Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Queensland

The Great Barrier Reef is a must-see attraction in Australia. One of the world's largest living structures, this natural wonder is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can see it from space because it's so big. It's a bucket-list destination for divers, snorkelers, island explorers, and nature lovers.

To protect the fragile ecosystems of the Great Barrier Reef, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park was established in 1975. More than 3,000 coral reefs, 600 continental islands, including the stunning Whitsunday group, 300 coral cays, and inshore mangrove islands are among these.The park spans for 2,300 kilometers along the east coast of Australia's state of Queensland (about the distance between Mexico and Vancouver). It is one of the world's seven natural wonders.

Unsurprisingly, the Great Barrier Reef is one of the top diving and snorkelling destinations in Australia. Soft and hard corals, over 1,600 tropical fish species, sharks, dugongs, dolphins, turtles, rays, and giant clams are just a few of the marine life species found here. Do you want to avoid getting wet? The reef is seen via glass-bottom boats and underwater observation stations. You can take a cruise around the islands, fly over the islands on a sightseeing aircraft, go on day tours to the islands, or snorkel and dive the reefs. Cairns, Port Douglas, and Airlie Beach are the main launching sites for tours on the mainland.

Location: 280 Flinders Street, Townsville, Queensland, 4810, Australia
Entrance fee: A$6.50
Highlight: Great Barrier Reef, many different islands and reef areas, scuba diving, snorkelling, helicopter tour, one of the greatest marine biodiversity ecosystems in the world,...
Best time to visit: June and October