Big Cat Green Island Review 2026: Best Value Green Island Tour from Cairns
At $122 adult, Big Cat is the most affordable full-day Green Island option, and the ticket already includes either snorkel gear or a glass bottom boat tour, an activity bundled at a price that beats most transfer-only fares. Four departures daily (9:00am and 11:00am full day, 9:00am and 1:00pm half day) give more scheduling flexibility than any other Green Island operator. Marineland Melanesia, an independent wildlife attraction on the island with crocodiles and sea turtles, is worth a separate visit.
The honest caveat: Green Island's reef is inner reef. Visibility is decent but it's not the same calibre as Ocean Free's exclusive Pinnacle Reef mooring. If world-class snorkelling is the priority, Ocean Free is the better pick. For a full island day covering sand, reef, rainforest and wildlife at the best price, Big Cat is the right call.
GuestTours Verdict
The most affordable full Green Island day from Cairns, with snorkel gear or a glass bottom boat included in the price. Four departure times, no fuel levy, and access to Marineland Melanesia on the island. Not the best reef quality of any Green Island operator (Ocean Free edges it), but the best value for a full day out.
Big Cat Green Island
Full Day / Half Day · Green Island · Cairns
Ticket Prices (incl. snorkel gear or glass bottom boat)
Adult
Full or half day
$122
Child
4–14 years · full or half day
$61
Family Pass SAVE $61
2 Adults + 2 Children
$305
🔒 Secure booking · no payment now
✉️ Confirmation within 1 hour
↩️ Free cancellation 48h+
What's included in your ticket
- Return catamaran ferry
- Island access
- Your choice: snorkel gear OR glass bottom boat tour
- Rainforest walking tracks
- Beach access
- Reef snorkelling from shore
- Marineland Melanesia access (separately priced on island)
Not included: meals (buffet lunch $40 adult / $26 child, picnic $24), semi-submarine ($45 adult / $25 child), Snorkel Safari with Marine Biologist ($85 / $57), hotel transfer (from $35 adult / $25 child). The option not chosen (snorkel gear or glass bottom) is available as a paid add-on. No fuel levy, price shown is all-in.
Pros and cons
What we love
- Snorkel gear OR glass bottom boat included in base price
- 4 departure times, most flexible of any Green Island operator
- Full day and half day same price
- No fuel levy, transparent pricing
- Marineland Melanesia, unique wildlife on island
- Two Island Explorer combo with Fitzroy available
- Best value for a full Green Island day
Worth knowing
- Inner reef, not as vibrant as outer reef sites
- Ocean Free has exclusive Pinnacle Reef mooring (better snorkelling)
- Meals not included, restaurant and café on island separately
- Pool is resort-guests only
- No guided snorkel in base ticket
Best for these travellers
Great fit
Budget travellers
$122 with an activity included, the most affordable Green Island full-day option.
Great fit
Families
Family pass $305, multiple departures, glass bottom boat for non-swimmers, Marineland Melanesia for kids.
Great fit
Flexible schedules
4 departure times means you can fit it around other plans, no 6am alarm required.
Great fit
First-timers
Easy, relaxed island day. Snorkel gear included. Glass bottom boat if you prefer not to get in the water.
Not ideal
Serious snorkellers
Inner reef only. Ocean Free's exclusive Pinnacle Reef mooring offers better coral and visibility.
Not ideal
All-inclusive guests
Meals and most extras are additional. Sunlover's pontoon includes lunch, Big Cat does not.
Your day, hour by hour
By 8:30 AM
Check-in at Reef Fleet Terminal
1 Spence St, Cairns Harbour. Also available at 11:00 AM (full day) or 1:00 PM (half day).
9:00 AM
Depart Cairns
45-minute catamaran crossing northeast to Green Island. Relax on deck or grab a coffee on board.
~9:45 AM
Arrive Green Island
Collect your included snorkel gear or join the glass bottom boat. Island facilities open.
10 AM, 2 PM
Explore at your own pace
Snorkel the fringing reef, walk the rainforest tracks, visit Marineland Melanesia, enjoy the beach or add the semi-submarine.
~12-1 PM
Lunch (optional)
Buffet lunch ($40 adult / $26 child) or picnic lunch ($24) pre-bookable. Café also available on the island.
