Things to do in Cairns

Cairns is a small city in the north of Queensland, Australia, and is the gateway to one of Australia’s most famous national treasures, the Great Barrier Reef. The reef is the largest in the world and stretches 2,600 kilometers along the coastline of Queensland. There are thousands of secluded islands and smaller reefs to explore, making the Barrier Reef a stunning destination in its own right.

Aside from the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns boasts a myriad of attractions that will keep visitors occupied for weeks. Cairns’ laid-back atmosphere also makes it a great place to simply sit back and unwind for a few days. If you’re visiting Cairns, check out my top-10 things to do and see:

1.      Explore the Great Barrier Reef – arguably the main reason people visit Cairns. Visitors can choose from a huge range of diving and/or snorkelling trips and leisure cruises that can last a day or even weeks!

2.      Fly over the Great Barrier Reef – claims have been made that the Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space. I’m sure the view is impressive from up there but a great way (and one that’s a more accessible option for most of us) to truly appreciate the innumerable colours of the reefs is to go on a flight over the reefs. This will be a flight you’ll not easily forget!

3.      Head for the beaches – Cairns is home to magnificent stretches of glistening white sand against a backdrop of tropical foliage. Whether you’re looking for a secluded spot, stunning resorts or an exclusive spa, there’s a beach for everyone.

4.      Kuranda Scenic Railway and Rainforest Skyrail – this is another of Cairns’ must-sees. The Kuranda Scenic Railway is a historic train that takes visitors across the lush rainforests of the World Heritage listed Barron Gorge National Park. The Rainforest Skyrail glides silently over the rainforest canopy, providing visitors with unique views of the rainforest from above.

           Kuranda Skyrail Rainforest Cableway is a unique rainforest experience taking you on an unforgettable journey through Australia's World Heritage listed Tropical Rainforests near Cairns. Guests glide just metres above the canopy in Cairns Skyrail comfortable six-person gondola cabins, before alighting at two rainforest mid-stations to learn more about this fascinating environment from the forest floor on the way to Kuranda. A one-way Skyrail experience takes 1.5 hours, including time at both rainforest mid-stations.

Kuranda Scenic Railway Train winds through 15 tunnels and over 36 bridges as it travels along the 90-minute train track between Cairns and Kuranda. Watch the spectacular scenic views from the open-air railway train windows as it comes to a halt at Stoney Creek falls for some amazing scenic photo opportunities.

It does not matter in which direction you travel on Skyrail Rainforest Cableway or the Kuranda Scenic Railway Train between Cairns and Kuranda as the experience is exhilarating in both directions.

Both options will lead you into the rainforest not far from Cairns to Kuranda Village. Here you can take a stroll around the famous markets or walk along many marked tracks. You may wish to spend time at one of the many attractions in Kuranda like Koala Gardens where you can hold on to a koala and have your photo taken, see Kangaroos and Crocodiles. There is also a wonderful Butterfly sanctuary that contains over 1500 butterflies. Also popular is Tjapukai Aboriginal Culture Park near Cairns where you can watch a stage presentation and try your hand at spear and boomerang throwing. For the adventurous you can spend the afternoon in a small 4 wheel drive exploring World Heritage listed remote access 4WD tracks near Kuranda, see huge Fig trees, King ferns and have afternoon tea at Lake Morris. Another quite unique option is a ride through the Kuranda Rainforest in one of several ex WWII Army Duck Craft. Climb through tracks listening to the guide's rainforest interpretation until you arrive at a dam for a "vehicle swim". Or finally visit Bird World in Kuranda that has a collection of exotic free flying birds from around the world.

5.      Daintree National Park, Cape Tribulation and Port Douglas – the Daintree National Park is probably the only place on the planet where two separate World Heritage sites sit alongside each other (the Daintree Forest and the Great Barrier Reef). This 150 million year-old forest straddles Cape Tribulation and is home to a large variety of Australian flora and fauna. Trekking through the forest is a fascinating experience while the views of the Coral Sea are stupendous. Visitors can also opt to stop by the lovely coastal town of Port Douglas (between Cairns and Cape Tribulation) for a few days to indulge in some great cuisine, a few rounds of golf or laze on Four Mile Beach. In November 2012, Port Douglas will be the premier spot to watch the total solar eclipse.

