Cairns or Golden Beach better?

[ohioreef71]

I will be planning a trip to see my dream and visit the Great Barrier Reef. I have to choose between Cairns or Golden Beach. I will be with my wife and plan to do as much scuba and snorkeling as possible. I have read that there is more to do near Golden Beach non nature related but Cairns has the rain forest and maybe better reefs to see but is more off the grid. I also want to go in Feb. of 2013 rates are very cheap is this a good time to visit?

 

[greystreet55]

I can't speak for Golden Beach, but I have been diving in Cairns and it was wonderful. The diving was great but I wish I would have done a live aboard, as one of my friends did and he could not stop talking about it. Every dive trip I went on was about a 40-50 minute boat ride from the pier out of Cairns. As for the life on land, Cairns is very laid back. There are lots of places that cater to back packers. There are tons of things to do in the outdoor activities genre. Are you just planning on visiting one city? There is so much to do in Australia, and multiple stop plane tickets are cheap on quantas. Your timing is just about right, I believe this is close the their summer. I was there at the end of July and this was their winter and the wind was pretty chilly when I got out of the water.

 

[mwladdicted]

Cairns is Awesome, went there in october and the weather was gorgeous the diving is beautiful, nightlight is great and the people are very freindly. probably the best vacation i have been on. Deffinatly recomended. Here are some pics of the diving there.

Cheers,
-Tom