Nature and Dive Expedition

Begin your Australia vacation with 4 days staying at the Shangri-La Hotel Sydney.  Cruise past the Sydney Opera House with Sea Sydney cruises. Climb the Harbour Bridge for a sensational view of the city.

Depart Sydney and transfer to Cairns.  The 4-day Coral Sea tour begins with a low level flight from Cairns along the coastline and over the reef to Lizard Island, to meet the Spirit of Freedom. The first day will see you diving the very top of the Ribbon Reefs. Two days are spent diving the spectacular walls of Osprey Reef, an old volcanic atoll lying 220 km off the coast. Renown for its spectacular 1000 meter walls, Osprey Reef also offers massive soft corals, amazing shark action, and exceptional visibility. North Horn at the tip of Osprey is a site where grey reef sharks, silvertips, and the occasional oceanic congregate. The last day is spent at Ribbon Reef Number 3, or occasionally if the weather permits, Bougainville Reef, to the south of Osprey Reef.

Once you disembark you will be transferred to Silky Oaks Lodge. Silky Oaks Lodge is an oasis of elegance and ease amidst the oldest living rainforest on earth. This is the Daintree Rainforest’s ultimate lodge and overlooks a beautiful lagoon on the Mossman River just downstream from the Mossman Gorge.  50 Treehouses and Riverhouses each feature wide verandahs and spa baths.

Take a relaxing stroll along the lush riverbanks, explore the local area by bicycle, paddle a canoe on the Mossman River or swim in the beautiful billabong. Experience a rainforest walk from the lodge or hike to within sight of the Mossman Gorge. Or, simply relax in the award-winning Healing Waters Spa.

• Roundtrip economy air on Qantas Airways from Los Angeles to Sydney
• Private Sydney transfers roundtrip
• Four nights at the Shangri-La Hotel Sydney in a Deluxe Opera View City Room
• Day climb of the Sydney Harbor Bridge
• Day cruising on Sydney Harbor with Sea Sydney Cruises
• 4 days/4 nights cruising and scuba diving with Spirit of Freedom.  Accommodation in an Ocean View standard cabin with private bathroom and air conditioning. Chef-prepared meals, including Australian wine and soft drinks with dinner. Take up to 15 dives.
• All transfers between Cairns and one-way flight to Lizard Island
• 3 nights accommodation at Silky Oaks Lodge in a Treehouse including breakfast daily and roundtrip transfers.

*Low season travel valid from April 01 to September 30th, 2011