Tandem Skydive up to 14,000 Feet with Beach Landing Option Cairns

Skydiving over the Great Barrier Reef

The highlight of the default option is a skydive directly over the Great Barrier Reef, the vast coral system that runs for more than 2,300 kilometres along the Queensland coast and is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. From altitude the reef appears as pale turquoise shapes in the deep blue Coral Sea, with islands and sandbars scattered along the horizon.

Few experiences give such a clear sense of the reef’s scale: you see how the coral platforms sit offshore, how the colour of the water changes with depth and how the coast curves away north and south. Clear mornings bring the best visibility, which is why the earlier departure is popular with photographers and first-timers alike. This is a great way to see the Great Barrier Reef before or after snorkelling it on another day.

The beach landing

Instead of returning to a grass airfield, the beach-landing upgrade brings you down onto the sand of the tropical North Queensland coast. During the final minutes of the parachute ride you descend over the water and the palm-fringed shoreline, and your instructor guides you to a soft landing on the beach, with the sea just metres away.

It is the most photogenic way to finish a skydive and a favourite for birthdays and once-in-a-lifetime trips. Landing areas depend on the tide and wind on the day, and the instructors decide the safest approach. Photo and video packages are not included in the price, but you can add them on the day if you want to keep the moment.

The skydiving centre near Innisfail

The jumps take off from the skydiving centre at Mundoo, near the sugarcane town of Innisfail, about one hour’s drive south of Cairns. The flat coastal plain here, framed by green mountains, gives pilots and instructors excellent conditions, and the short flight to altitude passes over farmland, river mouths and rainforest-covered ranges.

How to get to the skydiving centre? With the default option a shuttle collects you in Cairns and drives you south, then brings you back after the jump; the whole day takes about six hours. If you have your own car you can choose the option that meets at the centre, which takes about four hours from check-in, and the Innisfail area is pleasant to explore afterwards.

Your jump: training, freefall and parachute ride

No experience is needed. Before boarding, your certified instructor explains the body position, the exit and the landing, and fits your harness. The scenic flight lasts up to 15 minutes as the aircraft climbs, giving time to enjoy the view and settle your nerves.

At up to 14,000 feet you leave the aircraft attached to your instructor and freefall for up to 50 seconds — a rush of wind and adrenaline. Once the parachute opens, everything slows down for a serene 5–7 minute ride, and if circumstances permit you can take the toggles and fly the parachute yourself. You receive a skydive certificate to remember the day, and Australian Parachute Federation membership and compulsory accident insurance are included, so the paperwork is handled for you.