boat: You'll be assigned a numbered table and seat; your helicopter boarding pass is issued at check-in and kept with you throughout the day
What to bring: A wetsuit or thermal protection if you run cold (one family member wore a provided wetsuit), towel, waterproof camera or GoPro for underwater footage, and change of clothes for after water activities
Weight disclosure: Required for helicopter seating and balance; expect to provide this at check-in
Front-seat helicopter advantage: Offers full glass floor visibility and the most immersive aerial views, though sea swells can feel more intense from the front
Common Questions About the Great Barrier Reef Helicopter and Snorkel Combo
Is a life jacket required for snorkeling?
No, life jackets are optional during both snorkeling sessions. Most participants chose to wear them, though the video notes that if you want to dive deeper underwater, you'll need to remove the jacket first.
How rough is the boat journey to the reef?
Conditions vary by day; the video captured a particularly rough day with strong waves that made the 90-minute journey feel like a roller coaster. Taking anti-motion sickness medication in advance is strongly recommended as a preventative measure, especially if you're sitting on the front deck where the rocking is most pronounced.
What's the helicopter experience actually like?
The flight includes a glass cockpit floor (in front-seat positions) so you can see directly below, plus glass windows in rear seats. The helicopter banks steeply to show different angles of the reef and can feel physically intense—similar to riding an intense roller coaster for several minutes—but passengers in the video found it exhilarating and worth any discomfort.
Can you eat and drink on the boat?
Yes. A full hot lunch is provided mid-day with multiple entrée options, sides, bread, and beverages included. Complimentary coffee and muffins are served before departure. Alcoholic drinks are available but cost extra at the bar.
What should I wear to protect myself from the sun and cold?
The water is cool enough that wetsuits are recommended, particularly for longer periods in the water. Bring a change of clothes and a towel, and expect to get wet during rough-water sections on deck. Sunscreen, a hat, and water shoes are practical additions not shown in the video but commonly useful on reef tours.
This video is invaluable for anyone weighing whether to book a combined snorkeling and helicopter tour in Cairns. The reviewer shows you the complete unvarnished experience, including the rough water conditions, the exact food served, what the helicopter visibility is really like from each seat position, and how long you'll actually spend traveling versus in the water or air.
What I appreciated most was the honesty about both the challenging moments (seasickness risk, rough swells soaking passengers, the need to know about the separate terminal check-in) and the genuine wow factors—watching the reef color change from the boat, the glass-floor helicopter views, and the family's authentic reactions. If you're looking for a comprehensive overview before dropping several hundred dollars, this tour review delivers the truth you need to decide with confidence.
Years on the front lines of helicopter tour coordination — not as a travel blogger, but as the person responsible for making every guest experience go right. Managed 2,000+ cruise guests weekly as Shore Excursions staff aboard the Pride of America in Hawaii
Personally coordinated with helicopter tour operators to confirm age, weight, and safety requirements.
In this video we show you the entire days activities (shown below) for the Viator Great Barrier Reef snorkeling and helicopter tour. This tour left from Cairns Australia and was purchased through Tripadvisor.
Video transcript for “Great Barrier Reef snorkeling and helicopter tour review” Accessibility
A full written transcript of this video, provided for accessibility. Select any timestamp to jump the video to that moment.
If you clicked on this video, you're probably interested in taking a day tour to snorkel and take a helicopter ride around the Great Barrier Reef. If that is the case, I'm going to show you the full experience. I will leave the TripAdvisor tour that we bought on the screen here, so you know the exact one
that I'm going to be showing you, but probably a lot of the full day snorkeling and helicopter tours are very, very similar. All right, so I'm going to leave timestamps along the way, so you can skip through different parts if you want to, because this first part is going to be a personal part of the
video. Today is Ben's birthday. We're currently in Sydney, Australia. He thinks that we're flying directly to Tokyo on his birthday. We are We are actually stopping at the Great Barrier Reef just for 2 days just to take this tour kind of as a surprise to him. So, I am going to film that surprise, that
birthday surprise, where we uh reveal to him that we are going to the Great Barrier Reef. If you don't, obviously, want to to see that part, just skip ahead to the beginning of the tour. >> [music] [music]
[music] [music] >> Ben, what do you want to tell him? >> Me?
