Green Island by Helicopter
Green Island is a genuine coral cay about 27 kilometers off Cairns, built up from the reef itself and covered in rainforest rather than the bare sand most people picture on a reef island. It sits inside the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
Seeing it by helicopter
Approaching by air shows the island's reef platform and surrounding coral clearly outlined in the water, with the rainforest canopy covering the small landmass itself -- a contrast between green forest and turquoise reef that's part of what makes this island distinctive among reef cays.
Helicopter tours that fly over Green Island
Cairns, Queensland
Ultimate Great Barrier Reef and Rainforest 45-minute Helicopter Tour
Fly high over the Barron Gorge and stunning rainforest canopies before heading over magnificent sights such as the Great Barrier Reef, it's spectacular islands and sand cays. This 45-minute helicopter flight allows one t
45 min
From $481.88 USD
Cairns, Queensland
Great Barrier Reef 30-Minute Scenic Helicopter Tour from Cairns
Experience the sheer size and beauty of the Great Barrier Reef and gain a true appreciation of one of the seven natural wonders of the world. This flight includes views of beautiful Green Island and Fitzroy Island and on
1 hr
From $347.16 USD
Cairns, Queensland
Private Helicopter Tour: Reef Island Snorkeling and Gourmet Picnic Lunch
For a once in a lifetime experience, combine your scenic flight with an exclusive getaway to your own piece of paradise. Feel the thrill of flying over the picturesque coral-studded sea before landing on Vlasoff Cay (ex
3.5 hrs
From $859.69 USD
Good to know
- •Most visitors reach Green Island by boat for a full day on the ground -- a helicopter tour is a different, shorter way to see it, typically as a flyover or quick stop rather than a full island day.
- •If snorkeling at Green Island specifically is the goal, check whether a tour actually lands there or just flies past it on the way to the open reef.
- •The island's rainforest cover is unusual for a reef cay and is easiest to appreciate from directly above.
Is Green Island the same as a regular sandy reef island?
No -- Green Island is a coral cay with its own rainforest cover, unlike the bare sand cays found elsewhere on the reef. That rainforest-on-reef contrast is part of what makes it worth seeing from the air.
See live availability for Cairns helicopter tours on Viator.
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