A trip to Australia is never complete without a visit to the Great Barrier Reef. Or how would you explain to anyone that you passed up the chance to tour the largest living thing on earth and home to the world’s most diverse animal and plant species?

The list of wonders supported by the 2500km marvel is endless, and getting torn between the equally glamorous options is virtually inevitable. We have condensed the catalogue for you and come up with a list of the most interesting things to do with family at the Great Barrier Reef. Read on to find out what you think would fascinate your family the most.

View the reef from a glass bottom boat

At low tide, you can walk to the edge of the reef directly from the beach and have a close-up view of the lemon sharks, starfish and sea anemones. But that is not to say that you must get wet to have a view of the glamor or that you can’t go deeper in the heart of the reef for a better seascape.

Glass bottom boat rides are a must-try, not only because of the breathtaking view they offer but also because of their convenience to non-swimmers and younger members of the family.

Bareboating

For the third year on the spin, bareboating was voted as the best cruising experience in the Australian Traveller’s People’s Choice Awards. And sure enough, there is no better way to experience so much of the reef’s charm – from the cool breeze through to the breathtaking view of the waters – from a single locus than to go on a bareboat ride with your whole family.

There are numerous bareboating plans to choose from, and some of these boats are basically floating hotels with such amenities as sleeping spaces, cooking equipment etc. needed for long travels.

Skydiving

Is there anything better than coming down in a parachute with the whole view of the Great Barrier Reef lighting up from under?

Skydiving at the reef is totally worth a go, and even if you’re not familiar with the experience, you can use the help of a guide and make this natural wonder the place where you took your very first dive.

Camp out on the ocean

Not so many people know that you can actually spend the whole night out listening to the waves and birds of the Great Coral Barrier sleeping on a pontoon on the beach. It is a great way to end a great day with family and, of course, ensure that not even one second of your time there is spent outside the vicinity of the reef.

Enjoy a day of scuba diving

Hamilton island, 18 miles east of the Queensland, is famous for snorkeling and scuba diving, and offers the best alternative to the chockablock Queensland beaches if you have little kids or would just like to stay away from the crowds. The temperatures are friendly and the whole idea of exploring the reef from a scuba mask makes the prospect even more alluring.

You can decide to trek, take a boat or go by plane to the island from Queensland. The latter is the most common and fastest.

Hot air ballooning

If you are looking for the most amazing possible view of the Great Barrier Reef, hot ballooning offers that and tops it off with a view of the spectacular natural surroundings that make the untouched northern part of Queensland. You and the whole of your family up in the air for an hour or two – above the Great Barrier Reef – isn’t the kind of thing you get to experience every other day.

Enjoy scenic helicopter flights

Helicopter flights make for a pretty grand way of viewing as much of the Great Barrier Reef as possible. You can begin your flight from Port Douglas and hover in low altitudes deep into the ocean where the coral and other marine life still bears its crude beauty. You may be given the pleasure of choosing your destination (most likely an island) whence you will grab a snack or tropical buffet lunch.