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City in Queensland, Australia
Photo: Frances76 at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Cairns is touted as the "gateway to the Great Barrier Reef" and other destinations such as Kuranda and the Daintree Rainforest in Far North Queensland. Although the city has little to offer to travellers besides tour agencies, a handful of restaurants, cafes, and backpacker bars, and a long walk along the esplanade looking out at the swampy shoreline. Its 150,000 residents are regularly outnumbered by both domestic and international visitors.
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Located in a heritage building in the city centre, the Cairns Regional Gallery is the region's premier destination for exhibitions featuring historical and contemporary art by leading regional, national and international artists.
The Cairns Museum showcases the Cairns Historical Society’s collection of objects, photographs and archival records. This collection holds the memories of the people, places, events and changing environment of Cairns and Far North Queensland.
The Cairns Botanic Gardens are about 4 km from the city centre, and a number of bus routes pass by the various entrances. The Gardens are divided into 5 distinct zones, including Formal Gardens, Rainforest Boardwalk and Mangroves Boardwalk.
This is Australia's most spectacular aquarium, displaying 71 exhibits with more than 16,000 colourful marine habitats and 10 ecosystems. The facility holds the country's largest freshwater tank and is home to the world's first tidal motion tank.
Dive sites suited to serious divers. Allows solo diving and rebreather diving if you provide appropriate equipment. Cabins with private bathrooms are available.
New Horizon Sail and Dive operates two classic sailing boats, Santa Maria and Coral Sea Dreaming, to the outer Great Barrier Reef. They allow you to experience the reef in a smaller more intimate affair with a maximum of 10 passengers on each trip.
A 25-m modern, fast-sailing catamaran travelling daily to Michaelmas Cay, where the company holds a permit allowing passengers access to the beach. This is one of the most important bird nesting sanctuaries on the Great Barrier Reef with over 20,000 sea birds. The cay has white sand, warm shallow water and an abundance of marine life making it perfect for snorkelling, scuba diving, glass bottom boat tours or just relaxing on the beach. The second destination is the Outer Barrier Reef and a mooring at Breaking Patches. There you will find the hard coral gardens that the Outer Reef is famous for. The day includes a hot and cold buffet lunch, all snorkelling equipment and sailing on one of the fastest catamarans travelling to the Great Barrier Reef.
Specialises in 11-dive/3-day 2-night liveaboard trips to the Outer Reef, departing every day except Tuesdays. Their dive sites are suitable for inexperienced divers: most trips will include one or more groups of students doing their checkout dives. The liveaboard trip is $580 for a twin share or double cabin (including all equipment). Pro Dive Cairns also offer several PADI courses which include the liveaboard trip: the basic Open Water course (2 days of classroom and pool work plus the trip), Open Water referral checkout dives, Advanced Open Water and Rescue Diver. The trip is $580 per person, twin share or double and equipment is included. An additional fee applies of $35 per person, including a $15 Government Environmental Management Charge as well as a Port Departure tax and administration costs.
Good small operator.
A 37-m liveaboard boat, covering iconic and remote dive sites. A 3-day trip departs Mondays for Cod Hole and the Ribbon Reefs, a 4-day trip departs Thursdays for the Coral Sea and Osprey Reef, or you can stay on for the full 7 days. A stunning low-level flight to Lizzard Island gets you from Cairns to meet on the Thursday trip, and back from the Monday one. Excellent diving sites for the more advanced diver - you must have your open water before joining the boat.
Airplay offers tandem hang gliding flights of durations up to 1 hr and a free outbound shuttle service. Lessons and full instruction are also available to those wishing to learn to fly.
Includes a hot breakfast, champagne & transfers.
Offers a slightly cheaper trip that doesn't include breakfast.
Tandem, single jumps, and AFF courses. One of the most beautiful planes flies up to overlooking the reef.
Offers tandem skydives.
