Some adventures feel almost dreamlike—where even in the moment, you know you’ll remember every detail. That was Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef for us. After sailing up from Tasmania, we arrived in the tropical north of Australia, where palm trees frame the marina and the Coral Sea glows in every shade of blue.

Cairns practically invites adventure, and for us, the Great Barrier Reef was the moment we’d been waiting for. We booked a small-group snorkel trip heading out to Upolu Reef—and what we found there was unforgettable. Vibrant coral, giant clams the size of a loveseat, clownfish, sea turtles… and we were merely visitors in their world.

But the adventure didn’t end in Cairns. As the sun set and we sailed away, we began a new chapter—five full days at sea. Just us, the Crown Princess with 3000 of our newest friends, and the wide-open ocean… while a Category 4 cyclone churned only a couple hundred kilometers away near Darwin.

This episode is all about that contrast: the wonder of the reef and the vast quiet of days spent crossing open water. Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.

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Don't miss more episodes from this trip: 

Episode 147 - What Surprised Us the Most About Sydney & Brisbane Australia - One Day Itineraries & Tips

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Music: This Acoustic Happy

Music by Dmitrii Kolesnikov from Pixabay