A Complete Guide To Cairns
Cairns seems to divide people into two. Some people think it is too touristic whereas others get amazed by the beautiful nature it has to offer. We loved our time in Cairns and it is one of the best places in Australia to go waterfall hunting! Cairns is for many people also the start or the end of their East Coast road trip. Here is a complete guide to Cairns, to make your visit the best it can possibly be.
VIEW POST: The Ultimate Australian East Coast Road Trip Guide
Cairns City Center
Our Cairns guide starts in the city center. Because of the crocodiles, you cannot go swimming in the sea anywhere around Cairns. Lucky for us, there is a fake lagoon in the centrum where you can chill in the sun, have a BBQ and of course, swim. From the lagoon, you can easily walk to the stores, restaurants and the market. If you are in Cairns between Friday – Sunday, make sure you visit Rusty´s market. The atmosphere is amazing and you can find stalls full of fresh vegetables, exotic fruit, international food, and beautiful handicraft!
Even though Cairns is a nice little city to relax and stroll around (and to maybe catch for a pub crawl that some of the hostels organize), we would not spend too much time in the city center. It is the surrounding areas that make it such an amazing place! If you don’t have a car of your own, we recommend renting one for a few days. A car will give you the chance to go explore all the cool nature around Cairns and it is not too expensive to rent a car if you are few people shipping in some money. Organized tours are also a way to do explore the area around Cairns, but that will, of course, be a more expensive choice.
Guide to Cairns Waterfall Circuit and Atherton Tablelands
If you want to go find some waterfalls, Cairns is the place to be! This was the highlight during our stay in Cairns, as we are suckers for waterfalls. You can find gorgeous waterfalls only a short drive away from Cairns. If you don´t have a car and don´t feel like renting one, you can book a tour to see the most popular ones.
We will take you to Waterfall Circuit, an easy day trip 1-hour drive away from Cairns in Atherton Tablelands. Here you can find Millaa Millaa Falls a beautiful plunge waterfall, which is a popular place to have a swim and snap a few photos. Zillie Falls and Elinjaa Falls are two other waterfalls on the Waterfall Circuit.
VIEW POST: Top 9 Waterfalls To See Near Cairns
If you want to explore Atherton Tablelands a bit more, you can make a stop at Cathedral Fig Tree or Curtain Fig Tree. We went to see the Cathedral Fig Tree and have to say it is the most peculiar tree we have ever seen! Lake Barrine and Lake Eacham, two crater lakes, are also two easy stops on the way to Waterfall Circuit. If you like wildlife and would like to spot a platypus, head to Platypus Park to see these cute and wild little creatures.
Babinda Boulders
If you feel like going for a swim, but you feel like you need to break from all the waterfall hunting, head to Babinda boulders. This beautiful swimming hole with clear blue water is surrounded by boulders and lush rainforest and one of the less known places in Cairns. Bring some lunch or picnic and explore this little gem. It is a perfect spot to escape the heat of the day!
Daintree Rainforest
Daintree is the world’s oldest rainforest and is part of the World Heritage list. It is also where the rainforest meets the Great barrier reef. Its unique beauty has also inspired the movie Avatar and after your visit, you can understand why. You cannot visit Cairns without doing a trip to Daintree. You can either do a day trip from Cairns as we did (it´s two hours drive one way) or stay overnight and admire this extraordinary place a bit longer.
So what to do in Daintree? Start by visiting the Discovery Center to get your facts! If you only have one day, we´d recommend planning a bit ahead where you want to go to save you some time.
There are multiple walks that you can do in Daintree. They vary from 10 minutes to 6 hours, so there is something for everyone. One walk we really recommend to do is to head to Cape Tribulation Beach. There you can see the stunning meeting point of the lush rainforest and the white beach. Also Mossman Gorge is one of the most recommended walks. Here you can also deepen your experience by taking part in the award-winning Dreamtime Walk.
You are ready for something a bit more exciting? How about a zip-line tour where you can glide through the lush canopy? Or go spotting the ”salties” or saltwater crocodiles while cruising the Daintree river? Or running away from angry Cassowary as Elin did during our trip? Whatever you are going to do during your visit, remember to prepare for rain – after all, you are in a rainforest!
There is also a Skyrail system going above the rainforest. You go into a cabin with a glass bottom which makes it easy for you to see the rainforest below. The Skyrail system experience costs $77 AUD.
Great Barrier Reef
Cairns is also a popular spot to go to explore the Great Barrier Reef. The world´s largest and the most spectacular coral reef system. There are many tour operators and you can choose how you want to explore the wonders of the exotic underwater world. There are snorkeling and scuba diving trips available. You can do a scenic flight over the reef or sleep under the stars by an overnight trip to the reef.
Thala Lodge
Thala Lodge is an award-winning eco-resort just out of Cairns. It is supposed to be a good place to stay but we never made it passed the palms. If you have drone, this is the perfect place to put it up. From above you can see symmetrical palm trees. This is one of the lesser-known things to do around Cairns and we were here all alone when we went.
Where to stay in Cairns:
If you need a place to stay while trying out these 5 things to do in Cairns we have listed some of our favorites below.
Where you find us – Tropic Days – We stayed here during our both visits to Cairns and we LOVED it. This hostel is €35 a night for a private room and two people. They also offer a bed in a dorm and the prices are from €11 a night. Another option is Mad Monkey, especially if you are after a good party!
Mid-range – Pacific Hotel Cairns – This hotel is located on Cairns Esplanade overlooking Trinity Harbour. It is close to shopping, restaurants and Esplanade Lagoon. The prices start at 69€ per night.
Daydreaming – Shangri-La Hotel – a five-star hotel in the center of Cairns in a good place to base yourself to explore Cairns for a few days. The price comes in on €118 a night.
Eco-friendly Hotel: Thala Lodge as we mentioned earlier is another option to stay one night or two to explore the area a bit further away from Cairns.
We hope this guide to Cairns inspired you to explore and experience the best parts of the area.