Operating since 1984. The Tully River is Australia's best and most famous 1-day white water rafting experience, with up to 5 hr of rafting over more than 45 grade 4 rapids through World Heritage Rainforest. The Barron River option is a great half-day tour, with up to 2 hr of rafting on grade 3 rapids. For something longer, the North Johnstone 4-day expedition is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Helicopter in, 4 days of grade 5 rapids and camping 3 nights under the stars in riverside rainforest clearings.
One of the largest and longest established coach touring companies in Cairns, operating since 1981. Operate full- and half-day tours to Kuranda including Kuranda Scenic Railway, Skyrail, Rainforestation Nature Park and Australian Butterfly Sanctuary, Cape Tribulation and the Daintree, Port Douglas, Atherton Tablelands and the 'Outback'. Extended tours are available to Cape Tribulation and the Daintree.
Day and extended tours to the World Heritage areas of Cape Tribulation and the Daintree - where the oldest rainforest in the world meets the Great Barrier Reef. Small groups travel with their informative guides on air-conditioned buses. Tours can include Port Douglas, The Rainforest Habitat Wildlife Sanctuary, cruising on the Daintree River searching for crocodiles and wildlife, swimming in the Mossman Gorge and exploring Cape Tribulation Beach. On extended tours, various levels of accommodation are offered, from backpacker dorms to deluxe resorts, with plenty of options to party and play. Activities vary from reef trips with Rum Runner to horseriding, jungle surfing, and sea kayaking.
Visits the waterfalls, Lake Barrine Cater lake, the Curtain Fig tree, Famous Milla Milla falls, 2-course hot lunch and cheese/yogurt tasting at the Mungalli organic bio-dynamic dairy, the rainforest of the Southern Cairns Highlands, plus the historic Spanish castle ruins and gardens of Paronella Park and Mena Creek falls, near Innisfail, and the Babinda boulders for a swim in clear mountain spring waters. Back to Cairns via Bruce Highway, sugar cane fields and Walsh's Pyramid. Many photo opportunities. Small groups, max 20 passengers.
La Pizza Trattoria has good pizza. It lures most patrons in by letting them wander past the pizza chef kneading the dough as they smell the baking pizzas.
Italian meals with some good seafood options and overworked wait staff. 25% discount if you order before 6:30PM.
If you want to escape from several evenings touring the bar and grill places, Perotta's is just off the Esplanade and does more sophisticated Western food. Try the French toast with roast pear for breakfast.
Breakfast and brunch restaurant. Waffle on is a family-owned restaurant serving sweet and savoury waffles, organic coffee and fresh juices.
Greek kitchen and bar. You can expect fresh, delicious dishes, prepared in a traditional way.
The Rattle 'n Hum is a bar and grill in the midst of one of the busiest parts of The Esplanade. It's quite large and getting a seat is seldom a problem: sit out back once they light torches in the evenings. Competition for the pool table is not formidable so you should be able to get several games in. They do a number of main meals, including wood-fired pizza for around $20. The staff are highly variable in quality, ordering a cocktail can be risky, but they're certainly able to pull a beer.
The Woolshed Chargrill & Saloon Bar
If you are looking for a place to find all the travellers, go to the Woolshed in downtown Cairns.
Bed in a small dorm (no bunk beds). Prices on the website may be out of date. Free transfers to and from the airport, bus or train station if staying 2 nights or more. Free internet. Not particularly clean or well-maintained. Very friendly and helpful staff. Not in the city centre, but within easy walking distance.
Close to the centre of Cairns and with 4 dorm rooms, singles, twins and doubles, as well as ensuite and family rooms. Clean and well maintained. 25 m saltwater pool, kitchen, bar and shuttle bus service.
Small, quiet and friendly and located in a quiet backstreet and a 5 min walk to Cairns Central Shopping Centre. Full laundry and kitchen facilities and internet at $3 per hr.
Small family-run hostel with a focus on cleanliness and friendly service. Free Wi-Fi and evening meal at the Woolshed, free tea and coffee.
