Mv Argo

Embarks & Disembarks: Marina Point, Cairns harbour

Nearest International Airport: Cairns

Cairns International Airport is a short drive from the city with regular domestic and international flights arriving daily.

There are different Australian visa types available for travellers to Australia. Knowing which Australian visa to apply for depends on the length of your stay, your passport and the purpose of your visit. You’ll also need to meet certain financial and medical requirements, be outside of Australia when applying and maintain health insurance for the duration of your stay. 

Electronic Travel Authority visa (subclass 601)

This visa allows you to visit Australia as many times as you want, for up to a year, and stay for three months each visit. This visa is available to passport holders from a number of countries and regions, who live outside Australia. A step-by-step guide on how to apply is here.

All ETA-eligible passport holders must apply for an ETA using the Australian ETA app. Agents can assist you in the application process, but you must be physically present as a live facial image is required.

eVisitor (subclass 651)

This is a free visa for multiple visits to Australia for tourism or business purposes for up to three months at a time within a 12-month period. This visa is available to passport holders from a number of European countries and it cannot be extended.

Visitor visa (subclass 600)

The Visitor visa allows you to visit Australia, either for tourism or business purposes. It is open to all nationalities. Generally, a period of stay of up to three months is granted, but up to 12 months may be granted in certain circumstances. Applicants will have to pay a fee to submit their application.

Swimming with Minke Whales adheres to strict regulations, emphasizing stillness on the surface to encourage interactions. Swimmers hold onto a line extended from the dive deck, allowing the naturally curious Minkes to approach. Regulations permit no more than 12 swimmers in the water at a time, perfectly matching the policy of accommodating a maximum of 12 guests. This ensures guests enjoy uninterrupted water time, unlike larger operators who must rotate participants.

In addition to Minke swims, dive services are available for qualified divers with up to 3 dives per day plus options for night dives. Open Water qualified divers or equivalent are welcome.

July is the perfect time to visit the Great Barrier Reef, with the air temperatures in the mid 20's.

The local currency is the Australian Dollar (AUD).

Most established hotels and restaurants accept major credit cards. There are banks and ATMs with various maximum withdrawal limits and fees dependant on the card you are using.

TOP TIP: Nomadic Scuba uses WISE for our transactions, and we save hundreds on pointless fees and exchange rates. If you haven't opened an account yet, we strongly urge you to do so (it takes 5 minutes). Link: Show me how to be WISE

Water temperature and exposure suits:

The water temperature is a relatively warm 27º–29ºC (80º-84ºF)

We recommend:

Rash guard and board shorts for those who do not get cold

3mm shorty wetsuits for those that do

As a general rule, guides in Australia come at an additional cost, however, the MV Argo provide snorkel/ swim and dive guides for the duration of your trip. Experienced divers can also dive without a guide as long as they have a dive buddy and adhere to dive protocol and safety.

Of course! Some of our guests like to try a couple of locations or operators within the same trip. If this is of interest to you, get in touch today and we can discuss various bespoke options with you.