Cairns
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Top 6 Essential Things To See Around Cairns

Cairns is in the north of the Australian state of Queensland. The area surrounding the city is a natural paradise - there's the Great Barrier Reef, for one thing - so here are a few exhilarating sights you can check out during a visit to the area.

Great Barrier Reef Cruise

Take a boat over to Green Island, where you can stop off and go swimming. Experience the unreal coral colors and stunning wildlife of the reef, illuminated by the sun.

Reef Snorkeling

You may not be able to delve 20,000 leagues under the sea, but you can go snorkeling, which is pretty close! Here's your chance to be a mermaid or merman for a couple of hours.

Kuranda Rainforest

Enjoy this lush tropical rainforest on the ground, or fly over it on the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. You can also seamlessly glide from land to water in an amphibious vehicle!

Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park

Experience the culture of the Aboriginal Djabugay people. Enjoy a didgeridoo show, visit a museum with ancient murals, try some Djabugay cuisine, and learn to throw a boomerang.

Undara Lava Tubes

Take a day to explore the Outback and walk around under a volcano - that's not something you get to do every day!

Tully River White Water Rafting

The Tully River hosted the 1991 Australian Canoe and White Water Rafting Championships. Don't worry, though, you're not alone, as each boat holds seven people.

Planning Your Cairns Visit

What should I wear?

Owing to its near-equatorial location, Northern Australia is very hot all year round. Make sure to wear cool, cotton clothing, stay hydrated, and definitely layer up on sunscreen and a hat.

Are there any health and safety tips I should be aware of?

Before your trip, consult your doctor about injections you may need to get. If you are walking around in the rainforest, be sure to bring mosquito repellent - ideally purchased locally, as creams from back home may not be suitable for the climate.

Do I need insurance for outdoor activities?

For extreme sports like white water rafting, it's essential. There can also be an age limit, so if you happen to be under 18, do check in advance if you need to have a parent or guardian with you.

Good to know

  • Language
    English
  • Currency
    AUD ($)
  • Time Zone
    UTC (+10:00)
  • Country Code
    61
  • Best time to visit
    August is the best month to visit, when the weather is warm and sunny, with low humidity, and the peak season is ending.

Things to Do in Cairns

  1. 1Tours
  2. 2Nature & Adventure Tours
  3. 3Nature & Panoramic Tours
  4. 4Activities
  5. 5Cruises & Water Tours
  6. 6Sightseeing Tours
  7. 7Water Sports
  8. 8Snorkeling
  9. 9Sailing Trips & Boat Tours
  10. 10Day Trips

Top Attractions in Cairns

  1. 1Great Barrier Reef - Cairns
  2. 2Green Island
  3. 3Kuranda
  4. 4Skyrail Rainforest Cableway
  5. 5Michaelmas Cay
  6. 6Kuranda Scenic Railway

Cities in Australia

  1. 1Sydney
  2. 2Melbourne
  3. 3Adelaide
  4. 4Brisbane
  5. 5Darwin
  6. 6Arnhem Land Region
  7. 7Yulara
  8. 8Alice Springs
  9. 9Perth
  10. 10Hobart

Other Sightseeing Options in Cairns

Want to discover all there is to do in Cairns? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about Cairns

Fantastic value for money - one stop shop

Great Barrier Reef (outer reef) Was thinking about booking everything separately, but it was really not worth the hassel and so glad we did not - the boat journey was fantastic, the food was amazing and ample - we saw so many types of fish - would deffo recommend wearing the rash suits as we got very sunburnt though even with factor 50 - if you have a car utilise the parking under the hotel opposite as the outdoor carpark has limited stay if you are out all day. Railway and Skyrail (Hotel pick up and drop off included) were extremely good value as well, we got to stop off for photo opportunities on the Railway going up and the scenery was stunning, plenty of time to explore Kurunda, visit the animal attractions and brows the many varied shops - be warned you need cash as not all places take card. All in all excellent value for money, great organisation

Great Barrier Reef with Skyrail and Scenic Rail: 2-Day Tour Reviewed by a GetYourGuide customer, 09/14/2018

Loved the train ride. Skyrail journey was excellent. Enjoyed

Smiling at the end of Skyrail trip in Smithfield was easy and a photo taken by the staff before exiting the cable car for easy memories

Kuranda Full-Day Trip by Train and Skyrail + Hotel Transfer Reviewed by a GetYourGuide customer, 09/05/2018

An amazing day from start to finish. Highly recommend it

from start to finish it was amazing. Best guide,gavin. i am sure we saw everything there was to see except the cassowary. Went for a cruise on the Daintree river, saw a crocodile sunning itself. For lunch we had a great BBQ, cooked by Matt(guide in the other 4WD) then off to the the rain forest which was amazing. stopped for a dip in ellis creek and then had billy tea and damper.and also fruit tasting, native and tropical. on the way back to Cairns stopped for an icecream, not your ordinary icecream. these were made from native and tropical fruits and were absolutely delicious. ll in all this was a fabulous day and well worth every cent. i highly recommend it to anybody wanting to see the best of the daintree and also Cape Tribulation and a walk along the beach..

Daintree Cape Tribulation in a 4WD Bloomfield Track Reviewed by Georgina, 09/03/2018

The Down Under team were professional, courteous, and caring.

The boat that took us to the reef was fast, safe, and easy to get off and into the water for snorkeling. The water was clear and I was able to see hundreds of beautiful fish plus a manta ray and sea cucumbers. The food was all delicious. I highly recommend a trip to the reef with the Down Under crew!

Great Barrier Reef with Skyrail and Scenic Rail: 2-Day Tour Reviewed by Sherry, 08/15/2018

Excellent!! Beautiful part of the world!!

Very personal tour !! Mark our tour guide was amazing, he had a vast knowledge of the table lands and the food and drink. I suggest everyone should go on one of these trips !!

Cairns: Atherton Tablelands Boutique Food and Wine Adventure Reviewed by Liam, 08/12/2018
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