About Cairns

Capital of Far North Queensland, tourist gateway to the rainforest, and the region’s only major cruise port, Cairns still has a small town feel. That is because the locals have adopted a quintessentially casual approach to life, probably due to the prevailing tropical conditions which place an emphasis on outdoor activities.

Visitors should follow suit and relax in one of the various open terraced bars, pubs and restaurants or take a boat trip to the Great Barrier Reef for diving or snorkelling.

While you need to travel north from Cairns to find the top beaches, there are any number of other activities within easier reach. These range from high adrenalin bungee jumping and white water rafting to the more sedate Kuranda Skyrail cable car high above the dense rainforest and the Tjapukai Aboriginal Centre where didgeridoo and boomerang displays are top attractions.