The Great Barrier Reef stretches for some 2,600km (over 1,600 miles) and is home to an amazing array of wildlife from sea turtles to sea eagles, clown fish to humpback whales. And to really experience there's nothing like being in the water!
The gateway to the underwater paradise that is the Great Barrier Reef is the small city of Cairns in North Queensland. Cairns International Airport serves the region for both international and domestic flights and there is also a busy train station with good connections to the rest of the country.
Cairns itself is a regular stopping off point on many a backpacker's itinerary so if you are looking for something a little more upmarket head 30 miles north to Port Douglas.
You can fly to both Hamilton Island and Lizard Island from Cairns, but chances are you will reach the Great Barrier Reef by boat.
First things first though. If you haven't been scuba diving before you will need to learn the ropes - there are plenty of two day pool and classroom courses available in dive in Townsville, Cairns and Port Douglas.
Day trips to various dive sites are available from Cairns and Port Douglas, with catamarans a fantastic way to explore the reef.
You could cruise on a luxury five star catamaran with qualified marine biologists to Michealmas Cay, a tropical sand island. Here you can snorkel in crystal clear waters and view the coral gardens, teeming with marine life. Departing Cairns, Australia, the price is £89 for adults and £45 for children 4-14 (book before you leave the UK price, April 2009).
You can also cruise from Cairns to Green Island on a modern air conditioned catamaran, and enjoy a full buffet lunch on board. You will have five hours on Green Island to spend as you wish and can choose either a full day's snorkel hire or a glass bottom boat tour. Price £56 for adults, £31 for children.
Or again aboard a catamaran that departs from Airlie Beach, you can sail through the beautiful Whitsunday Islands to the Knuckle Reef, renowned as one of the most spectacular Great Barrier Reef sites. Spend the day snorkelling in a vibrant underwater wonderland for £94 per adult and £45 per child (5 to 15).
To get a true flavour of the Reef you might want to opt for a three day two night "liveaboard" excursion. There are plenty of options to choose from - larger boats tend to be better equipped in terms of comfort and food, but can't always reach the more intimate part of the Reef that the smaller craft venture to.
The Great Barrier Reef is home to an abundance of wildlife, including turtles, dolphins and whales, more than 1,500 species of fish, 4,000 types of mollusc and more than 200 species of bird life. Not surprisingly then, this colourful coral landscape provides some of the best diving opportunities anywhere in the world.
Much of the Reef is part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and various parts of it are protected in certain ways to minimise the impact of the two million tourists who visit it every year. Given its fragile nature - remember coral is a living organism - it's important to minimise the impact of your visit by not touching corals or other wildlife and resisting the temptation to take a piece of the Reef home with you.
June to September is considered the high season - it's actually Australia's winter and the weather should be cooler and drier, but hotels and boat trips are busier at this time of year. December to February is the height of summer and can be baking hot.
One thing is for sure, a trip to the spectacular Great Barrier Reef will be the highlight of your visit to Australia.