~3:30 PM
Return ferry
Multiple return times available. Half day guests depart earlier. We'll confirm your return time with you when you book.
~4:30 PM
Back at Reef Fleet Terminal, Cairns
Times approximate and subject to conditions.
Green Island Beach
Fringing Reef Snorkel
Glass Bottom Boat
Rainforest Track
Aerial View
Marineland Melanesia
Big Cat Ferry
Sea Turtles
Reef Fish
Island Beach
Semi-Submarine
Island Sunset
Green Island, 27 km Northeast of Cairns
Green Island is a true coral cay, built entirely from coral sediment, surrounded by fringing reef in both directions. At 27 km from Cairns it's the closest full island experience to the city, and the only one with a full resort, restaurant, café and Marineland Melanesia all accessible by day-trip ferry.
Green Island Fringing Reef
27 km from Cairns · Coral Cay
Inner reef surrounding a coral cay. Snorkel directly from the beach. Calm, accessible for beginners. Not outer-reef quality but ideal for a first-time reef experience.
Marineland Melanesia
On Green Island · Separately priced
Crocodiles, sea turtles and Pacific cultural artefacts, independently operated on the island. Accessible to all day-trip guests. A unique attraction not available at any other Cairns island.
Which Green Island ticket to pick
Big Cat runs four departures a day and sells the ferry two ways. Each price is the complete fare for that ticket, and children are 4–14 years with infants free.
Ferry only
Return catamaran and island access, nothing else bundled in. The cheapest way onto Green Island, and sensible if you bring your own snorkel gear or just want the beach and the rainforest boardwalks.
Cheapest way across
$110 adult · $55 child
Ferry + snorkel gear or glass bottom boat
The same crossing with one activity included, your choice of the two. This is the ticket most guests book, and the one the price on this page refers to.
Best value of the two
$122 adult · $61 child
Full day or half day
Full day departs 9 AM or 11 AM, half day departs 9 AM or 1 PM. Both cost the same, so take the full day unless your schedule says otherwise.
Same fare either way
Two Island Explorer
Green Island and Fitzroy Island in one day, run by Big Cat. Departs 8:30 AM, 2.5 hours at Fitzroy then 3.5 hours at Green Island. Children 4–15 on this one.
$196 adult · $98 child
Optional extras, worth it?
Semi-Submarine
Partially submerged vessel with underwater windows, you sit below the waterline and watch the reef pass beneath you. No swimming required. A good alternative to snorkelling for non-swimmers.
Good for non-swimmers wanting an underwater view
$45 adult
$25 child
$25 child
Snorkel Safari, Marine Biologist (50 min)
Guided snorkel with a marine biologist who identifies coral, fish and invertebrates. 50 minutes in the water with expert commentary, the best way to understand what you're seeing.
$85 adult
$57 child
$57 child
Buffet Lunch
Hot and cold buffet lunch on the island. Pre-book to guarantee your spot. A comfortable option for a full day out, the island café is the alternative.
$40 adult
$26 child
$26 child
Picnic Lunch
Pre-packed picnic to enjoy on the beach. Lighter and cheaper than the buffet. Good option for families or anyone who prefers eating outdoors.
$24 pp
Hotel Transfer, Cairns CBD
Return coach from Cairns city accommodation to the Reef Fleet Terminal. Worth it if you're not walking distance from the harbour.
$35 adult · $25 child
Hotel Transfer, Northern Beaches
Return coach from Machans, Holloways, Yorkeys Knob, Trinity, Kewarra and Palm Cove.
$45 adult · $30 child
Before you go
Departure
Full day: 9:00 AM & 11:00 AM. Half day: 9:00 AM & 1:00 PM. All from Reef Fleet Terminal, 1 Spence St, Cairns.
Included Activity
Your choice at time of boarding: snorkel gear (mask, fins, snorkel) OR glass bottom boat tour. Both included in the base ticket, pick one.
Marineland Melanesia
On-island attraction independently operated. Crocodiles, sea turtles and Pacific artefacts. Separately priced, confirm cost at the island. Open to all day visitors.
What to Bring
Reef-safe sunscreen, swimwear, towel, hat. BYO snacks or pre-book lunch. Leave valuables at your hotel. Card accepted on the island.
