Cairns is the best city to visit in north Queensland.
It’s relaxed and
tropical, the weather is always warm and it is one of the best places
for trips to Great Barrier Reef. In the city
there are Cairns Museum, Cairns Night Markets
and the lovely Cairns Marina.
Just north are Machans Beach, Wangetti
Beach and other northern beaches. Townsville may be the biggest city
in north Queensland, but travellers
tend to spend longer time in Cairns. Here is Cairns travel information,
and in the end of the page is a Cairns map.
The Lagoon. by Alexandre E Silva via Flickr.com
There is an amazing
amount of great things to do north, west and east of Cairns!!!
TRIPS
FROM PALM COVE - ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR CAIRNS NORTHERN BEACHES
Travel Cairns: City Center and Esplanade
Cairns city center is next to Trinity Bay between Cairns Esplanade and
Sheridan Street. Mulgrave Road that comes from south (Bruce Highway)
passes by Earlville shopping centre and Parramatta Park Showgrounds
before it turns into Aplin Street that goes right to the Cairns
Esplanade.
The Pier. Poster by AllPosters.
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COMBO
TICKETS
Travel Cairns: Central City
If you arrive by train, you’ll first come to the Cairns Central. It is
the town’s central train station as well as a large shopping centre
with lots of clothes’ shops, camera shops, bookshops, all kind of
speciality shops and a large eatery. It is also here as you can catch
the train to Kuranda.
Travel Cairns - Esplanade. by vansassa via
Flickr.com
Travel Cairns: City Place and Cairns Museum
Across the road from the main entrance of the shopping centre is Shield
Street which goes right to the Esplanade. On the way to the Esplanade
it passes the City Place – a pedestrian shopping mall, where there are
lots of souvenir shops, pubs, restaurants, the City Place Amphitheatre,
and Cairns Museum. Along the side
streets are Rusty’s Bazaar Markets and
Orchid Plaza. There are also plenty of hotels and backpackers hostels
on these streets.
Travel Cairns - City Place. by LLudo via
Flickr.com
Cairns Lagoon and Cairns Pier
In the northern end of the Shield Street you’ll come to the Cairns
Esplanade, and right to the Cairns Lagoon, always full on backpackers
as well as locals having a dip or sunbaking in the adjacent park. East
of the Lagoon is the Cairns Pier – another shopping mall with shops,
restaurants and bars, and an Aquarium called Undersea World where you
can discover the tropical marine life and watch shark
feedings.
The Pier. Poster by AllPosters.
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Travel Cairns: Cairns Marina
East of the Cairns Pier is Cairns Marina with lots of yachts and
fishing boats, and south of the Marina is the Marlin Jetty; and the
Trinity Inlet where you can catch a ferry to Fitzroy Island. Cairns
Yacht Club is also here.
Marina. Poster by AllPosters.
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Travel Cairns: the Casino
West of the Trinity Inlet is the Reef Hotel Casino, which is much
more than a casino – you can stay here (although it’s not cheap); and
on the top of it is the Cairns
Wildlife Dome – a wildlife park
with tropical rainforest and lots of Australian
animals such as kangaroos
and koalas,
but also crocodiles,
snakes,
turtles,
lizards and many kind of
Australian famous birds such as kookaburras.
Travel Cairns - The Reef Casino. by Fridy
via Flickr.com
Travel Cairns: the Esplanade
Back on the Cairns Esplanade, there is a lovely walking trail with
information signs about Aboriginal
people and views over
the surrounding mountain ranges. There are also barbeques and picnic
tables here, and further north there are mudflats that attract many
interesting wetland birds such as ibises, pelicans
and spoonbills.
The Pier. Poster by AllPosters.
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Travel Cairns: the Night Markets
Also on the Esplanade are the famous Cairns Night Markets, a great
place to have a dinner in the food court, and scroll through the market
stands - there are clothes as well as a lot of souvenirs.
Travel Cairns - Night Markets. by salomonrbc via Flickr.com
North Cairns
If you keep walking north along the Esplanade, you will come to North
Cairns, where there are lots of eateries, expensive hotels but also
backpacker hostels, the Tobruk Memorial Swimming Pool and the Royal
Flying Doctors Service.
North Cairns. Poster by AllPosters.
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Travel Cairns: Flecker Botanical Gardens
Here are also the beautiful Flecker Botanical Gardens. It is a very
green pace to be – amongst lush tropical plants and some impressive
large tropical flowers.
Botanical Gardens. Poster by
AllPosters. Click on thumbnail to
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Travel Cairns - Zoo by Al and Marie via
Flickr.com
Travel Cairns: Kuranda Rainforests
One attraction up here is the tropical rainforests, and a great way
to visit them is to visit the rainforest village Kuranda, which is also
famous for its markets and wildlife parks (amongst others the Australian
Butterfly Sanctuary and the Rainforestation
Nature Park). The best way to do this is to catch the Kuranda
Scenic Railway from Cairns Central Station, and enjoy the
ride
through some amazing rainforests in the Barron River National Park. And
from Kuranda catch the Skyrail
Rainforest Cableway back to Cairns, and enjoy the views
across the
rainforest canopy. In the Cairns end of the Skyrail trip is the world
famous Tjapukai
Aboriginal Cultural Park, which also has night
tours that include a big international buffet dinner - a
great way
to finish your day.
