Tropical rainforests and crystal clear waters await you at the gates of Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

Cairns

About Cairns

Main city in the north of the state of Queensland, in Australia, Cairns is located by the sea, but it has a very urban environment. There are no sandy beaches in the city, just mudflats teeming with native birds. It is the main starting point for the Great Barrier Reef, the Daintree Rainforest and the Atherton Tableland. Cairns offers excellent hotels and other accommodation and is always full of tourists from all over the world at any time of the year. Cairns airport is located 6 km from the city. Regular bus services connect the city to beautiful beaches such as Mission Beach to the south and beaches to the north. Considered a World Heritage Site, the Great Barrier Reef stretches for 2,000 km along the Queensland coast, from the mainland city of Port Douglas to Bundaberg. Mandatory place to visit.

TransLink's public bus service, Sunbus, operates throughout the city, running from the northern beaches to the southern suburbs via the Lake Street bus terminal (located between Shields and Aplin streets).

As it is a small town, using the walks is the best way to get around for those in the center. Cairns public transport is poor, so this is the most viable way for those in the central area of the city. Renting a bicycle or a car is a great way to get around Cairns, especially if your accommodation is several blocks from the Esplanade and the hubbub of the city. Cairns traffic is very light, so biking is very convenient. On the edge of Cairns there is a bike path!

In Cairns, the wet season is hot, oppressive, and overcast; the dry season is warm, humid and partly cloudy.

Summer – maximum of 31°C and minimum of 20°C

Winter – maximum of 25°C and minimum of 18°C

There are several telephone companies and the truth is that the prices do not change much between them, but we recommend Optus and Vodafone. For an idea of spending, a prepaid plan charges an average of 2 AUD for the chip. We recommend taking the 40 AUD monthly plan, which entitles you to unlimited calls and text messages within the national territory and 20GB of internet.

Telephone and Internet:

Shopping:

Cairns Central is the city's main shopping centre, with 180 stores and many restaurants. Here you can buy a wide range of fashion items and household items. Practically throughout the center there are several shops on the streets.

The Smithfield Shopping Center has two supermarkets and is a good option for food shopping. Rusty's Market on Grafton Street specializes in local produce such as produce and meats. A liter of milk in Cairns costs around AUD 1.25, while a kilo of apples will cost AUD 2.2.

Restaurant:

Cairns is a small town with good restaurant options. For those who like to eat well, two options are Ocher and Cest'bon. Ocher is focused on Australian cuisine and you will find exotic dishes such as kangaroo meat and crocodile sandwich. At C'est Bon, the focus is on French cuisine, in addition to good service.

As it is very hot, an ice cream always goes well. A very popular option is Devine Gelato, where you can enjoy Lindt chocolate ice cream. Another not-so-known alternative is Vanilla Gelateria, which has some beanbags that can be placed on the lawn. Excellent to enjoy a sunny day!

On one of your nights in Cairns, go to the Night Market. In it, you can eat a Chinese sweet or have a bubble tea, a popular tea in Asia that comes with tapioca pearls.

If you want to experience a little Aboriginal culture, try dinner at the Tjapukai Aboriginal Culture Park. The center has varied attractions, always aiming to show tourists a little about the traditional customs and dances of the aborigines, who are people who lived in Australia before its discovery.

If you want to eat while having a drink and enjoy a more lively atmosphere at night, go to Rattle N Hum, a pub that has good dishes and well served.

Cairns Esplanade

It is, without a doubt, the coolest area in the city. It is a coastal strip covering 2.5 km of landscaped lawns and parks along the palm-lined waterfront. In addition to providing beautiful views of the sea and housing works of art, the Cairns Explanade Lagoon is located there.

Big coral reef

This is the largest coral reef system in the world! With so much grandeur and natural beauties, it is necessary to plan to take advantage of what the place has to offer, such as snorkeling, oxygen cylinder diving, semi-submarine rides, visiting the wild Green Island, taking helicopter rides, among others. .

Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park

It seeks to share the authentic culture and traditions of the local Djabugay people, giving visitors the opportunity to learn a little more about the culture. The park includes interactive cultural demonstrations and presentations, a cultural village, a restaurant and a gallery.

Tours in Cairns:

There are many unmissable leisure options, so we made a list for you:

Great Barrier ReefKuranda VillageDaintree National Park & Cape TribulationPort Douglas (must see!)Palm CoveMossman GorgeWaterfalls: Crystal Cascade & Josephine FallsCairns OwnBarrier Reef Helicopter TourAtherton TablelandsMission Beach