Great Barrier Reef dive and sail liveaboard

GREAT BARRIER REEF

OVERNIGHT DIVE SNORKEL & SAIL

WE ARE OPERATING – BOOKINGS AND AVAILABILITY DURING COVID19

Coral Sea Dreaming Dive & Sail provides the ultimate overnight adventure on the Great Barrier Reef. Sail the path less traveled to Cairns outer most reefs on our strong purpose build steel yacht. Enjoy the unparalleled experience of sleeping with the stars overhead and waking to a Coral Sea sunrise.

We are a small Cairns family owned and operated business providing overnight Reef trips to the Great Barrier Reef. Our trips are perfect for families, couples or solo travellers looking for a truly unique reef adventure without the crowds!

Coral Sea Dreaming 2 day/ 1 night trips depart Cairns every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. We carry a maximum of 12 guests ensuring an intimate and personalised experience with guest to crew ratio of 4:1. We have access to 30 moorings over 9 stunning reef systems and can guarantee the best locations per conditions on the day.

Our vessel is a beautiful, stable, 60ft steel hulled sailing boat offering cosy accommodation in Private Double or Single Shared bunk cabins. Meals are prepared on board using fresh, local ingredients.

Trip costs include accommodation, linen and meals, all snorkel/ dive gear and instruction along with some phenomenal star gazing, amazing sunsets and sunrises. Diving is an additional cost. All guests are required to pay a Marine levy on-board $40 pp per trip.

We offer everything from first time snorkelling, Introductory and Certified Diving, Free Try Dives, Nitro Dives (unique Night Dives for Intro Divers or Certified Divers), dive courses, camera hire, bar facilities and merchandise. Private Charters also possible upon request.

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WHY SAIL WITH US

CAIRNS BEST REEF LOCATIONS

With exclusive access to 30 premier moorings on both the mid and outer Great Barrier Reef, visit the best dive and snorkel sites Cairns has to offer including ‘The Whale, 5-Ways, Little Tracy and 3 sisters’. Our reef sites are healthy and full of diverse marine life. Their are stunning coral gardens with visibility often up to 30+ m.

Average viability 20 m with water temp 23 – 32 degrees

OVERNIGHT SLEEP ON THE REEF

Soak up the full reef experience, snorkelling and diving by day, unwind with a sun-downer at sunset, gaze at the galaxy above and wake to a Coral Sea sunrise. Our adventurous divers indulge in thrilling night diving where they witness sharks out hunting, playing god with Red Bass, sleeping turtles, parrot fish in their sleeping bags and cuddly cuttlefish.

FREE 10MIN TRY DRIVE

Easier than snorkeling come and try introductory diving where you can fly like an underwater eagle, be weightless like an astronaut and be surrounded by nature in ever sense. Super easy, fun and no experience necessary. Unlike snorkeling on the surface where you are looking down at the reef and dealing with water in your snorkel, introductory diving allows you to full immerse yourself in your surroundings, getting up much closer to the marine life and your regulator makes it easy to constantly and comfortably breath. We also offer a FREE 10 minute Try dive including your lesson, equipment and basic skills. Come and experience the thrill of diving you will be hooked in no time!

SAIL INTO PARADISE

Leave the crowds behind as you unfurl the sails and take in the Great Barrier Reef serenity to sail your way to paradise. There is no better feeling than the breeze in your hair and wind in your sails as you relax and encounter breaching whales, cheeky turtles, dashing dolphins riding the bow and shy elusive sea snakes- all this before you even get to your first scuba dive site.

TESTIMONIALS

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Such an incredible experience aboard Coral Sea Dreaming. Great positive, witty crew that are willing to help in any way they can, all with extensive knowledge on diving. Since the trips are limited to 12 people, its a very intimate experience and the overnight stay means there's plenty of time to settle in and make the boat feel like home. It's a great value for anyone wanting to experience the great barrier reef on a more personal level. It felt more like a few close friends taking us out on their boat than a cash grabbing, big name company. Relaxed atmosphere with a very professional team!!
Vinny - via Trip Advisor July 2020AMAZING!!