Views from
flight. Poster by AllPosters.
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Cairns: Islands
Near Cairns
The two islands closest to Cairns, perfect for a day trip or a longer
stay, are Fitzroy and Green Island. Green
Island is a coral cay
and a great
place to watch corals while snorkelling, diving, or taking a glass
bottom boat tour. The only place to stay is the Green
Island Resort; and the cheapest way to get here is by taking
the
day
trip from Cairns (there are half
day trips too but they are not a lot cheaper). Other ways to
do
Green Island are a scenic
helicopter flight (you still get time on the island too), a sailing
cruise, and a three
day trip from Cairns. Or, you can do Green Island on a two
day reef and rainforest package combo that also takes you to
Kuranda.
Green Island. Poster by AllPosters.
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Travel Cairns: Fitzroy
Island Fitzroy
Island is a continental
island,
and while it's possible to watch corals here too, it has more serious
bushwalks than Green Island. The only place to stay is the Fitzroy
Island Resort; and the cheapest way to get here is by taking
a
day trip from Cairns.
Fitzroy Island. Poster by AllPosters.
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Travel Cairns: Bars and Restaurants
There are also lots of nice places to eat and drink in different parts
of the town. There is always good dining at the markets; the whole
Cairns Esplanade (the street side, not the coastal walk) is lined with
eateries and there are also plenty of pubs, bars and good restaurants
on the streets around the City Place. Some of the most popular ones are
Gilligan’s
Bistro on Grafton Street, and Tandoori Oven, Sawaddee and Wool Shed on
Shield Street.
Travel Cairns - Esplanade
restaurant. by jon_lin via Flickr.com
Hotels Cairns Australia
There is also plenty of good accommodation
in Cairns.
* Hotels
include All Seasons Esplanade
Hotel, All Seasons Hotel,
Barrier Reef Escapes
Hotel, Amaroo At Trinity,
Aquarius Hotel,
Beachfront
Hideaway Hotel, Best
New Chalon Hotel, Best
Western City Sheridan Hotel, Plaza
Hotel, Southside
International Inn, Coral
Tree Inn, Discovery
Hotel, Great
Northern Hotel, Hides
Hotel, Hilton
Hotel, Holiday
Inn, Mantra
Esplanade Hotel, Mercure
Hotel Harbourside, Oasis
Inn, Out
Front Hotel, Pacific
International Hotel, Palm
Cove Beach Sarayi Hotel, Palm
Royale Hotel, Park
Regis City Quays Hotel, Pullman
Reef Hotel, Quality
Hotel Sheridan Plaza, Rydges
Plaza Hotel, Rydges
Tradewinds Hotel, Shangri
La Hotel, Sunland
Leisure Park Hotel, Sunshine
Tower Hotel, The
Hotel Cairns, and The
Sebel Hotel.
* Motels
include All Round Motel Inn
the Pink, Tropical
Gardens Motel, Cannon
Park Motel, Comfort
Inn City Terraces, Heritage
Motel, High
Chaparral Motel, Rainbow
Inn, and Tropicana
Lodge Motel.
* Backpacker
Hostels, Lodges and
Guesthouses include Cairns
Beach House, Cairns
City Backpackers, Cairns
Holiday Lodge, Waterfront
Backpackers, Calypso
Backpacker Inn, Caravella
Backpackers Hostel, Figtree
Lodge, Gilligans
Backpackers, Global
Backpackers, Global
Backpackers Waterfront Hostel, Nomads
Backpackers, Nomads
Esplanade Backpackers, Reef
Backpackers Resort.
* Resorts
include All Seasons Gateway
Resort, Angsana Resort,
Bay Village Tropical
Retreat,
Blue
Lagoon Resort, Bohemia
Resort, Breakfree
Royal Harbour Resort, Cairns
Colonial Club Resort, Comfort
Inn Trinity Beach Club, Coral
Reef Resort, Coral
Sands Beachfront Resort, Golden
Sands Beachfront Resort, Grand
Mercure Rockford Esplanade, Half
Moon Bay Resort, Kewarra
Beach Resort, Koala
Beach Resort, Mango
Lagoon Resort, Mantra
Amphora Resort, Mantra
Trilogy Resort, Marlin
Cove Resort, Melaleuca
Resort, Njoy
Travellers Resort, Novotel
Oasis Resort, Novotel
Rockford Resort, Oasis
at Palm Cove Resort, Peppers
Beach Club & Spa, Q
Resorts Cascade Gardens, Rainforest
Grove Holiday Resort, Reef
House Resort, Rydges
Esplanade Resort, Trinity
Links Resort. Sea
Temple Resort, Skinny
Dips Resort & Spa, The
Lakes Resort, and Turtle
Cove Resort.
