Like many tourist spots in Australia, the warmer months from November to April is the peak tourist season for Great Barrier Reef cruises. However, several events happen along Queensland’s coast throughout the year, and the best time to visit the Great Barrier Reef for you will depend on the activities you’d like to explore.
Water activities are widely popular during the summer (Dec to Feb), but this is also the peak tourist season, so book your activities in advance. The water is also quite warm for a swim at this time, but the summer also brings showers, so visibility under the surface is not the best.
If you want to indulge in water activities and want the best views of the reef, May to June and September to October (off-peak seasons) is the best time as the water is still warm enough to take a swim and visibility is at its peak. Turtle nesting period is in November to December, but if you’d rather watch little turtles hatch and crawl to the ocean, come in between January and March. June and July is when you can spot dwarf minke whales and humpback whales can be spotted through July to October.