Vlasoff Cay: Photos & Information (Great Barrier Reef)

Vlasoff Cay: Photos & Information (Great Barrier Reef)

Vlasoff Cay is a beautiful, remote, sandy Great Barrier Reef cay just a stone's throw from Cairns. Find out everything you need to know about this remote paradise, including how to get there!

A quick guide to everything you need to know about Vlasoff Cay; one of the most incredible sandbanks on the Great Barrier Reef. Find out how to get here, what to expect and detailed information on zoning and restrictions.
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Film video from Vlasoff Cay

I recently did a quick cinematic edit of some of the footage I captured during my visit to Vlasoff Cay. Check it out below and if you like it, subscribe to me on YouTube!

All photos and video clips in this blog post were taken by me and can be purchased as fine art prints or for commercial licenses. Please contact me for more information or read how you can use my images for free.

About Vlasoff Cay

Vlasoff Cay is located in the Great Barrier Marine Parks, north of Green Island. The island itself is a sandbar on the larger Vlasoff Reef, an outer reef system of the Great Barrier Reef. This reef stretches for several hundred meters and is littered with large bommies. This section of the reef is fairly healthy, which is great for snorkeling and diving.

Vlasoff Cay is a very popular spot for Cairns locals as it is less than 38 kilometers (20.5 nautical miles) from Cairns. This means yachts, sailing ships and even jet skis often head to Vlasoff Cay for day trips and overnight stays on the Great Barrier Reef.

You won't find any vegetation on the cay, and only a small sandy tip will be exposed at very high tides.

Adjacent to Vlasff you will find many other popular reef spots frequented by commercial dive boats including Michaelmas Cay, Hastings Reef, Saxons Reef, Norman Reef and Upolu Cay.
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Rating: Best Great Barrier Reef tour from Cairns

How to get to Vlasoff Cay?

Unfortunately, there are very limited options for getting to Vlasoff Cay. There are currently no group boat tours you can book to Vlasoff Cay, meaning you'll need to either find a private charter or book a full-day round-trip helicopter flight that lands on the island ($800 per person).

Alternatively, for those keen to experience a sand island on the Great Barrier Reef, I would recommend booking a trip with SeaStar. These guys run snorkeling and diving trips to the outer reef and are the only boats that stop at a sandy cove (the adjacent Michaelmas).

Book: Michaelmas Cay & Hasting Reef (SeaStar)
alt=“MICHAELMAS CAY GREAT BARRIER REEF, MICHAELMAS CAY OUTER REEF”>Neighboring Michaelmas Cay
Otherwise, the only way to see Vlasoff and other sandy bays is with a 30-minute scenic flight from Cairns. This is surprisingly affordable and easily one of the best things to do in Cairns. Read about my trip to find out how to get a good deal and more photos of what to expect.
alt=“Vlassof Cay off Cairns on a plane flight”>Vlasoff Cay from a scenic GBR flight

Zoning of the Great Barrier Reef

Vlasoff Cay and the surrounding reef are designated as “yellow” marine parks, meaning it is a Conservation Park Zone. This means that you can fish from a boat and even spearfish here. However, there are limitations.

Below is an image showing the current reef zoning restrictions.

Many of the nearby surrounding reefs and bays, including the popular dive sites on Hastings and Norman, are Marine National Park Zoning. As a result, you will find that Vlasoff Cay is one of the few accessible sandy coves where you can fish.
alt="ZONING RESTRICTIONS FOR GREAT BARRIER REEF">

Moorings & anchorages

On the west side of Vlasoff Cay are at least three blue Curtesy buoys that can accommodate monohulls to a depth of 20 meters in 34 knots of wind. However, you can also navigate through the bommies to anchor on the sandy flats on the west side. Alternatively, you can head to the east side of the island, where many other boats anchor for day trips.
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More photos of Vlasoff Cay

I hope this short guide to Vlasoff Cay, one of the most beautiful sandy bays on the Great Barrier Reef off Cairns. Below I have included a few photos from my last trip to Vlasoff.
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alt=“FRESH TUNA MEAL ON THE GREAT BARRIER REEF”>
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alt="SUNSET IN VLASOFF CAY">
alt="VLASOFF CAY FROM ABOVE">
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alt="BOAT IN VLASOFF CAY">
alt="YACHT ON THE GREAT BARRIER REEF (MALAIKA)">
alt="GREAT BARRIER REEF, VLASOFF CAY">

More Cairns & Far North Travel & Adventure Blogs

Before you head out, be sure to check out some of my other useful travel guides and adventure blogs. I've spent a lot of time photographing and documenting my adventures in the Cairns region.

As a result, I've put together the most comprehensive travel resource for the region (all free). Check out my waterfall guide or my hiking guide or select an article below.

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MY CAMERA AND PHOTO EQUIPMENT

• Spiegellose Kamera: Canon R5
• Drohne: DJI Mavic Pro 2
• 360-Grad-Action-Kamera: Insta360 One X2
• Landschaftsobjektiv: Canon RF 15-35 mm f/2.8L
• Allround-Objektiv: Canon RF 24–105 mm f/4L
• Teleobjektiv: Canon RF 100–500 mm f/f/4,5–7,1 L
• Lange Aktionsstange: Insta360 Invisible Pole (BulletTime)
• Landschaftslinsenfilter: Hoya Circular Polarizer
• Kamerarucksack: F-Stop Tilopa
• Lieblingsfotozubehör: Peak Design Capture Clip

For a list of my recommended photography gear (including what I use and why), check out my Travel Camera Gear Guide.

If you would like to use photos on this website, please visit my licensing page to find out how. For high resolution & commercial use please contact me directly.
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