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Language: English | 日本語
In September 2017, our family of four spent 5 nights in Cairns, and on one of those days we took a day trip to Green Island. Our son was 4 and our daughter was 1.
Our boat was Big Cat (Big Cat Green Island Reef Cruises). We booked it the evening before at the counter at the port. On the island, we rode a glass-bottom boat, went into the sea straight from the beach, and ate bread from the supermarket on the sand.
Our Green Island day trip with a 1-year-old and a 4-year-old
The boat was big and didn’t rock, and no one got seasick. On the island, we could walk straight from the beach into the sea. Our 4-year-old son played with his swim ring, and the adults could snorkel.
We brought a stroller we borrowed from the hotel, and we could load our bags on it.
| When we went | September 2017 (day 2 of our 5 nights in Cairns) |
|---|---|
| Who | 2 adults, our son (4), our daughter (1) |
| Boat | Big Cat. Booked the evening before at the counter at the port |
| Price | Around JPY 2,000 per adult (rough estimate from memory). Free for the 4-year-old and the 1-year-old |
| What we did on the island | Glass-bottom boat, playing in the sea (snorkel and swim ring), lunch on the beach |
Green Island with a Toddler: Our Day Trip from Cairns with a 1-Year-Old and a 4-Year-Old
Green Island is a small island off the coast of Cairns. It is surrounded by white sand beaches and coral sea, and this sea is part of the Great Barrier Reef (Big Cat official site, checked October 2026). You can visit it on a day trip by boat from the port in Cairns.
I’ve put together the itinerary and costs for the whole trip in our Cairns family trip report. Our Green Island day was the day after we arrived in Cairns early in the morning.
How We Spent the Day on Green Island: Out in the Morning, Back on the Boat Around 16:00
We were on the island for almost the whole day.
Our day on Green Island (times are rough estimates from memory)
- The evening before
Booked the boat at the counter at the port - Around 8:00 a.m.
Departure - On the island
Glass-bottom boat
Playing in the sea
Bread on the beach - Around 16:00
Boat back to Cairns
I’ve summarized Big Cat’s current schedule below in Prices and Times.
Big Cat Boat to Green Island: Booked the Evening Before at the Port Counter
We didn’t book the boat in Japan; we booked it after arriving in Cairns. The evening before, we went straight to the port and signed up at the counter inside the terminal.
How to Get to Green Island: By Boat from the Port in Cairns to the Great Barrier Reef
You get to Green Island by boat from the port in Cairns. The boats leave from the port in central Cairns (Reef Fleet Terminal and Marlin Wharf), and once you reach the island, the sea all around you is the Great Barrier Reef (Big Cat official site, checked October 2026).
Current boats and travel times (checked October 2026)
| Departure / tour | Boat | Travel time to the island |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 departure Full day tour | Large, stable catamaran | About 1 hour 15 minutes |
| 11:00 departure Full day tour Half day tour | Smaller, faster boat (Reef Rocket) | About 45 minutes |
We flew from Japan to Cairns on Jetstar’s direct flight from Narita. I wrote about the flight in our Jetstar Cairns flight review (in Japanese).
We stayed at the Pullman Cairns International, a hotel close to the Esplanade (the waterfront park) and the port. Being able to walk from the hotel to the port counter the evening before was thanks to how close it is. The next time we go to Cairns, I think we’ll choose this hotel again.
I compare booking-site prices for other hotels (Hilton, Shangri-La, Rydges) in our Cairns hotel booking site comparison (in Japanese).
Current check-in (checked October 2026)
The address listed on the official site is Reef Fleet Terminal (1 Spence Street, Cairns). On the day of your cruise, you don’t check in inside the terminal; you check in directly at the boat at Marlin Wharf.
The way it works, you receive an email and an SMS with a map of the boarding point on the afternoon before.
Is the Green Island Boat Rough? It Was a Big Boat and No One Got Seasick
We brought motion sickness medicine from Japan and gave it to the kids before boarding. The boat didn’t rock much, and no one in our family got seasick.
The official site notes that the boat may rock a little when it picks up speed. Ginger tablets for seasickness are handed out free on board (the guidance is to take them about 30 minutes before departure).
Green Island Glass-Bottom Boat: Great Barrier Reef Fish Through the Boat’s Windows
When we arrived on the island, Big Cat boats were moored at the jetty, and the glass-bottom boat and the semi-submarine left from there.