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Love, love, loved it, such a great experience, amazing crew and passengers. This would have to be the best boat I have been on in Cairns. Can't wait to hopefully come out another time because It's had so much fun! Thanks again Coral Sea Dreaming you guys are awesome.
Laila S. via FACEBOOK

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We sailed, we laughed, we dived! A great two days onboard Coral Sea Dreaming

We are just back from the two day one night sailing and diving trip on Coral Sea Dreaming. We chose these guys as they were smaller than many of the much bigger operators out of Cairns and hoping for more personal and less hectic approach with smaller diving numbers. We were not disappointed. The maximum allowed on the boat is 12 guests and 3 crew. It made for a much more intimate trip which allowed us to get to know everyone on the boat really well by the end.

The crew were all brilliant and looked after us really well. My friend and I went specifically to dive and the biggest group we dived with was four. Morgan the dive master was attentive and patient as there were different levels of competency but made each dive a great experience for everyone. Thanks guys for a cracking two days. Highly highly recommend Coral Sea Dreaming!
SimonAsh37 via TripAdvisor

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~~If you do anything in Cairns, see the reef! If you’re looking for a small tour to do it with, chose Coral Sea Dreaming!~~

We had an amazing time doing the 2 day/1 night sailing trip with Coral Sea! The crew was amazing and fun. The dive/snorkel sites were fantastic. I even did my first night dive which was a wonder in itself. We saw turtles, rays, sharks, and fish galore.

The Great Barrier Reef is a Wonder for a reason and Coral Sea made our time out there amazing. The food was good and the boat was cool. They supply you with everything you need.

Even if you don’t dive, you will see a lot snorkeling. However, if you are interest in diving but haven’t been certified, don’t worry, they take first-timers a lot and make it very comfortable.

If you do anything in Cairns, see the reef! If you’re looking for a small tour to do it with, chose Coral Sea Sailing!
Todd G. via TripAdvisor

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This was such an amazing trip. The group (Jan, Joris, and Julien) was really knowledgeable and made our time exceptional. We did 6 dives total. Including 1 night dive. We saw sting rays, a shark, and the reefs were beautiful. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to have a nice diving experience without feeling pressured to rush. It was my best experience diving thus far
Marine via TripAdvisor

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My sister and I had the best time on Coral Sea Dreaming!! the crew was super friendly and kind, skipper and his wife (and adorable baby) were absolutely wonderful. We loved having a smaller boat as it allowed us more one-on-one dives, all around an incredible experience!!!! Nick (member of the crew) made us feel comfortable in the water (and is also the Love of my Life) Reviewed via Facebook August 2017
Nicole - California

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We had a ball, beautiful boat, great crew and the majestic Barrier Reef.
This trip is a great alternative to the day reef trips on offer. You get 2 days sailing plus 5 different sites on which to dive or snorkel. The crew were very safety focused whilst being fun and helpful. Food was fresh, tasty and plentiful which is fabulous because this experience will make you hungry.

If you want more than one site/day to experience the reef then do the numbers; 2 day trips to the reef plus 1 night in a hotel will cost about the same if not more than CSD’s overnight reef trip. So just do it.

Thank you Jens, Alex and Timmy.
Peter - Australia - via Trip AdvisorA Quality Product!!

