🇦🇺 Cairns Great Barrier Reef Dive Trip Review

"Skip the hype trains - here's the real deal!" 🤿 🚢 Boat Choice: Passions of Paradise ($265 AUD) Booked via Tripadvisor (not Xiaohongshu's usual picks) Outer reef site: "Meh" visibility + coral bleaching 😕 Includes: Lunch, water, snorkeling + 1 intro scuba dive Add-ons: 2nd deeper dive for $70 (GoPro allowed!) 🌊 Experience Breakdown 🐠 Snorkeling: Best part! Bright fish + soft corals 🪸 🤿 Intro Scuba: No GoPro (annoying!) Deep + murky = few fish, low light 🌑 🐡 Unique Perk: Tropical species like clownfish (Nemo!) - rare in southern GBR 💔 Reality Check Coral bleaching = sad whites & browns (vs vibrant colors) Water clarity: "Worse than Lady Elliot Island" (my fave! 💙) "If diving was my sole goal... I'd cry coming here." 😢 ⚡ Pro Tips 1️⃣ Snorkel > Scuba here (better light + fish action!) 2️⃣ Southern GBR (e.g., Lady Elliot) = clearer waters 3️⃣ Soft coral lovers: Cairns wins for color! 🌈 #CairnsDiving #GreatBarrierReef #ScubaFail #SnorkelLife #AustraliaTravel