6. Scenic Helicopter Flights
Location: Hangar 10, Bush Pilots Avenue
While most Great Barrier Reef experiences from Port Douglas showcase the wonders of the reef from the water, things take on an entirely new perspective when viewed from the air on a scenic helicopter flight.
– the sheer scale of the Reef and its status as the world's largest living organism only truly sink in when you see it stretching out for miles below.
Thus, while helicopter flights are a more expensive choice, few other options can match the panorama on display than a flight with Great Barrier Reef Helicopters who offer a variety of different courses showcasing the amazingly vivid colours of both the reef and rainforest from high above.
The juxtaposition of greens and blues on display is incredible and depending on your choice of routes you'll be able to get an even amount of rainforest and reef in the one itinerary.
It's truly an awe-inspiring spectacle and you'll want to bring along a proper camera – smartphones simply don't cut it – with plenty of SD card memory space as you'll be taking pictures left, right and centre of coral cays, marine life, coral reefs and much more (although the glare of the sun on the glass can sometimes make getting the perfect shot difficult).
Helicopters provide the added benefit of being able to get a close-up look at each of these natural attractions at low altitude, with the pilots adept at hovering stably to give you a good glimpse at the various animal and plant life beneath the water.
It's a good thing that the helicopters are designed with maximum transparency in mind, as passengers will all have access to window seats for an additional unrestricted view.
In terms of flight itineraries available, options with Great Barrier Reef Helicopters range from 30-minute trips out to the Daintree Rainforest (an incredible array of World Heritage-protected, ancient tree life with highlights including Mossman Gorge and the expanses of the Alexander Ranges), 40-minute reef-focused trips (providing unmatched views of aquatic spectacles such as the Low Isles and marine-life-filled Batt Reef), and 1 hour combined reef-and-rainforest packages that are the most expensive of the lot but provide the best of both worlds into a single itinerary.
Additionally, packages that provide time out on the reef and combine with cruises for the option of heading out in the air and returning via the sea (or vice-versa).
It's an entirely efficient and well-run operation that never feels rushed or hasty that has the added benefit of avoiding any of the seasickness of getting out to the reef that cruises can entail.
In the end, if you're only going to be making the trip to Port Douglas once, it's worth biting the bullet to pay for an experience that many often cite as their most unforgettable part of their trip to the region.