* Holiday
apartments, suits and units include 181 The Esplanade
Apartments, 201 Lake Street
Apartments,
Agincourt Beachfront
Apartments, Alassio on the Beach
Apartments, Arcadia Gardens
Apartments, All Seasons Sunshine
Tower, Beachfront
Apartments on Trinity Beach, Bellevue
at Trinity Beach Apartments, Best
Western Central Plaza Apartments, Cairns
Beach Resort, Cairns
Central Plaza Apartments, Cairns
City Apartments, Cairns
Luxury Apartments, Queenslander
Apartments, Castaways
Trinity Beach Apartments, City
Plaza Apartments, Citysider
Cairns Holiday Apartments, Clifton
Palms Holiday Units, Clifton
Sands Holiday Apartments, Coral
Coast Palm Cove Apartments, Coral
Horizons Palm Cove Apartments, Coral
Towers Holiday Suites, Costa
Royale Beachfront Apartments Trinity Beach, Edge
Apartments, Elysium
Apartments, Focus
on Spence Apartments, Getaway
on Grafton Apartments, Grosvenor
Apartments, Harbour
Lights Apartments, Il
Centro Apartments, Il
Palazzo Botique Apartments, Inn
Cairns Botique Apartments, Island
Views Apartments, Jack
& Newell Luxury Apartments, Koala
Court Holiday Apartments, Lahania
By The Sea Apartments, Marlin
Getaway Holiday Apartments, Marlin
Waters Beachfront Apartments, Mediterranian
Beachfront Apartments, Meridien
at Trinity Apartments, Mid
City Luxury Suites, North
Cove Waterfront Suites, On
Palm Cove Beachfront Apartments, On
the Beach Holiday Apartments, Pacific
Sands Holiday Apartments, Palm
Cove Tropic Apartments, Palms
at Trinity Holiday Apartments, Paradise
on the Beach Apartments, Paradise
Palms Resort, Park
Regis Piermonde Apartments, Prime
Trinity Beach Pacific Apartments, Reef
Gateway Apartments, Reef
Palms Apartments, Roydon
Beachfront Apartments, Rydges
Esplanade Holiday Apartments, Sanctuary
Apartments, Sea
Change Beachfront Apartments, Sea
Point on Trinity Beach Apartments, Seaforth
Apartments Trinity Beach, Southern
Cross Atrium Apartments, The
Beach Place Apartments, The
Botique Collection at the Beach Club Luxury Private Apartments,
The
North Star Palm Cove Apartments, The
York Beachfront Holiday Apartments, Tradewinds
McLeod Apartments, Tranquility
Palm Cove Apartments, Trinity
Waters Holiday Apartments, Tropic
Towers Apartments, Villa
Paradiso Beachfront Apartments, Villa
Vaucluse Apartments, Vision
Apartments, Vue
Apartments, Waterfront
Terraces Apartments, Waters
Edge Apartments,
* Bed
and Breakfast, caravan
parks and other types of accommodation
include Cairns
Villa and Leisure Park, Floriana
Villas, Jungara
Bed and Breakfast, Rainforest
Family Retreat, Royal
Palm Villas, Queens
Court Accommodation, Ningana
Bed and Breakfast, The
Reef Retreat, The
Villas Palm Cove, The
Retreat at Holloways Beach, Trinity
on the Esplanade Villas, Tropical
Queenslander Holiday Studio Family Rooms, White
Rock Leisure Park Villas, and Zanzoo
Retreat.
Travel Cairns - Esplanade
hotel. by Luther Bailey via Flickr.com
Machans Beach, Wangetti Beach and other Northern Beaches
North of the town are the Cairns
northern beaches: Machans
Beach,
Holloways
Beach, Yorkeys Knob,
Trinity Beach,
Kewarra
Beach, Clifton
Beach, Palm Cove,
Ellis Beach and Wangetti Beach. Most are quiet small
communities with a nice beach, but Yorkeys Knob gets lively around the
sailing club; and Palm Cove is
more like a heavily developed tourist town – not my cup of tea but if
you like a lot of concrete buildings which house expensive hotels and
posh restaurants, head there – the beach is beautiful.
Cairns Northern Beaches
are close enough to the city that you can stay there and still enjoy
Cairns. Southernmost beaches are 5-10min drive away, while
the northernmost ones are 20-30min. And there are regular bus services
between the city and the beaches. In the accommodation section above,
the accommodation on Northern Beaches is mixed in with the
accommodation in the city. If
you want to see them separately, see the separate page about Cairns
Accommodation.
Northern beaches. Poster by AllPosters.
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Here's a Cairns
map, where I have tagged the places that I mentioned on
this web page. You can click on the tags to see what places they are,
and double-click anywhere on the map to zoom it in and see the places
closer. Drag the map to move around, and if you want to see the
satellite image with Google Earth, click on "Sat" in the top right hand
corner.
Note:
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