6.      Lounge at the Cairns lagoon – this is a great way to join the locals for some fun in the water! The Cairns Lagoon is located at the city’s esplanade and is a large park with grassy areas and shady spots with a massive saltwater lagoon in the middle. It’s a lovely place to sit back and people-watch, frolic in the cool water and mingle with the locals.

7.      Sushi! – one of the first things visitors to Cairns will notice is the abundance of Japanese eateries. If you’re a sushi/sashimi fan, Cairns is the place to indulge yourself! The sushi is some of the best in the world and the fresh sashimi simply melts in your mouth!

8.      Paronella Park – built by a Spanish immigrant in the 1930’s as an expression of his love to his wife Margarita, Paronella Park features castles, battlements, terraces and waterways amidst the verdant rainforest. The huge kauri trees are especially impressive. Today, the park is an enchanting place that’s constantly voted as one of Cairns best attractions.

9.      Chillagoe Caves – these caves are hundreds of millions of years old and offer a fascinating glimpse into the geological history of northern Queensland. Located at the far side of the Atherton Tableland, about 220 kilometers west of Cairns, the caves are home to magnificent stalactites and stalagmites as well as Aboriginal rock art that is touted to be more than 30,000 years old.

10.  Undara lava tubes – another fascinating geological attraction that’s located in Cairns’ hinterland, the Ungara lava tubes were formed almost 200,000 years ago as a result of a volcanic eruption. The tubes are about 100 kms long, making them the longest continuous lava flows in the world. It’s a surreal experience to walk through the massive reddish/orangy-coloured lava tubes. A trip to the Undara lava tubes can easily be combined with a visit to the Chillagoe caves.

Here is a list of MUST DO sights and experiences!

Do you want to know which are the top 10 things to do in Cairns?

1.    Take a cruise to the Great Barrier Reef - the only living organism that can be
seen from the moon! There are hundreds of cruising options available, including visits to some of the best dive sites in the world!

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2.    Visit Cape Tribulation, and the Daintree Rainforest - easily the oldest rainforest on the planet! Visit with one of dozens of quality tour operators, or stay awhile at one of several quality budget accommodation properties adjacent to Cape Tribulation.

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3.    Jump out of a perfectly good airplane! Skydiving options are available from
Cairns as a half day for those who want more from their holiday, or spend a full day on palm-fringed Mission Beach, and view the Great Barrier Reef during your freefall!

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4.    Leap off a perfectly good bungy tower in the rainforest north of Cairns! AJ Hackett is the MAN who invented bungy, and his Cairns bungy site is the only 365 day per year bungy site in Australia.

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5.    Tour through the ancient volcanic Tropical Tablelands region, where you can
swim in beautiful crater lakes, visit picturesque waterfalls and even spot the very elusive Platypus!

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6.    Brave the mighty rapids of the Tully River, easily the best rafting in Australia!

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7.    Learn about ancient Aboriginal customs, hunting methods and culture with Adventure North's Daintree Dreaming day tour, or experience their overnight safaris combining Cape Tribulation and Cooktown, including educational guided walks with Aboriginal Elders.

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8.    Glide over the rainforest canopy on Skyrail Rainforest Cableway to Kuranda, the village in the rainforest. Check out the world famous Kuranda markets before cruising down the mountain range into Cairns on the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway.

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9.    Fill your days with dozens of great half day touring options, including Horse Riding, Quad Biking, Estuary Fishing, mutlitudes of great wildlife parks, island ferries, watersports and hang-gliding to name a few!

