Inner Reef Explorer

One of the most popular helicopter rides in Cairns, this 30-minute scenic helicopter flight departs Cairns airport, showcasing views of the city of Cairns and Trinity inlet, and passing False Cape where you can see the remnants of WWII defences, Mt Yarrabah, Mission Bay, and Cape Grafton. From there we strike out to the inner edge of the Reef and Green Island, a 6,000 year-old coral sand island that boasts its own native rainforest eco-system. Tracking to the north, your scenic Cairns helicopter tour will explore the western side of Arlington Reef, home to a diverse range of marine creatures – turtles, sharks, and stingrays.

Continuing north we’ll circle Vlasoff Cay, a tiny sand island in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef that reduces to only a few square meters in size at high tide. From Vlasoff Cay we head west, over Upolu Cay and back to Cairns taking in fantastic views of the North Queensland coastline framed by the lush rainforest-covered eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range.