International and domestic flights

Visa fees to Australia (if applicable)

Airport transfers

Reef taxes and levies (approx. $85 for the 3D/2N reef trip)

Dive medical costs (if required)

First Aid and CPR Certificate cost (only required by participants doing Rescue Dive Course)

Costs of personal nature

Optional activities

Dive Course Students only

Prior to commencing your dive course you are required to complete a self-assessment Student Diver Medical Declaration (Open Water Students). A positive response to any question means that there is a pre-existing condition that may affect your safety while diving and you must consult a medical practitioner preferably with experience in diving medicine to obtain a dive medical certificate that states that you are fit to undertake recreational diver training. Participants doing their Advanced Open Water course (or above) please complete the self-assessment medical here.

Dive medicals and medical clearance to dive are the responsibility of the participant. We strongly recommend all dive medicals be carried out by your family doctor before traveling to Australia.

Rescue Diver course is subject to availability and on request only. This course incurs a surcharge of $200. Please confirm this option is available before booking.

Current First Aid and CPR Certificate is required by participants doing Rescue Dive Course prior to starting their course.

Persons doing their Open Water Dive course must have their logbooks OR email confirmation from PADI that they are Open water Certified OR a temporary Open Water card with them on day 9. No logbook, email confirmation or temporary dive card = NO DIVING. Please ensure your instructor has signed off your Open Water Certification dives (4) in your logbook.

Accommodation

The program includes accommodation Gilligans Backpacker Resort in 4 or 6-share dorms. Where possible rooms will be exclusive to program participants, however this is subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed. The hostel is centrally located in close proximity to shops, cafes and the starting points to your activities. It is a lively hostel, so if you prefer your own space and privacy you can choose to stay at one of the local hotels.

Accommodation is in mixed gender dorms, shared with other guests. Where possible dorms will be exclusive to the conservation groups, but this is not guaranteed.

Single room upgrades available at the hostel, pending availability and at extra cost (approx. AUD$165 per night).

Would you like a hotel upgrade? We recommend The Abbott Boutique Hotel. Upgrades available from AUD185 per night, subject to availability. Please ask for a quote at the time of booking.

Participants are responsible for their own transfers, transport to any group meetings as well as scheduled activities, unless transfers are specified in your itinerary.

Program Tasks

Possible tasks at the Cairns Turtle Rehab Centre tasks may include (days 7 or 8):

• General cleaning and maintenance, food prep and cleaning tanks, or other if advised by the staff.

Participants will be asked to complete the following set tasks on each set dive (days 9 & 10):

• Timed swim (minimum 10 minutes on each dive) – underwater monitoring and species count on the Great Barrier Reef (i.e. corals, marine life species).
• 360-degree survey of sea bed on the dive site – Objective is to clearly identify the animals and plants observed in each section – (macro-algae, live coral, live coral rock, coral rubble and sand).
• Recording of any impacts on coral being observed (i.e. coral bleaching or damage noticed).

Possible tasks with local marine conservation organization (day 11):

• General cleaning and maintenance of facilities, plastic sorting or filed work if available and advised by staff.

DISCLAIMER

Program and activities are subject to change at any time, without notice, even during the duration of the program. Changes may occur due to weather, unavailability of our partners (3rd party suppliers) or other forces of nature, beyond our control. We will aim to suggest a suitable alternative for any activities affected by such unforeseen changes, but no guarantees can be made.

Payment & Cancellation policy

• 30% deposit required to secure place ($250 is non-refundable)
• Full payment must be made no later than 42 days before program commencement
• No refunds within 42 days of program commencement
• Cancellations made within 42 – 60 days will incur a 50% cancellation fee of total price
• Cancellations made outside 61 days – full refund minus AUD$250 non-refundable deposit
• No shows will incur 100% cancellation fee

Operator Cancellation

No Limit Adventures reserves the right to cancel any departure up to 30 days before the commencement date in case of participant cancellations or not attaining min. numbers.

Deposits will be offered as credit or refunded in such an instance, minus AUD$250 non-refundable deposit. This can be used as credit towards a future program or booking.

No Limit Adventures takes no responsibility for any travel arrangements made outside of the inclusions of the Marine Conservation program.

Are airport transfers included?

No. Airport transfers are at the discretion of participants. Approx. cost for a transfer from the airport to the CBD is AUD$18 by bus, AUD$20-30 by taxi or UBER.

What is the name of the included hostel?

Gilligan’s Backpacker Resort, 57-89 Grafton St, Cairns City QLD 4870, Phone: (07) 4041 6566

What facilities does the hostel offer?

The hostel has a 24h reception, a pool, a café, a kitchen area, a laundry and a big common area. Gilligans is also the number one bar & nightclub in Cairns. We include 4 or 6-share dorms with ensuite, which may be shared with guests from outside of the program.

Are single sex dorms available during the program?

The included dorms are co-shared. Single sex dorms are available on request and subject to availability.

Can I upgrade to a hotel if I don’t want to stay in hostel?

Yes, pending availability and at an additional cost we can recommend the Abbott Boutique Hotel.

Are single sex cabins available during the live aboard trip?

Cabins on the boat are twin-share. Where possible we will request you be matched with someone of the same sex.

Can I upgrade to a private room on the boat?

No. There are no options to upgrade on the live aboard boat.

Can you help me book other accommodation?

Yes, we can assist with arranging or recommending other accommodation in Cairns including hostels or hotels, depending on your budget.

Is transport and transfers included during the program?

Transfers on days 2, 3, 4 and 6 are included. The transfers are provided by the dive school. Transfers on days 7 – 10 are not included. Participants are required to be at the Reef Fleet Terminal on those days by 7.30am. There is a one-way transfer included on day 11 to the HO of the marine conservation organization.

What dive equipment is included?

All necessary dive equipment is included such as mask, fins and snorkel, BCD, tanks, weights, regulator and wet suits or stinger suits.

How many dives total will I do during the 12-day program?

Participants doing the Open Water Dive course will do 13 dives total. Participants doing Advanced Open Water (or another course) as well as Certified Divers doing recreational dives on the live aboard will do a total of 15 dives. Dives are subject to prevailing weather conditions. If conditions are deemed too dangerous a dive can be cancelled.

Where will I dive and how deep?

There are various dive sites the boats travel to. Locations are chosen each day pending weather, swell and tidal conditions. All of the sites are on the outer Great Barrier Reef. Dive depths depend on your dive level and the dive site, but will generally be no more than 18m.

Are special dietary requirements catered for?

Yes. In case of any special dietary needs or requirements we ask prior notice is given. The boats always offer a meat and non-meat menu to cater for vegans and vegetarians. In case of allergies or intolerances, we will do our best to to make sure your needs are looked after where possible.

When should I arrive in Cairns?

You should arrive in Cairns on day 1, which is a Sunday. It is recommended to arrive by around midday to allow for a briefing that afternoon. Your activities start the following day.

What can I do on my free days?

Cairns offers a lot of fun, optional activities. Here are some highlights:

• Visit the Botanic Gardens & Centenary Lakes (free activity)
• Walk the Red, Yellow, Blue or Green Arrow tracks on Mount Whitfield (free activity)
• Visit Crystal Cascades or Stoneys Creek (free activity, transport required)
• Day trip to the Daintree National Park – the oldest rainforest in the world;
• Day trip to the Atherton Tablelands – nature, waterfalls and local food;
• Visit Kuranda including the Kuranda Scenic Train and Skyrail Cableway;
• Hartley’s Creek Crocodile Farm
• Cairns Brewery & Distillery Tours
• Jump on the Ultimate Party Bus
• Ask us for more recommendations…