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10.  ....last, and certainly not least: Experience the fabulous Cairns nightlife, from shopping at the Cairns Night Markets, world class restaurants, funky bars and cafes, to partying until the break of dawn at one of Cairns great nightclubs!

With lush rainforests, big rivers and the Great Barrier Reef just off the coast, it is no wonder that Cairns is a major tourist destination in Queensland, Australia. Beautiful scenery, proximity to some of the most beautiful parts of the GBR in the world and lots of opportunities for adventure and trouble making, Cairns is beer and barbie Mecca—a place of sunshine, hard partying, warm weather year-round and plenty of backpackers looking to have a great time.

Along with boasting a beautiful lush landscapes and easy access to the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns is also rather renowned for its great nightlife as well as its adventure activities like bungee jumping, skydiving and white water rafting. With so much catered towards travelers and plenty of fun things to do in Cairns, no person should be left wondering what to do in Cairns.

If you are looking for a place to stay, I enjoyed my time at Calypso Backpackers, though there is a host of other great Party Hostels in Cairns to choose from as well.

1.       Go white water rafting

There are three major rivers near Cairns that are all popular among white water rafters. Three different operators—Raging Thunder, RnR Rafting and Foaming Fury—run the tours of the various rafting rivers (Russell, Tully and Barron). While all 3 rivers boast class 5 rapids, conditions on the various rivers changes depending on season and flood control. However, in a tropical region that gets plenty of rain (something’s got to keep those jungles green), rafting is a popular and fun activity you can enjoy near Cairns.

2.       Visit the Daintree Rainforest

The largest continuous area of rainforest on the Australian mainland, the Daintree National Park is a protected area of lush rainforest located north of Cairns. The park, which encompasses around 1200 square kilometers, is not only a World Heritage site, but is also home to a large variety of plant and animal life—including marsupials, frogs, birds and more.

    Considered the oldest rainforest in the world, the Daintree forest is over 135 million years old    and has more than 430 different species of bird, including 13 species that are found nowhere else in the world. There are several day hikes that allow travelers to explore sections of this giant rainforest on their own, in addition to guided tours that can help teach you about the flora and fauna on your way.

3.      Snorkel or dive the Great Barrier Reef

The traditional jumping off point for those looking to snorkel and dive the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns is a popular place to catch a chartered tour or boat out to the reef. There are several companies that offer a wide variety of different kinds of charters out to the reef. You can choose between day-trips or overnight trips, which range widely in price anywhere from around $100 to much much more.

Catch a day-trip with a Sunlover Reef Cruise

If you aren’t yet certified to dive, but can’t imagine a trip to the Great Barrier Reef without doing so, you can easily pick up you certification in a few days at Pro Dive Cairns. Pro Dive offers a 5-day learn to dive course, which gives you your open water certification and gives you the opportunity for several open-water dives out on the reef. Pro Dive also has an Ecotourism rating, which means you don’t have to worry about damaging all the beautiful underwater scenery while you are checking it out. (oh, and make sure to say hello to Steve for me).

4. Go on a aboriginal walking tour

During my stay in Cairns, I was lucky enough to be invited to go on a special walking tour given by Linc, an aboriginal man from the Walker clan whose family has lived on the northern Queensland coast for centuries. Linc and his family give private, customized walking tours onto the low tide flats and mangrove groves in search of dinner. As you walk, you can not only take in the stunning scenery of the tropical northern Queensland coast, but you also learn about medicinal plants, fish, crabs and how his people have lived off this land for thousands of years.

The walk was beautiful, fun, interesting and educational. You get a glimpse of not only aboriginal culture, but you also get to learn more about the northern Queensland ecosystem and the plants and animals that make their home there.

5. Go Sky Diving

Long known as a major tourist destination and home to adventure, skydiving is a popular activity among visitors to Cairns. There are several sky diving operators out of Cairns, all of which offer introductory tandem dives for those who have never jumped out of a plane before. Cairns is an ideal spot to skydive not only for its beach landings and gorgeous scenery, but also because the warm climate allows sky divers to jump year round.

