15 Fun Things To Do On Green Island: Day Trip From Cairns

This post may contain affiliate links. Read the full disclosure

Are you looking for fun things to do on Green Island? By far one of the most popular day trips from Cairns to Green Island. This national park island on the Great Barrier Reef is a perfect way to spend a full or half-day, or even an overnight stay off the coast of Cairns, Queensland!

We share the ultimate guide to taking a Green Island day trip from Cairns, including how to get to Green Island from Cairns, the best things to do on Green Island, whether Green Island is worth visiting and tips for making the most of your day.

Get ready to plan your Green Island day trip from Cairns and make it a memorable visit to this tropical Queensland island destination.

Guide To Visiting Green Island, Cairns

Whether you are looking to spend a day soaking up the far north Queensland sunshine, lazing on the beach, or if you want to make the most of the location, exploring the Great Barrier Reef, a Green Island Cairns day trip has something for all ages!

This island resort is a popular day tour option from Cairns and surrounding towns since it is quick and easy to get to from the mainland.

Where Is Green Island?

Green Island is located approximately 13 kilometres off the coast of Cairns, in tropical north Queensland, Australia. It is a tropical coral cay of the Great Barrier Reef, in the Coral Sea.

How To Get To Green Island From Cairns

The easiest way to get to Green Island is by a Cairns to Green Island ferry.

Several fast catamaran tours to Green Island run throughout the day. Taking a day tour to Green Island means you will also have the use of facilities and snorkelling equipment upon arrival.

Most of the day tours depart from the Reef Fleet Terminal at the Cairns Marina.

Alternatively, there is also a sailing boat, Ocean Free, departing from the A Finger Jetty. Or daily helicopter flights if you want to experience an aerial view of the breathtaking Great Barrier Reef.

Best Things To Do On Green Island

There are many fun things to do on Green Island, to suit all ages and interests. Since most visitors only spend 4 to 8 hours on the island, there are a lot of activities you can do that don’t take a lot of time. Best of all, many of them are free too!

Here are some of the best things to do on Green Island:

1. Snorkelling 

Green Island is a perfect place to go snorkelling for beginners. The snorkelling is right off the beach and is supervised by lifeguards.

It is relatively shallow which makes it a great place to take kids snorkelling in Queensland also.

Green Island tours provide you will use of the snorkelling masks and flippers, which you can retrieve at the snorkelling centre near the resort entrance.

The snorkelling beach is approximately a 2 minute walk from where you pick up your gear.

A lot of people also choose to snorkel near the jetty, however, there is no lifeguard on duty in this area. This can be a great area for spotting sea life, including sea turtles.

Tip: We recommend you bring a rash vest and consider a stinger suit just for the purpose of keeping you from sunburn. We got very sunburnt on the back of our legs while snorkelling. And if you are snorkelling with kids or not a strong swimmer, consider using a life vest too!

You can also book a boat snorkel trip from the island that takes you 1.5KM offshore with a lifeguard guiding you to some of the best snorkelling in the area. This is an additional cost.

2. Swimming

If you wish to go swimming at Green Island, stick to the lifeguard beach area. You are in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef so remaining in the approved area is certainly safer!

Make sure you take care not to step on the coral reef beneath you if you swim near the reef areas.

3. Relax On The Beach

Being an island, you can easily find a beautiful and relatively secluded spot of beach anywhere on Green Island. Roll out your towel or camping chair and spend some time relaxing in the sunshine (don’t forget your sunscreen)!

There are plenty of shady trees around the island that give great beach views as well and help protect from that strong north Queensland sun.

Or if you don’t have your own chairs, you can hire beach lounges and an umbrella for the day. Each come with 2 sun lounges and a large umbrella, which is $40 to hire.

There is a hut near the lifeguard station where you can pay and also purchase snacks, drinks and ice creams.

Does Green Island make the list of top 20 beaches in Queensland? Find out!

4. Take A Walk

The Green Island walk around the entire island does not take very long and it is a beautiful walk. It takes approximately 30 to 40 minutes to walk the entire island and when you do, you will find yourself away from the crowded areas.

There are beautiful photo opportunities and when the tides are low, you can explore the rock pools and shallow waters for crabs and other interesting marine life.

We even saw what might have been a small shark fin around 10 metres from the shore on the far side of the island.

Or for a shady walk, follow the rainforest boardwalk through the centre of the island. Here you will spot plenty of birdlife along the way.

5. Visit The Crocodile Park – Marineland Melanesia

Marineland Melanesia is home to the largest captive crocodile in captivity – Cassius. It is also home to one of the largest private collections of exotic Melanesian tribal artefacts and aquariums.

They have 2 crocodile shows daily, so make sure you time your visit to coincide with one of these shows. They are held at 10:30 AM and 1:30 PM. You will have the opportunity to hold a baby crocodile.

This is a fun experience for the whole family. For more information about Marineland Melanesia and current ticket prices, visit their website.

6. Glass Bottom Boat Tour

If you aren’t so keen on snorkelling or have younger children who aren’t yet confident swimmers, a glass-bottom boat tour is a wonderful way to experience a small part of the Great Barrier Reef without being in the water.

Many tour packages will include this as part of the inclusions or you can book this as an extra activity when you visit the island.

The Great Barrier Reef tours will take you across different areas of reef where you can spot coral, fish and, if you get lucky, other sea creatures such as sea turtles and giant clams.

We were lucky enough to see Nemo (a clownfish) during our most recent visit.

7. Resort Pool

Anyone visiting Green Island as part of a day tour is able to enjoy the resort pool during their visit. The pool is not huge but it is popular with the kids. This is also a good alternative to cool down if you prefer not to go swimming in the ocean.

More Green Island Activities

The tour operators and Green Island resort offer a range of other guided activities from Green Island. These are at an additional cost when you visit but are a fun way to fill some of your day if lazing around the beach and snorkelling aren’t quite exciting enough for you!

Guests of Green Island Resort also have complimentary access to many of the resort activities, including free use of kayaks and canoes, snorkelling equipment and windsurfing boards.

You also get complimentary sunset drinks and private fish feeding presentations during your stay at your Green Island accommodation. And evening rainforest tours.

Depending on the season, Emeralds Restaurant & Bar may also be open for lunch for a fine dining experience as well.

When you are visiting an island for a full day, you want to make sure you’ve packed everything you will need for an enjoyable day trip.

After all, you can’t just duck to the shops and pick up something you’ve forgotten!

They do have some essentials for sale at the store where you collect snorkel gear, such as hats, sunscreen, insect repellant and towels. However, you are better off bringing everything you need with you!

You will have plenty to do on your Green Island Cairns day trip or even if you decide to extend your stay for a night or two!

Are you planning a day trip to Green Island or a longer stay?