We rode the glass-bottom boat. Since we didn’t sign up for a separate tour, I think it was included in the boat fare. Through the windows we saw big fish and schools of small fish with yellow tails.
Both kids rode with us. It was the first time they had seen fish swimming right in front of them, and their eyes lit up. The kids can’t snorkel yet, so the glass-bottom boat was a really good experience for them.
Glass-Bottom Boat vs. Semi-Submarine
We didn’t ride the semi-submarine.
The difference between the boats, per the official site (checked October 2026)
How the view differs, according to the official description
- Glass-bottom boat
You look down from the surface
A view similar to snorkeling - Semi-submarine
Fish swim right in front of the window
A view similar to diving
Both take about 30 minutes and include commentary and fish feeding.
With the full day and half day tours, you can choose one of the following for free: the glass-bottom boat or snorkel gear rental. The semi-submarine is an extra you book separately.
Green Island Snorkeling: Kids in Swim Rings in the Great Barrier Reef
The whole family went into the sea. You can walk straight in from the beach.
For Our 4-Year-Old, the Swim Ring Beat the Snorkel
We bought a kids’ snorkel in Japan and brought it along. Our 4-year-old son was so excited that he was wearing it on the boat on the way there.
But he only used it in the sea for a little while. He seemed to have more fun playing with the swim ring we brought from Japan. Our 1-year-old daughter couldn’t use a snorkel.
There were small fish even in the shallows by the beach, and chasing them kept us busy.
The adults could go in from the beach and snorkel in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef.
Where to Swim on Green Island: Between the Flags with Lifeguards
There were flags and signs on the beach.
Current swimming area and rentals (checked October 2026)
According to the official site, snorkeling is done not from the boat but from the beach, at your own pace. Lifeguards are stationed in the flagged area on the beach on the north side of the island.
If you’re not a confident swimmer, you can rent a flotation vest on the boat. One comes with the snorkel gear rental.
Watch out for jellyfish from November to May
According to the official site, jellyfish (marine stingers) may appear in the waters of northern Australia roughly from November to May. Serious incidents near Green Island are very rare, but a Lycra suit is recommended if you go into the sea during this period.
It comes with the snorkel gear rental, and you can also rent one on its own.
| Rented on its own | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| Flotation vest | A$10 | A$5 |
| Lycra suit | A$10 | A$5 |
The official guide puts the water temperature at 25°C in September–November.
Green Island Lunch: We Brought Supermarket Bread to the Beach
For lunch, we brought bread we bought at a supermarket in Cairns. We also brought a picnic mat, spread it out on the beautiful beach, and ate there. Bread eaten on the beach tasted great.
Current lunch and shopping (checked October 2026)
Big Cat offers a buffet lunch on board that you can add to the full day tour. There are also shops on the island selling snacks and ice cream.
Visitors are advised to bring cash for drinks and snacks. Cards are accepted at many shops on the island, but a surcharge may apply.
You can’t drink alcohol you bring yourself on board or on the resort grounds.
Green Island with a Toddler and a 4-Year-Old: Stroller and What to Bring
A Stroller on Green Island: Handy for Carrying Our Bags
A stroller we could load our bags on
We took a stroller we borrowed free from the hotel all the way to the island. The good part was that we could load our bags on it.
Snorkels, a swim ring, bread, a picnic mat: a beach day with kids means a lot of stuff. We parked the stroller near the beach with our things on it, put only our valuables in a waterproof bag, and played in the sea.
The boats ran on a fixed timetable, almost everyone on the island had come over on the tour boats, and it wasn’t crowded, so it felt safe. As I remember, the showers were somewhere around the middle of the island.
Our 1-year-old daughter didn’t walk around much yet, so even on the beach she was easy to keep an eye on and easy to look after.
Current stroller information (checked October 2026)
According to the official information, all Big Cat boats can be boarded with a stroller. The beach isn’t suited to strollers, but there are boardwalks and paths on the island. When you’re not using it, you can leave it on the Big Cat boat.
What to Bring to Green Island
The UV in Australia is strong, so we put on plenty of sunscreen.
| What we brought (September 2017) | What the official site recommends (checked October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Kids’ snorkel (bought in Japan) Swim ring (from Japan) Motion sickness medicine (from Japan) Sunscreen Waterproof bag for valuables Picnic mat Bread for lunch (from a supermarket in Cairns) Stroller borrowed from the hotel | Towel, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, swimsuit Cash for drinks, snacks, and souvenirs |
The 2017 map
Big Cat’s map, which included Japanese, showed the lifeguards and beach hire, Marineland Melanesia (a crocodile park), the helicopter pad, and more.