While certainly not a cheap activity, it is sure to be a once-in a lifetime experience. I had never seriously considered sky diving and even found myself tempted to jump out of a plane taking in views of the Daintree Rainforest and Great Barrier Reef as I free-fell.

Prices start at $210 and go up to $295 for a tandem dive (depending on how long of a free-fall you’d like).

6. Get wild at the Woolshed

Long before I stepped into the infamous Woolshed bar and restaurant, I had heard murmurings of this backpacker party institution in Cairns. As it turns out, this bar is legendary not only in Cairns, but all over Queensland. The restaurant has cheap, big portioned dinner specials, which draws tons of hungry backpackers in the door looking to fuel up before a night of drinking.

By about 10 p.m., the Woolshed starts to fill up with a crowd of international tourists and the bar quickly spirals into a huge dance party. Dancing on tables, wet t-shirt contests and lots of backpackers looking to get down and dirty, the Woolshed was accurately described to me as “sex on a stick.” In fact, as a local told me, “if you can’t take someone home from the Woolshed, there is something seriously wrong with you.”

7. Work on your tan at Mission Beach

Located south of Cairns, Mission Beach is the closest mainland point to the Great Barrier Reef. The beach is a14 km long, pristine sandy beach, with fantastic views of Dunk, Bedarra and a handful of other islands just offshore. There is a small township here, where you can learn more about activities like sea kayaking or scuba diving, though many would be perfectly content soaking up the rays and taking in the beautiful surrounding scenery.

You can stay in Mission Beach, though most will be coming from Cairns. If you have a car, Mission Beach is located less than an hour from Cairns and is most easily accessed y car. If you did not rent a car or camper van for your trip, there is a company that offers a coach transfer service called Mission Beach Dunk Island Connections, which takes scenic routs between Port Douglas, Cairns, Dunk and Bedarra Islands.

8. Go Bungy jumping

Bungy legend and pioneer AJ Hackett (the crazy guy who was arrested for jumping off the Eiffel Tower in 1987), operates a bungy jumping hotspot in Cairns. Hackett has set up a popular bungy post in Cairns, and has a spectacular jump platform, which is the only platform in the world to offer 16 different jump styles—from traditional swan dives to riding off the roof on a BMX bike. The Smithfield Tower was completed in August 1990 and was only the third commercial Bungy jumping site in the world.

For adrenaline junkies looking for the real deal in Bungy jumping should definitely pay a visit to Hackett’s operation. Jumps start $125 AUD.

>>Check out AJ Hackett Cairns website for more information.

9. Visit the Johnston River Croc Farm

I realize that kangaroos are not particularly exotic or exciting animals for Aussies, who see the plethora of the jumping roos everywhere they go. This did not stop me from wanting to see one up close and personal during my trip Down Under. If you also want to check out crocodiles, gators and dingoes, then a trip to the Johnston River Croc Farm located southwest of Cairns is well worth your time.

The knowledgeable croc wranglers dangle rats dangerously close to crocodiles intimidating jaws, pick up gators, let you feed kangaroos, and let you make friends with the dingoes all while teaching you all about the local Aussie wildlife. You also get to hold a baby croc (with mouth taped shut of course).

10. Go hot air ballooning over the Atherton Tablelands

Considered the hot ballooning capital of the southern hemisphere, Atherton is just a short drive from Cairns in the scenic tablelands of tropical northern Queensland. Queensland Balloon with Hot Air has a ballooning package that includes a 5 am pickup in Cairns, a hot breakfast and champagne toast for about $220 AUD.

The balloon takes off from Mareeba on the Atherton Tablelands. Enjoy the picturesque landscape at sunrise, enjoy 30 minutes floating in your hot air balloon, time to really breathe in the wide-open spaces and is concluded with breakfast and champagne in scenic and popular resort town of Port Douglas. Checking out the gorgeous scenery from high in a balloon makes these balloon tours a worthwhile experience.