Vlasoff Cay

Vlasoff Cay is a low sand island sitting on the surface of the coral reef, a bank of white sand on Vlasoff Reef, one of the outer reefs of the Great Barrier Reef, lying just north of Green Island off the coast from Cairns. Tourism and Events Queensland describes it as a Tropical North Queensland bucket-list attraction. Everything you need for the day arrives with you: the helicopter operators who land there supply the chairs, the shade and the snorkelling gear.

What is Vlasoff Cay?

A cay is a low sandy island formed on the surface of a coral reef. Vlasoff Cay is exactly that: an unvegetated bank of coral sand sitting in shallow turquoise water, with the reef running away beneath it in every direction. What it offers is the rare experience of standing on a small piece of sand well out on the Great Barrier Reef, with open water on every side. Yes,  Vlasoff Cay is part of the Great Barrier Reef. It sits on Vlasoff Reef, an outer reef of the Great Barrier Reef.

Where is Vlasoff Cay?

Vlasoff Reef

The cay sits on Vlasoff Reef. The reef is the permanent structure; the cay is the sand that has gathered on top of it. That distinction is worth holding on to when you are reading tour descriptions. Plenty of trips visit this part of the reef. Fewer put you on the sand.

Getting your bearings from Cairns and Green Island

Vlasoff Cay lies just north of Green Island, off the coast from Cairns. From Cairns, the flight out takes roughly 20 to 30 minutes depending on which trip you take. That is the most useful measure of how far out it sits, you leave the coast behind quickly, and the reef fills the window for most of the way.

What visitors experience on the cay

Time on Vlasoff Cay is unstructured. You can do as much or as little as you like, from relaxing in a deck chair under an umbrella to snorkelling in the calm, clear water around the sand. In the water immediately off the cay, visitors commonly see giant clams, reef fish and rays, and sometimes come across groups of sea turtles. The sand itself is the other half of it. A slow walk from one end to the other takes a few minutes, and the view in every direction is reef and open water.

How to visit Vlasoff Cay

ReefTrip offers two ways to land on Vlasoff Cay. Both are helicopter experiences, flown by two different operators — and they are not two versions of the same trip. The difference in time on the sand is substantial, and so is the difference in what the day looks like around it.

A shorter landing — Coral Cay Bubbles, with Zoom Helicopters

Operated by Zoom Helicopters and bookable online through ReefTrip, with live availability. The experience runs about 60 minutes in total: roughly 30 minutes of flying, and around 30 minutes on Vlasoff Cay. Flights depart daily from Cairns Airport. A minimum of two people is required to book. This is the trip if you want to stand on the cay, swim, take the photograph and see the reef from the air — inside a morning or an afternoon, without giving up a whole day. You can check live departure times and book straight away. See Coral Cay Bubbles – Vlasoff Cay Helicopter Tour →

A longer stay — Vlasoff Cay Helicopter Tour, with Nautilus Aviation

Operated by Nautilus Aviation and available to book through ReefTrip. The experience runs about 2 hours 40 minutes in total: roughly 20 minutes flying each way, and around two hours on the cay. Flights depart from the Cairns city helipad on the Esplanade. Included are headsets with pilot commentary, beach chairs and an umbrella, snorkelling equipment, and a gourmet picnic hamper with sparkling wine. A protective lycra suit is provided during the summer months. This is the trip if the cay is the day rather than a stop within it — enough time to snorkel properly, eat unhurriedly, and stay long enough for the light to change. This trip is offered on request. Departures are based on request, availability and tides, so an enquiry is confirmed with the operator rather than instantly ticketed. See Vlasoff Cay Helicopter Tour →

Which one suits you

Neither is better than the other. They answer different questions. If your time in Cairns is already full and the cay is one thing you want to do properly, the shorter flight does exactly that. If you would rather arrive and then stop looking at your watch, the longer trip is built for it. Current pricing for both is shown on the individual tour pages.

Visiting the reef around Vlasoff by boat

Day tours by boat operate regularly in this part of the reef, with diving and snorkelling. Those trips take you to the water around Vlasoff Reef. Both of the Vlasoff Cay landing experiences ReefTrip offers are helicopter trips. If a boat trip suits you better, it is worth asking that operator directly what access to the cay itself involves on the day, since conditions and the tide affect what is possible.

Conditions, tides and availability

Access depends on conditions, on both trips. Landing on the cay is subject to safe operating and environmental conditions, and on the Nautilus trip departures are based on request, availability and tides. The cay is a low sand island sitting on top of a reef, so the state of the tide governs when a landing is practical. Weather plays its part too — the actual flight path may differ on the day due to adverse weather or air traffic control. Because helicopter landings depend on conditions and, for some departures, tides and availability, it is worth allowing some flexibility in your Cairns itinerary. If Vlasoff Cay is a priority, consider booking it earlier in your stay rather than on your final day, leaving room to reschedule if conditions affect your flight.

Common questions about Vlasoff Cay

Is Vlasoff Cay part of the Great Barrier Reef? Yes. It is a sand cay on Vlasoff Reef, an outer reef of the Great Barrier Reef. Is it spelled Vlasoff Cay or Vlassof Cay? Both spellings refer to the same place. Vlasoff Cay is the spelling used by Tourism and Events Queensland and by both operators flying there, and it is the one we use — but you will also see Vlassof Cay, particularly in older web addresses and listings. Can you visit Vlasoff Cay by boat? Day tours by boat operate regularly in this part of the reef. Both of the Vlasoff Cay experiences ReefTrip offers are helicopter trips that land on the cay, so if you are considering a boat trip, check with that operator what access to the sand itself involves. How long do you get on the cay? About 30 minutes on the Zoom Helicopters flight, or about two hours on the Nautilus Aviation trip. Can you stay overnight on Vlasoff Cay? No. There is no accommodation on the cay. Visits are day trips. Do you need to be able to swim? Snorkelling is optional on both trips. The time on the cay is yours to use as you like. Is a landing guaranteed? No. Landing is subject to safe operating and environmental conditions, and tides affect when a landing is practical.