Sail from Port Douglas to Low Isles on the Great Barrier Reef
Discover a gentler side of the Great Barrier Reef on a sailing day trip from Port Douglas to beautiful Low Isles.
Wavedancer is a 30-metre sailing catamaran that cruises from Port Douglas across the Coral Sea to Low Isles, a pair of tropical islands surrounded by coral reef. Rather than travelling to an offshore reef platform, this experience gives you the opportunity to step ashore on a small coral cay, snorkel from the island and discover the reef, beach and island environment in one day.
Low Isles is particularly appealing to visitors who want a relaxed Great Barrier Reef experience with more than just snorkelling. You can explore the reef, learn about the island environment and enjoy time on a genuine Great Barrier Reef coral cay.
Wavedancer Low Isles at a glance
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- Departs: Port Douglas
- Destination: Low Isles, Great Barrier Reef
- Vessel: Wavedancer, a 30-metre sailing catamaran
- Experience: Great Barrier Reef island and snorkelling day trip
- Snorkelling: Yes
- Island visit: Yes
- Glass-bottom boat: Available as part of the Low Isles experience
- Best suited to: Couples, families and visitors wanting a relaxed reef and island experience
Why visit Low Isles?
Low Isles offers something quite different from an Outer Great Barrier Reef cruise.
The destination consists of two small islands sharing a common reef. One is a vegetated coral cay with a historic lighthouse, while the larger island supports mangrove habitat and an important seabird population.
For visitors, this creates an unusual opportunity to experience several Great Barrier Reef environments during the same day.
You can sail across from Port Douglas, walk on a coral cay, snorkel over the surrounding reef and learn about the natural and cultural history of Low Isles.
It is this combination of reef + island + sailing that makes Wavedancer different from many other Port Douglas reef tours.
What can you do at Low Isles?
Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef
Low Isles is surrounded by a coral reef, allowing you to snorkel directly in the island environment.
Snorkelling gives you the opportunity to look for coral and the tropical marine life that inhabits the reef. As with any wild environment, exactly what you see changes from day to day — and that unpredictability is part of experiencing a living Great Barrier Reef.
Snorkelling equipment is provided, and the crew can help guests prepare for their time in the water.
Join a guided snorkel tour
One of the strengths of the Wavedancer experience is its reef interpretation.
A guided snorkel tour with a marine biologist is included in the Low Isles experience, helping you understand more of what you are seeing rather than simply swimming over the reef.
For curious travellers and families, this can transform snorkelling from sightseeing into a much richer Great Barrier Reef experience.
Explore Low Isles
There is also plenty to discover out of the water.
Walk across the coral cay and learn about the island’s ecology, history and lighthouse while discovering how this tiny island fits within the much larger Great Barrier Reef ecosystem.
The island environment is an important part of this tour and one of the main reasons to choose Low Isles over an offshore reef-only experience.
See the reef without snorkelling
You do not have to be an enthusiastic snorkeller to enjoy Low Isles.
A glass-bottom boat experience provides another way to look beneath the surface and observe the reef while remaining out of the water.
This makes Wavedancer worth considering when a family or travelling group includes both snorkellers and non-snorkellers.
Is Wavedancer Low Isles right for you?
Choose Wavedancer Low Isles if you want:
A relaxed Great Barrier Reef day with a real island to explore, snorkelling, reef interpretation and the experience of sailing from Port Douglas.
It is particularly well suited to visitors who like the idea of combining Great Barrier Reef snorkelling with time ashore on a tropical coral cay.
Consider an Outer Reef tour instead if:
Your highest priority is spending your reef day at offshore reef sites rather than visiting an island.
Port Douglas gives visitors both choices. Low Isles provides the coral-cay experience, while Outer Reef cruises travel farther offshore to reef systems such as the Agincourt ribbon reefs.
Neither is automatically the “better” Great Barrier Reef experience, they suit different travellers.
Low Isles or Outer Great Barrier Reef?
This is one of the most useful questions to answer before booking a Port Douglas reef tour.
Low Isles is generally the better fit if you want sailing, an island, beach time, snorkelling and a relaxed day where the landscape above the water is part of the experience.
The Outer Great Barrier Reef may be the better fit if your priority is offshore coral reef, dedicated reef activities and maximising your time over outer reef environments.
Families and mixed groups can find Low Isles particularly attractive because the day is not dependent on everyone wanting to spend their time in the water.
About Wavedancer
Wavedancer is a 30-metre sailing catamaran operated by Quicksilver Cruises.
Quicksilver’s connection with Low Isles dates back to 1979, when the company began operating commercial trips from Port Douglas to the islands. Wavedancer joined the operation in 1992 and continues the tradition of sailing visitors from Port Douglas to this special part of the Great Barrier Reef.
About Low Isles
Low Isles lies off the coast from Port Douglas within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.
The destination is actually formed by two islands on a common reef.
The smaller coral cay is known for its lighthouse and visitor experience, while the larger island has extensive mangrove vegetation and provides habitat for birdlife.
Together, the islands, reef, seagrass and surrounding marine environment create a diverse ecosystem within a relatively compact area.
Please enjoy Low Isles as the protected natural environment it is. Follow crew instructions, avoid touching or standing on coral, take nothing from the reef or island and leave only footprints behind.
Good to know before you book
Wavedancer is an island-based Great Barrier Reef experience rather than an Outer Reef platform trip.
Weather and sea conditions are part of travelling in a natural marine environment, and schedules or activities can change when required for safety or operating conditions.
Wildlife sightings can never be guaranteed. The reef is a living ecosystem, not an aquarium, so each visit to Low Isles is different.
If you are uncertain whether Low Isles or an Outer Reef tour will suit you better, consider what matters most to you: island + sailing + reef, or maximum emphasis on the offshore reef itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Wavedancer go?
Wavedancer sails from Port Douglas to Low Isles on the Great Barrier Reef. Low Isles consists of two small islands surrounded by a common coral reef.
Can you snorkel at Low Isles?
Yes. Snorkelling is one of the main activities at Low Isles, and snorkelling equipment is provided. A guided snorkelling experience is also part of the Low Isles program.
Do I have to snorkel to enjoy Wavedancer?
No. Low Isles can also be enjoyed from the island, and glass-bottom boat coral viewing provides an opportunity to see the reef without snorkelling.
Is Low Isles suitable for families?
Low Isles can be a good choice for families because the day combines sailing, an island visit, snorkelling, reef viewing and educational experiences. Parents should consider individual children’s swimming ability and comfort around boats and open water when choosing any Great Barrier Reef tour.
Is Low Isles the same as the Outer Great Barrier Reef?
No. Low Isles is a coral-cay and island reef experience closer to the coast, while Port Douglas Outer Reef cruises travel farther offshore to reef systems such as the Agincourt ribbon reefs. Low Isles is particularly suited to visitors who want to combine an island visit with their Great Barrier Reef experience.
Experience Low Isles from Port Douglas
A Great Barrier Reef trip does not have to be about rushing from one activity to another.
Wavedancer offers a different kind of reef day: sail from Port Douglas, arrive at a tiny tropical island, step onto the sand and discover the reef both above and below the water.
Snorkel, explore the island, learn from people who understand the reef or simply take some time to appreciate where you are.
Low Isles is not just somewhere to stop on the Great Barrier Reef — the island, reef and journey are the experience.