Oh, I thought For your second birthday instead of going on a plane, we get to go to the Great Barrier Reef on a boat. >> Wait, what? >> Uh-huh. >> When are we going to Japan? >> Tomorrow. >> Tomorrow. >> This was the plan all along. >> Oh, wait. Check out though. Okay. >> Yeah, but this is the plan the whole
time. >> We're going to the Great Barrier Reef? >> Yes. >> Yes! >> And snorkalizing. >> Yay! >> [laughter] >> What do you think about that? >> It's cool. >> All right, so this will start the official review of the tour. And the first thing I want to show you is from our balcony. And this is the Hotel
Hilton in Cairns. That is the pickup spot. So, we actually picked this location specifically because it's a maybe a 1-minute 2-minute walk right to the location where the tour actually starts or the tour picks up. And I will do a full review as always of the Hilton and give you my
thoughts on that as well. We are going to be out in open water all day, so obviously we're not going to be able to use the Osmo Pocket 3 because I want to get some underwater footage. So, now and hopefully the audio will still stay good, we are going to be switching to the GoPro.
All right, what are we looking for? >> Down Under. >> Down Under. See it? >> No. Yep, it's >> See it? >> MW5. >> So, you're go So, we're going to MW5. So, we got to go around. You are here. Wow, it's pretty far. >> I think it's just down here. MW5. >> MW5. What's it called? >> Down Under.
>> Down Under, so we booked the crew the tour with. Okay. We have found the number five. That's That's pretty organized how they actually have it done by uh numbers. Are you excited? >> Yeah. >> Is that a good surprise? >> Uh-huh. I I get to go snork. >> Looks like a nice boat, too.
>> I like snork. >> So, our first little snafu of the day is we didn't realize that we have to first check in here at the Reef Terminal. So, you have to check in at the terminal before you walk down the dock and get to your actual boat. So, that's what we're doing now. We're rushing rushing rushing
cuz we're getting a little close to the cutoff time. We're supposed to be in at 7:45, it's about 7:49. We'll make it, no problem, but that is something to note that we just didn't know or we just overlooked is that you have to check in here first. All right, so they gave us what? They
gave us these boarding passes? >> Uh-huh. And helicopter >> And these are the helicopter passes to take back to the boat, which we were in the right spot for the boat, to be fair to us. Hello. How are you? Very nice. Very nice seats. >> You can just have some coffee and coffee before the boat is running. Cuz there
will be no coffee on the way in and out of the reef. Okay. Hello. All right, so that is table number 1 and you're a seat on the way in. >> But they can clearly know my birthday. My my real age.
>> Oh, look at all the whole bucket of masks. >> You will have your own fins and your mask. Yes. So, if you don't have your snorkeling >> 84, what am I? 85? >> You're 85 over here. Uh 84 is behind >> 84 is behind you. >> All right, guys. Put some uh fins and masks on to be updated.
>> Oh, all right. So, because we're going on the helicopter, specifically, we have a safety video for helicopters to watch. And we also had to list our weights. >> safety video. All flights are non-smoking. [music] Seat belts must be worn. >> Oh, they give you a headset. >> There are different styles of seat
belts. Most operate in a similar fashion. >> Um yeah. It was You just got to go and grab them yourself. They're all included. >> Yep. Yeah. >> Nice. So far, pretty good. >> Yeah. >> So, I think we got going at about 8:10. And yeah, so it was free coffee, a free muffin. All both were included. They gave us
some snorkel gear. And then we got a 15-minute uh safety briefing and then kind of let us go. It's an hour and a half until the first snorkeling spot. So, we got an hour and a half journey. We're right on the front of the boat. And the boat is super rocky today. The The waves are really moving and they did
recommend we take seasick tablets. They had them on sale if you didn't have any. And they're only $3 each. And we actually all three of us did take them. I don't I mean, I'm not usually susceptible to seasickness, but I took one anyway just as a preventative. I certainly don't want to have today ruined by getting
nauseous all day on this boat cuz it is a long journey. Give me a time check. What time is it? >> 9:48 and we think that's the reef, which is the teal section. >> And they're getting the the ropes ready, so I guess we're getting ready to get off. >> There's the teal section way out there.
>> Yeah, I can see it. It changes color. That's probably it. And look, you can see the waves kind of breaking. So, the wave is breaking is probably the where it comes up. It's pretty cool, right? >> Yeah. >> Did you get seasick at all? >> Just a girl that did. She was on her phone.
>> All righty, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Great Barrier Reef. Now, it is just about time for us to start our mandatory snorkel safety briefing. >> Flotation device. It's a little cold, what do you think?
