“Immersing yourself in the Great Barrier Reef is the best way to see how fragile it is,” says Ben Southall, who has served as the reef’s honorary “caretaker of islands” and retraced Captain Cook’s route of discovery there, by kayak. Approximately one million visitors dive or snorkel the the largest coral reef ecosystem in the world each year. “It’s the vastness and marine life that draws people in,” says Southall. Here are a few tips to get started if experiencing Queensland’s greatest treasure is on your travel list this year.