Night at the Aquarium Tour: Experience the Nighttime life of the Great Barrier Reef

Experience the captivating nightlife of the Great Barrier Reef on our Night at the Aquarium Tour. Discover the glowing corals, colorful reef fish, and predators on the prowl in the darkness.

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Cairns Aquarium - Night at the Aquarium gives you a glimpse into the unique world of the region’s nocturnal creatures and their behaviours as they move about in the darkness.
What's Included
  • 1.5 hour guided night tour with a wildlife educator
  • Exclusive after hours Aquarium entry
Additional Information

As the dawn ends over the Great Barrier Reef, a different realm comes to life. Corals radiate, vibrant reef fish find refuge, and hunters commence their nocturnal pursuit. Simultaneously, coastal woodlands buzz with activity, as reptiles, amphibians and insects depart their homes to look for nourishment under the protective cover of darkness.
Night at…

Location
Cairns Aquarium
5 Florence Street
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.7
(92 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Kylie_mort_aroundaus
Oct 19, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 100% Recommendation – Night Tour at Cairns Aquarium – Absolutely Amazing! - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 100% Recommendation – Night Tour at Cairns Aquarium – Absolutely Amazing! 🚐 Travelling Australia, One Lesson at a Time! 🧠 After nearly 12 months on the road with our van, our kids, and our chaos, it’s high time we shared the places that made us smile, the tricks that saved our sanity, and the tips that helped us balance family, fun, and learning along the way. The Cairns Aquarium Night Tour was INCREDIBLE! Christine was an absolutely phenomenal guide — warm, knowledgeable, and passionate. The tour itself was bursting with education and beauty: nocturnal creatures emerging, reef life illuminated, and so many fascinating facts that kept both adults and kids spellbound. It was an experience that blended science and wonder so seamlessly that we left inspired and deeply moved. 10/10 – a must-see for families and nature lovers alike! ⚠️ But a huge warning for the unaware: do not purchase the “Dinner & Tour” package! While the Aquarium section was flawless, the Squires Loft restaurant experience afterwards was disastrous. We waited 40 minutes for a set-menu entree, then another 20 minutes after our plates were cleared — one even taken while I was still eating! — for the main meal. By the time food arrived it was well after 9 p.m., and staff were turning off lights and cleaning down tables around us. There was no “How was your meal?” or even a goodbye — we were simply left to find our own way out. ✨ Summary: Cairns Aquarium Night Tour: 🌿🐠 100% Recommended – Unmissable! Squires Loft Dinner: 🚫 Skip it – Poor service, long waits, and disappointing atmosphere. Follow along for real reviews by a real travelling family — big rig, bigger opinions, and a whole lot of context-based education! #kyliemort #mortresort #tkmd #onsiteandonlinearoundaustralia #aroundaustralia #familytravelgoals #caravanlifeaustralia #travelingtutor #contextuallearning #adhdfamilytravel
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chuck
Oct 9, 2025
Cairns Aquarium - I have been to many aquairms from Shedd to tiny ones. This is the first time we have enjoyed a personal monitored guide through the life cycle. The guide was knowledgeable and personal. I recommend this short experience
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bretthj3565zv
Sep 14, 2025
An amazing experience! - We had a fantastic time on our Night at the Aquarium after hours tour which shows the sea life in a completely different way. Our guide Christine was welcoming, enthusiastic and very knowledgeable and brought so much more to each exhibit. We also enjoyed an absolutely delicious 2 course meal included in the tour in the adjoining restaurant. Definitely well worth doing!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tripinacanaroundoz
Jul 26, 2025
Great tour, well worth the money - This tour was fantastic. It was interactive and kept both my teen and tween interested. The education provided was fascinating.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
X8926drhayleyp
Jun 7, 2025
Excellent. Must do. - Amazing. The time flew by, the kids were engaged throughout the entire tour. Host very knowledgeable and fun. Very up close experience
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cherelle
Jun 7, 2025
Night tour at Cairns Aquarium - Booked and paid by phone with no issue. Efficient process. Staff were friendly. Night tour run by Niamh, A marine biologist. She was enthusiastic and passionate and did a great job corral g a mixed group through the tour and providing information. Well worth doing.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sassyb15
Apr 15, 2025
Wow - Laura was an amazing passionate & knowledgeable tour guide. Shame there was some unruly kids in the group. Apart from that, it was awesome
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cynthiawf2893pt
Apr 3, 2025
Amazing Night Tour at Cairns Aquarium! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - We had such a fantastic time on the night tour at Cairns Aquarium! Seeing the marine life after dark was a completely different experience, and the tour was both fun and educational. One of the highlights was getting up close to the sharks—it was incredible to see them so active at night! 🦈 We also learned so many fascinating facts, like how some reef fish can actually change sex based on their environment. The whole tour gave us a new appreciation for the underwater world. From vibrant reef fish to stingrays and other amazing creatures, there was so much to see. If you're in Cairns, I’d highly recommend this experience! 🌊🐠
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Eth7782
Apr 10, 2025
Unique Experience, But a Bit Pricey - The night tour was a cool experience and the guide was really knowledgeable. It was interesting to see some of the nocturnal animals more active than they would be during the day. The atmosphere with the dim lighting added a nice touch too. That said, it felt a bit pricey for what you get, and the tour was shorter than I expected. Still, worth doing once if you’re curious about reef and rainforest creatures at night.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Prashblr
Jul 16, 2025
Nice experience - Overall a nice experience going to the 'Night at the Aquarium' . However, as we are in a group, by the time we get our turn to view the display after others have finished, the guide would have moved much further and started talking about creatures two aquariums further. 90 minutes is very less for this tour and you end-up missing quite a lot of what the guide is speaking. I would recommend the self-guided day tour which will give us more time to see the creatures and read the information displayed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $56
up to 8 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).