You got that nice ring. >> I know. >> All right, give me a give me a review of the snorkeling so far. >> Um good. Uh It was good, yeah. >> You you feel like you as a kid you needed a life jacket? Life jackets were definitely optional, but most people I thought had them on, right?
>> Um yeah. Um I I liked it, but um I also want to dive down. >> All right, you can't dive down with a life jacket on, but you felt like it was a good idea to have it. >> Uh-huh, for the most part. >> And Mom got a wet suit to keep her warm cuz it was a little It was cold. I I was
cold when I got out, but I was pretty warm when we were in the water. >> Yeah, yeah, me too. >> But that was I think that was next level snorkeling, right? Like that was There There was some stuff in there that I've never seen before in real life. >> Uh next trip I'm going to dive down.
>> You're going to leave the life jacket off? All right, we'll see how that goes. I think I got some of everything, the pasta, the bread, a steak. I didn't get chicken, actually. A potato and coleslaw. How's the steak? >> Good. >> What's the time check? >> Um It's 11:34. >> And I take that back. I did miss
something, the prawns. You're going to have to give us a prawn review. >> I haven't eaten one. >> Really? >> Like this, at least. One that has a face. >> It has long whiskers. >> Yummy. >> And we are off. 12:30. Is it 12:30 now? >> 12:32. >> Good. Lunch was good, yes? >> Mhm.
>> And everything included, including tea and water, but no bar drink. Well, they have bar. They have a bar. But it's pay bar. So, like, if you want a beer, wine, or Coke. I saw people walking around with Cokes, but I think they're charging for those, too. Off to the next location.
All right, we made it to reef spot number two. Where we are as far as the order of taking the helicopter, which we're assuming is going to land over there. We were told not to start swimming yet, not to get in the water because we need to be ready to get on the helicopter before we get in the water.
But you can really see the difference there between the blue and where it kind of transitions to teal and then a very light blue up there, maybe even green right there where the reef is. And then you can see it real well, at least I can, where it breaks, the the water starts to break right up there. It's
very neat. I'm going to get in the water. >> Yeah. >> That's cool. >> Yeah. >> Touchdown. The first helicopter crew. It looks like there's five people. There's two There's two people with us.
They They paired up two extra people with our helicopter group, yeah. Five per helicopter, yeah, plus the pilot. Buckle up, yeah. Are you excited or nervous? Really? Which one more? Two? All of us?
>> How was the How was How was the front seat like? >> It was great. >> Nice to see >> So, um it's glass right there. >> So, you can see everything? >> You can see down. >> Oh, you can see down? >> THAT'S GLASS. >> WHAT ABOUT UM THE CONTROLS? Did you see what he was doing? Did he
have a stick? >> Yeah. And he had a trigger, too, for some reason. >> Uh just in case. >> He also had um He also had a dial with a flat line and a circle so you can see what the degree he was at. >> Oh, yeah. Those banks, like when he was doing like drift moves, like it was crazy.
>> That was so cool. How was the back window? >> It was cool. >> It was good. >> Yeah, it was like being like a transport helicopter. >> They had us like facing see other. >> Yeah, they put us like face to face. We only had that little window though. We didn't have like the gigantic little
window. Guys I got this. >> Uh okay, what happened? Can you get in? Uh
>> Yeah? I like it. It's cold. >> It's cold in here.
>> You want to pull it in? As long as as long as they got these on them. >> These like the undisclosed amenities are amazing. >> But how do you really feel? >> I feel like that was very, very good. >> You got to be responsible. >> Yeah, that would be a definite pro tip is that like I don't know if I usually
don't get half of half of the people literally who had to get taken off the ship because of how we're The only thing I can equate that to is like if you're on the Diamondback but you're stuck on it for like an hour straight. >> It was awesome. Now, that part when we were going up the swells and down, it
was like being on a roller coaster. >> fun. >> And we chose the front. It was like we chose the most adventurous seats possible, but props to mama for making us all take the anti-motion sickness medicine. >> and we didn't get sick, so whether it's that or coincidence, who's who cares?
>> And um when there's like a section with cushions on the second deck in the back, um if you're sitting back there and there's big like waves, you're going to get drenched. >> Right, it's yeah. >> I got soaked. >> Yeah. >> It was like I got off a water ride. >> Yeah. >> But that was it was worth it, right?
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