Dreamtime Travellers Rest
Small hostel across Cairns Central with its mall and lagoon-like backyard. Air condition available.
Front rooms look out to the Coral Sea, Floriana is an older style Art Deco 1930s guesthouse. It is a 15-min walk to town and offers rooms with shared facilities and self-contained flats.
Private hotel rooms also available. Free meal every night, clean, safe, fun hostel with loads of activities and massive swimming pool.
Free shuttle bus ride into the heart of Cairns. Has female-only dorms.
Serpent Hostel
Free shuttle bus. Very clean hostel with a huge swimming pool and a volleyball court.
All guests receive free daily breakfast, free unlimited internet 24/7, free hidden swimming hole trip, sailing trip and more activities. Located in the centre of town.
Free Wi-Fi internet. clean safe and friendly. In the city centre with a pool and great outdoor area.
Modern studio or suite in Cairns northern beach area. Close to restaurants, hotels, shops. Elevated beachfront position, views of the Coral Sea and the mountains in the rear. Queen and twin bed options, lift access to all floors, and laundry facilities on each level.
Located a few minutes walk from the centre, the hotel has both a normal swimming pool and a lake by the atrium with huge Barramundi! Most of the rooms have views of the sea.
4.5-star resort apartments in of lush landscaped gardens, lakes and beach lagoon pools.
4-star self-contained accommodation in Trinity Beach. Suitable for families.
4-star boutique-style hotel.
81 standard rooms and suites including some self-contained suites. Showering amenities for guests on late departures, guest laundry, swimming pool, BBQ area, evening dining, free overnight luggage storage, and secure onsite parking. ADSL broadband in all rooms, wifi and internet kiosk. A tour desk, and a transit lounge. Breakfast and free airport transfer pick-up are available. All rooms have room safes.
Between a coconut palm-fringed beach and lush, tropical rainforest.
Villa Marine Holiday Resort has a luxury Rainforest Apartment that has amazing views over the adjoining rainforest. Or stay in their romantic Honeymoon apartment. Family and Budget apartments are available as well. Small, quiet and peaceful, they have all types of lodging to suit your needs.
Serviced 1- to 2-bedroom apartments with Cairns water and Trinity Park views.
2-3 bedroom apartments with balconies, fully-equipped kitchens, en suite with corner spa. Near Esplanade, Reef Fleet Terminal, and restaurant strip.
2-3 bedroom apartments with balconies located near restaurant district, shopping mall, and Reef Fleet Terminal. Guest access to spa and outdoor swimming pool. Sister-property of Clarendon on Spence.
Formerly Cairns International Hotel
Spacious rooms and suites all with balconies, overlooking the harbour and the city.
Among the best hotels in the city, located in the same building as the Reef Casino and with views over Trinity Bay.
Esplanade Markets have homemade products, rare stones, clothes, all types of art, massage, local music, local rainforest timbers/carvings/wooden chopping boards and you will be buying from the maker/artist of the products. Heaps of budget-priced stuff, but some very refined high art/design/ideas that could easily become a feature piece of a house/garden. Great place to find a special gift. And best of all it has a 'locals feel' about it. Make sure to take a hat and sunscreen as it's an outdoor market. Have fun and meet some locals.
Cairns Night Markets
The markets are a collection of stalls catering mainly to tourists: you can buy lots of clothes, games, souvenirs, and Australiana.
Shuttle bus and taxi
Shuttle bus transfers are available from Cairns Airport, prices range between $15 and $17 (one passenger one way) and $25 to $35 (one passenger return) to Cairns city.
By train
Cairns Station is right in the city centre, easily within walking distance of the waterfront and most hotels.
By car
The 1,700 km Bruce Highway running south along the coast connects Cairns to the state capital of Brisbane.
The centre of Cairns is small enough to be covered on foot, but a car is needed to see the surrounding attractions if you are not taking a tour.
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Cairns · International · CNS
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