The reef and rainforest in one perfect day

Discover Frankland Islands

Choose the tour that’s right for you, from a full-day island escape to a quick express reef adventure.

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Frankland Islands Reef Cruises

Exclusive Great Barrier Reef Island Tour – River, Rainforest, Reef

Frankland Islands Reef Cruises provides an exceptional day tour experience to the Frankland Islands within the Cairns Great Barrier Reef region. With its stunning scenery, abundant marine life, fringing reefs, and a variety of activities to enjoy, Frankland Islands is the perfect place to relax and reconnect with nature.  

Immerse yourself in breathtaking coral gardens, unwind on pristine island beaches, and partake in activities such as snorkeling, semi-submersible tours, kayaking, paddleboarding, or guided walks led by our marine biologists.

With a group limited to just 100 individuals, you’ll have more time to interact with our knowledgeable crew and learn about the islands and their vibrant marine ecosystem.

Two ways to experience the reef

Whether you want a full day of island exploration or a quick reef getaway, we have a tour for you.

Adventure Snorkel Safari Cairns
★ Most popular

All-Inclusive Day Tour

The complete experience with lunch & all activities.

$270 per adult

Green Turtle on the Great Barrier Reef
✦ Great value

Express Day Tour

Ideal for travellers with a tight schedule who still want to experience the Great Barrier Reef.

$195 per adult

What makes our tour so special?

Discover the untouched natural beauty of the Frankland Islands

Frankland_Islands - More secluded and less crowded

No big crowds

We’re the only commercial operator with a permit to visit these pristine, uninhabited islands.

Then relax and explore with no crowds, plenty of space and time (between 2.5 and 5 hours, depending on the tour selected) to maximise your experience.

Frankland Islands - Marine Life in the GBR

Full of marine life

Our destination is Normanby Island in the beautiful Frankland Group National Park.

Your trip starts with a rainforest river cruise, followed by a short open-water crossing.

Surrounded by vibrant fringing reefs, the Frankland Islands are home to many species of marine life, including turtles, octopuses and the ever-popular anemone clownfish, Nemo.

Frankland_Islands_Great_Barrier_Reef_Marine_Park

Tailor your day

Your day includes coach transfers from selected Cairns CBD accommodation, and optional activities including a guided Great Barrier Reef snorkel tour, guided island walk, beachside buffet lunch, adventure snorkel safari, semi-sub tour or grab a kayak or stand-up paddle board and explore!

Why Frankland Islands?

One of the only reef tours where you can visit an uninhabited Great Barrier Reef island

Uninhabited island

Step onto pristine, crowd-free islands untouched by mass tourism.

World-class reef

Snorkel directly from the beach on vibrant, healthy coral reef.

Rich marine life

Spot sea turtles, colourful fish, and stunning coral formations.

Eco-certified

Advanced eco-tourism certified, protecting the reef for future generations.

What our customers love about us

Benfield2015, Apr 2026 (Tripadvisor)

Fabulous experience. Staff had tons of enthusiasm and took great care of us. The person that lead the snorkel tour (I didn’t catch her name but she is from Missouri) was particularly great. Do not hesitate to take this tour. The snorkeling was awesome and we had plenty of time. Even saw a manta ray!

Rachel N, Aug 2025 (Tripadvisor)

Wow!! What a fabulous trip. Friendly, warm and knowledgeable guides, fabulous and yummy lunch. The island itself is beautiful, relatively untouched and a multitude of sealife to view. A truly wonderful day.

Marco F, Mar 2026 (Tripadvisor)

Truly awesome! Much better and less crowded/touristy than the Outer Reef/Green/Fitzroy tours for a more secluded feel. All inclusive makes it stress free. Tour guides were fun and informative. River entrance adds the croc dimension. Definitely recommend this tour more than the others or at least do both, but don’t miss this.

Amelia, Feb 2026 (Tripadvisor)

Amazing day out at Frankland Islands. The staff were so great with the kids (they especially loved the pirate treasure hunt)! We had a wonderful time on the glass bottom boat, snorkelling with turtles and kayaking. Thanks to the great crew, especially Riley & Jimmy who made our day!

Liz K, Feb 2026 (Tripadvisor)

Excellent tour. Frankland Islands are fascinating. River cruise is very interesting way to start a trip to the Great Barrier Reef. Short ocean crossing to the islands. The staff are highly qualified, attentive and friendly. Tour is very well organised.

Andy N, Nov 2025 (Tripadvisor)

A superb day out on the reef on a deserted island. All inclusive experience including hotel transfer, lunch and all snorkelling kit etc. first class tour guides offering insight, humour and great organisation. Walk around the island, take in the breath-taking views, snorkel for marine life and befriend some baby black tip reef sharks! They even threw in a croc sunbathing on the way back. Well worth the money!

Josh, May 2026 (Google Reviews)
Had a beautiful day, shark, many mantas, turtles, beautiful coral and thousands of fish. Max was an excellent guide too. Highly recommend
Alan S, Apr 2026 (Google Reviews)

The whole day was great. Starting in the river and then going into the ocean gave a different perspective than other cruises. Saw a crocodile on the way back in the river. Highly recommend this company and cruise.

Simone W, Apr 2026 (Google Reviews)

Amazing experience, beautiful island that is truly well maintained, the crew did such a great job in keeping us safe and making us feel comfortable and giving us the best experience ♥️🐢

 

Oliver, Apr 2026 (Google Reviews)

A perfect day with a totally engaged and friendly staff. I can recommend this to everyone, so much better with the small group and more individual than all the other snorkeling tours mass tourism tours.

Matt R, Mar 2026 (Google Reviews)

Thanks to the whole Frankland Islands team, we had a great day out. Everyone was so friendly. Max especially was great with the snorkel safari and the island walk; he was so knowledgeable and genuinely interested in what he was showing us. We would highly recommend this.

Book your Frankland Islands Reef Cruise now!