With its unique location set amongst the pristine Great Barrier Reef there are boundless opportunities to explore the island and surrounds and many once-in-a-lifetime moments. In addition to all the diving and snorkelling the heart desires, guests can take a private charter out on the reef and try their hand at fishing, or a helicopter drop-off to secluded Havannah Island with a gourmet picnic hamper.
At Orpheus there is an adventure for everyone.
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Find a great range of things to do on the Great Barrier Reef at Orpheus Island resort. Our activities are complimentary and included in the stay. Guests can also take part in the daily activities run by the island.
Explore the clear azure water surrounding Orpheus, see the many species of reef corals and fish in an incredible array of colours. Enjoy unlimited use of snorkelling equipment during your stay. Venture to the many nearby snorkelling spots on the Great Barrier Reef including the protected Giant Clam Garden just in the bay. Guided snorkelling tours to the local fringing reefs are run as one of the daily signature experiences on the island.
Motorised dinghies are available for our guests to explore the many neighbouring beaches, go snorkelling or try your luck at fishing. Take a chef prepared picnic and find the perfect sheltered bay for an intimate private lunch.
A chef prepared picnic can be arranged for any adventure. Guests can take a pick of the many neighbouring island beaches for the most private and secluded beach picnic.
Try your hand at stand-up paddleboarding and enjoy a bit of light exercise while taking in the scenery. You might even be lucky enough to see a green turtle.
Take out one of the island’s catamarans and venture out into the surrounding waters of the sheltered bay of Orpheus Island. The conditions around Orpheus are perfect for sailing.
Guests can take a kayak and explore the mangroves just off the shore, within the sheltered bay.
Join a pre-dinner sunset cruise and observe the sun's setting rays over paradise with a side of mouth-watering canapés and iconic Australian wines and beers.
Enhance the island resort experience with a boat charter within the Great Barrier Reef. We have three charter boats available for excursions and day trips; Swift, Maree Ann and Explorer.
Bookings are essential for our Barrier Reef charters. We recommend booking excursions with your accommodation to avoid missing out on preferred dates. All excursions come with a skipper and/or guide.
Orpheus’ local dive sites are home to 1,100 of the 1,500 species of fish on the reef, 340 of the 359 varieties of hard corals and some of the region’s largest collections of soft corals. The pristine outer reefs are approximately 75 minutes from the lodge by boat and are accessible by private charter. Private local charters and private outer reef charters include skipper, guide, equipment and refreshments.
Dive into a new and thought-provoking encounter at the Museum of Underwater Art and discover the beauty and resilience of the reef through art.
Explore the rugged coastline of Australia's largest national park island by boat charter. Highlights of this tour include guided walks along rainforest-clad trails to the famous Zoe Waterfall and saltwater crocodile spotting in the island’s waterways. The perfect day trip for nature lovers and adventurers alike.
Not to be missed is the island’s signature ‘Dining with the Tides’ experience; an intimate degustation dinner for two guests under a starlit canopy on the lodge’s jetty.
Flying with Nautilus Aviation adventure and luxury go hand in hand. Explore the beauty of this vast region from above on a scenic joyride, enjoy a romantic remote island picnic or embark on a fishing adventure.
Some the most sought after reef species in the world can be found around Orpheus. An array of table fish including Coral Trout, Sweetlip, Red Emperor and Giant Trevally can be caught locally, but the outer reef is where the famous pelagic species such as Dog Tooth Tuna, Spanish Mackerel and Wahoo breed. Full and half day expeditions to the fringing and outer reefs are available, subject to weather and tidal conditions. Bookings are essential.
Sustainability and our impact on the natural environment is an area that we are extremely passionate about and we want to share the beauty of this natural environment and the fragile ecosystem around us. Our Great Barrier Reef eco-tours are designed to educate and demonstrate to guests what makes this such a special part of the world.
Located within Pioneer Bay is the Orpheus Island Research Station, a marine research facility operated by James Cook University. On this educational eco-tour, explore the research facilities, including the wet and dry laboratories and the live reef touch tanks. During specific times of the year, internationally renowned Marine Scientists will be conducting integral research on climate change, sea level rise and their potential impacts on the local reef and ecosystems.
We at Orpheus Island Lodge are passionate about preserving and protecting the Great Barrier Reef. Our staff and guests regularly conduct beach clean-ups at Picnic Bay. Marine debris is a major threat to the health of the Great Barrier Reef! Marine debris can smother coral, cause wildlife injury or death through drowning, injury through entanglement and internal injuries, or starvation following ingestion.
Take a half-day charter with one of our qualified dive instructors or explore the protected giant clam garden via motorised dinghy with a qualified eco-educational guide.
There is a citizen science project for everyone. Study anything - from Mangroves to Manta rays, from coral to coastal habitats. Collect data in your own time, in or out of the water. Volunteers produce real and tangible results, with data being used by professional scientists, reef managers, communities or conservation groups. Contribute to a great cause and explore the wonders of this unique environment at the same time. Citizen Science gives the opportunity of a lifetime to experience the Great Barrier Reef and beyond - like never before. Learn more here.
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