Pricing
No fuel levy. Ticket price includes snorkel gear or glass bottom boat tour. Family pass $305 (2 adults + 2 children), save $61 vs individual tickets.
Meeting Point
Reef Fleet Terminal, Cairns Harbour. 10 min walk from the CBD. Hotel transfers from $35 adult and $25 child, added when you book.
Common questions
Your ticket includes the return catamaran ferry, island access, and your choice of either snorkel gear (mask, fins, snorkel) or a glass bottom boat tour. Everything on the island, rainforest walks, beach access and reef snorkelling, is available with your ticket. Meals, semi-submarine, Snorkel Safari and Marineland Melanesia entry are priced separately.
No, it's one or the other included in the base price. You choose at the time of boarding: snorkel gear (mask, fins, snorkel) or a glass bottom boat tour. If you want both, you can add the other as a paid option ($34 adult / $24 child for either one). Most families split, adults take snorkel gear and children take the glass bottom boat, or vice versa.
Marineland Melanesia is an independent attraction on Green Island, not operated by Big Cat. It houses live crocodiles, sea turtles and an extensive collection of Pacific cultural artefacts and ocean art. It's one of the most unusual things you can see on any Cairns island day trip. Entry is priced separately, confirm the current price on the island. All Big Cat day-trippers can visit it during their time on the island.
The Two Island Explorer combines Fitzroy Island and Green Island in a single day. You depart Cairns at 8:30am, spend 2.5 hours at Fitzroy Island, then transfer to Green Island for 3.5 hours, before returning to Cairns. The price is $196 adult / $98 child / $490 family. It's booked through Big Cat and is a genuine way to see both islands in one day without feeling rushed, 2.5 hours at Fitzroy is enough for the summit hike, turtle rehab and a snorkel.
The price is the same ($122 adult, $61 child, $305 family). The full day means 5.5 hours on the island, using the 9:00am or 11:00am departure. The half day means 2.25 hours on the island, departing at 9:00am or 1:00pm. For a first visit we'd recommend the full day, 2.25 hours goes quickly once you've collected gear, had a snorkel and walked the beach.
Yes, easily. The glass bottom boat is included and lets you see the reef without entering the water. The semi-submarine add-on ($45 adult) is another option for an underwater view. Marineland Melanesia, rainforest walks and the beach are all accessible without swimming.
No. Big Cat does not charge a fuel levy. The price you see, $122 adult, $61 child, $305 family, is the full ticket price including your chosen activity. No additional charges at checkout.
Green Island is inner reef, not outer reef. The snorkelling is good for beginners: calm conditions, fish visible, some coral. But it's not the high-visibility outer reef experience you'd get further from Cairns. If top-quality snorkelling is your priority, Ocean Free's exclusive Pinnacle Reef mooring about 1 km from the island offers better conditions. If you want a relaxed island day with decent reef, Big Cat is fine.
Free cancellation if you cancel 48 hours or more before departure. Within 48 hours the booking is non-refundable. If the operator cancels due to weather or sea conditions, you receive a full refund or can reschedule.
No, the pool at Green Island Resort is reserved for resort guests. Day-trippers have access to the beach, reef, rainforest, café, restaurant and Marineland Melanesia, but not the resort pool. For most day-trippers this isn't a problem, the reef and beach are the reason you're there.
Green Island is 27 km northeast of Cairns, the closest major island to the city. The catamaran crossing takes approximately 45 minutes. It's a comfortable journey on flat water most days, though conditions vary seasonally.
Reef-safe sunscreen, swimwear, a towel, hat and sunglasses. Snorkel gear is included so you don't need to bring your own. BYO snacks or pre-book the buffet lunch ($40 adult) or picnic lunch ($24) add-on. Leave valuables at your hotel, there are no secure lockers on the island. Card accepted on the island for any additional purchases.
Big Cat Green Island
Full Day / Half Day · Green Island · Cairns
Ticket Prices (incl. snorkel gear or glass bottom boat)
Adult
Full or half day
$122
Child
4–14 years · full or half day
$61
Family Pass SAVE $61
2 Adults + 2 Children
$305
🔒 Secure booking · no payment now
✉️ Confirmation within 1 hour
↩️ Free cancellation 48h+
We confirm availability with the operator and send a secure payment link by email. No charge until confirmed.