Tropical North Queensland - Best Adventure Experience - Day 4 - Helitours and scuba diving

It would be wrong if I didn’t rave about Skysafari of Cairns. I was treated to four helicopter transfers courtesy of Brad, Skysafari’s chief pilot. Being my first ever heli ride, I thought the transfer from Cape Tribulation to Cairns was pretty amazing. We had a beautiful crisp morning, clear skies, and no wind. I couldn’t have expected a better first flight.

Now I’ve flown in plenty of planes, a beach take-off, and even a seaplane once, but Skysafari is a different experience altogether. One moment you’re sitting on the helipad and ten seconds later you’re hovering high up. Brad gave me a guided tour of the Daintree Rainforest and explained just about everything we saw — from farmland to the mountains all the way to Cairns.

Ready for some scuba diving, we headed to Silverswift at The Marina in Cairns. If you want comfort and quality inyour diving experience, look no further. From the moment I stepped onto the boat I was impressed by the service. Everything from the well-planned layout of the boat to the friendly, knowledgeable crew was outstanding. I really connected with how laid-back the entire day felt. There was no rush to get into or out of the water and it was great to relax on the sun-soaked deck where I chatted with a few travellers from the UK and South America. Looks like my Spanish isn’t that rusty after all.

My pod of eight divers from across the globe hit three sites on Flynn Reef and we had perfect conditions — flat water, clear skies, and warm weather. Oh, and let’s not forget the diving. The water was a balmy 25° C with 25 meter visibility. Does it get any better? Only if you include the amazing sights: amazing coral bommies and walls, sponges, turtles, eels, stingrays, Nemo, his cousins, and heaps of others!

My favourite part of the day was the fish feeding — where we were instructed to keep our fingers and arms tucked away. Why? Well, I thought I could eat pretty fast, but until you’ve seen about 50 fish attack their food, you’ve no idea what fast food is. Next time you’re in Cairns, check out Silverswift. It’s diving done right.

The Shangri-La Hotel is just a short walk from the pier in Cairns. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I now understand why it’s a five star hotel. If you’ve got the time, I’d suggest sharing a bottle of wine while watching the boats come in from their day at sea. Once I retreated to bed, I was welcomed with the most inviting mattress I’ve ever slept on. In one word, opulence!

Day 5 - Cobbold Gorge & Undara