Green Island Tour Prices and Times: 2017 and Now
The 2017 prices and times are rough estimates from memory. The current prices and times are what I saw on the boat companies’ official websites on October 6, 2026. Prices are in Australian dollars.
| Item | 2017 (our family) | Big Cat (October 6, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | Around JPY 2,000 per person (rough estimate from memory) | Boat only A$110 / full day or half day tour A$122 (per person, round trip) |
| Child | Free for both the 4-year-old and the 1-year-old | Free for ages 0–3 (they must be included in the booking headcount). Ages 4–14: boat only A$55 / full day or half day tour A$61 (per person, round trip) |
| Glass-bottom boat | Rode it (I think it was included in the fare) | Full day and half day tours include one of the following for free: the glass-bottom boat or snorkel gear rental. Not included with the boat-only fare |
| Times | Left around 8:00, came back on the boat around 16:00 (rough estimate from memory) | Full day tours depart at 9:00 or 11:00; the sample itinerary for the 9:00 departure leaves the island at 15:45 |
Child fares now start at age 4
In 2017, our 4-year-old son rode for free, but Big Cat now charges child fares from age 4. Children 3 and under are free, but they still need to be included in the booking headcount.
Green Island Ferry Prices: Great Barrier Reef Full Day Tour vs. Boat Only
| Company / plan | 1 adult / 1 child (ages 4–14) | Family (2 adults + 2 children ages 4–14) |
|---|---|---|
| Big Cat Full day / half day tour With glass-bottom boat or snorkel gear | A$122 / A$61 | A$305 |
| Big Cat Boat only 9:00, 11:00, 13:00 departures | A$110 / A$55 | A$275 |
| Great Adventures Boat only Green Island Transfer | A$112 / A$56 | A$287 |
We rode Big Cat. We haven’t ridden Great Adventures.
Full day tour and half day tour (checked October 2026)
Big Cat’s full day tour gives you up to 5 hours 30 minutes on the island, and the half day tour gives you 2 hours 15 minutes. The official site says the half day also works well for small children and babies.
Cancellations and date changes for official bookings (checked October 2026)
The official site accepts cancellations and date changes up to 24 hours before departure (within 24 hours, the charge is 100%). Date changes depend on availability on the new date.
Free date changes due to bad weather require notice at least 48 hours in advance and availability on the new date.
Booking the Big Cat Green Island Cruise on KKday
Big Cat’s official website is in English (checked October 2026). The same Big Cat cruise can also be booked on KKday. We didn’t book through KKday ourselves.
If you book through KKday, check the cancellation and change terms on the booking screen for the plan you choose.
See the Big Cat Green Island cruise (half day / full day) on KKday
Green Island with Kids Summary: A Big Boat and a Sea You Can Walk Into from the Beach
- In September 2017, we took our 1-year-old and 4-year-old on a day trip to Green Island on the Big Cat boat.
- We booked the boat the evening before at the counter at the port. The port was close to the Pullman Cairns.
- We gave the kids motion sickness medicine we brought from Japan. The boat was big and didn’t rock, and no one got seasick.
- Both kids rode the glass-bottom boat, and their eyes lit up at the fish swimming right in front of them. Our 4-year-old son enjoyed his swim ring, and the adults could snorkel.
- For lunch, we ate supermarket bread on the beach. The stroller worked as a place to keep our bags.
- Child fares now start at age 4. Full day and half day tours include one of the following for free: the glass-bottom boat or snorkel gear (checked October 2026).
Our kids have grown, so it’s an island we’d like to visit again when the timing is right. I wrote about the hotel we stayed at in Cairns in our Pullman Cairns International review, our day in Kuranda in our Kuranda family tour report, and the whole trip in our Cairns family trip report.
See Green Island cruises
Big Cat half day / full day cruises from Cairns
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Our Cairns family trip articles
- Cairns Family Trip Report: Jetstar with a Baby and 5 Nights at the Pullman
- Jetstar Cairns Flight Review: Bassinet Both Ways with a Baby (in Japanese)
- Pullman Cairns International Review: With Kids, Plus a Price Comparison
- Kuranda Family Tour Report: The Railway and Skyrail with a 1-Year-Old and a 4-Year-Old