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I went on the overnight Coral Sea Dreaming trip Dec 3-4, 2019. I had an amazing time and highly recommend it to anyone who wants a personal dive experience. We had 10 passengers (from America, New Zealand, and Germany; family with teens and young adults, couples and solo travelers) and 3 crew (Christian, Mike, and Carla) who took care of everything from teaching us how to dive to preparing our meals. It felt like we were traveling on a boat that belonged to a good friend, everything was so chill and easy. They like to warn you this isn't a luxury cruise line, and it doesn't zoom you out to the reef and back as quickly as possible in a day. But honestly I felt so comfortable despite the tiny bunk beds and bathrooms. It was air conditioned downstairs and everyone slept really well with the rocking. The diving itself was unforgettable. We had 2 certified divers, 4 intro divers, and 4 snorklers, and everyone had plenty of time in the water. I nearly chickened out of diving but Mike the instructor gave me a pep talk and I was so glad I did it! We saw so much at the dive sites - giant turtles, colorful parrotfish, sharks, clams, clownfish, etc. A few people also braved the night dive. I really loved this trip! True highlight of my time in Australia and a bucket list life experience!
Tara Klein - via Trip AdvisorIncredible experience - highlight of my time in Australia

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After spending a load of time reviewing the dive companies in Cairns, I settled on Coral Sea Dreaming because of it's intimate nature. I was not disappointed as the 11 passengers and 3 crew on the boat made for a fun experience and I didn't feel like I was lost among a packed ship for one of the larger companies. It also was 2 days long and fit our compressed timeline in Cairns well.

Each of my certified dives was guided (albeit in a group of 6) so I didn't have to worry about finding my way around. Everyone was capable so we didn't have any trouble navigating the reefs. My GF was even introduced to diving using the introductory package and ended up taking all the introductory dives AND the night dive which this ship offers to new divers. It takes a bit of guts to go diving as an intro, but they made it easy.

The food was tasty (thanks Leo), the laughs were great (thanks Mike), and I learned so much about diving and the reef (thanks Christian). That said, you need to be prepared for the experience. This isn't a resort. The bathrooms are small. The boat rocks when you sleep. You might get seasick (so take a motion sickness pill when you get on and in the morning)..... BUT this is an authentic experience to get out on the reef and truly feel connected to it. Thanks for the great time guys!
John C - via Trip Advisor5 Dives & Amazing Time

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Me and 4 friends booked this trip on 2 perfect weather days which meant we had the best experience we could of asked for! On the way there we saw dolphins and whales and the diving itself was top tier! Highlight was night dive then checking out the stars afterward as it was so clear you could see the whole Milky Way. Thanks coral sea dreaming we will be back!
Jake - via Trip AdvisorRadical Trip

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Best trip ever! All crew are extremely nice, foods are super delicious, and no sea sick! We saw lots of wildlife, beautiful reefs, stunning sunset and sunrise. Never forget the dolphins they swam with our boat. 100 % recommended for everyone!!
Christian - via Trip AdvisorAmazing Times

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We had a great experience on the Coral sea dreaming sail boat and with the crew. Our trip was for 2 days and 1 night and included meals and snacks and snorkel gear and wetsuits and dive gear. All the equipment was in great condition so there was no hesitation using it. Crew Alex and Jo were amazing in the way in which they guided us and helped us from beginners to the experienced whilst Captain Jan did very competent captain things. And the 3 of them took turns in making us delicious meals with plenty of fresh fruit and veg. I'm really glad we chose these guys to do the GBR with and if we go out again I'd definitely choose this group. Thanks Jan, Alex and Jo for a great trip and some pretty cool memories
Kelly H - via Google

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Unforgettable experience. Capitan Jan smoothly delivered the vessel to the clearest sweetspots of the coral reef. Crew men Timmy and Alex were experienced sailors and superb diving instructors. The sea life in the reef was unbelievable. Whales, sharks, mantarays, turtles barracudas, cuttlefish and countless species colorful fish and corals. I will definetly come back for more next season. Must not miss.
Fernando Oettinger - via GoogleUnforgettable Experience

SMALL GROUPS

MAXIMUM OF 12 GUESTS

With a maximum of just 12 passengers and 3 crew, Coral Sea Dreaming offers a very unique alternative to the large live-aboard experience. Small group numbers diving and snorkelling, means you see more creatures, experienced divers enjoy longer dive times and first time divers receive one on one training with no rushing. This is your adventure of a lifetime!

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