6 Incredible Things to Do in Cairns, Australia

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Cairns is known as the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and Queensland’s tropical north! Flying into Cairns, you are instantly struck by the epic coastline – tropical sandy beaches, mountains plunging into the ocean and lush green rainforest as far as the eye can see.

I spent a week in Cairns before I embarked on a road trip from Cairns to Sydney in a campervan we hired for $1 a day, exploring all the best things to do in Cairns! I was eager to explore the Great Barrier Reef for the first time, but equally as keen to see what else the area had to offer.

Key highlights from my trip were visits to the beautiful Cape Tribulation and a day snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef – of course!

As the home of the Daintree Rainforest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, tropical Northern Queensland has so much going for it. Read on for the best things to do in Cairns, Australia.

What to Expect in Cairns

While Cairns is officially a ‘city’, it’s a far cry from the hustle and bustle of Brisbane and Sydney! Cairns has a very laidback vibe, most likely due to the backpackers and tropical beaches. Because of this chilled vibe, Cairns ended up being one of my favourite places on my month-long trip to Australia!

Cairns is easy to get around and provides a fantastic base to explore the Daintree Rainforest and wider area. Although you can base yourself in Cairns and hire a car to explore further afield, it would also be a good idea to spend just a few days in Cairns before heading out to explore the surrounding areas in more depth for a few nights.

6 Things to Do in Cairns, Queensland

Snorkel or Scuba Dive on the Great Barrier Reef

If you’re looking for the best things to do in Cairns, a visit to the world-famous Great Barrier Reef is probably high on your Cairns itinerary. I absolutely loved the day we spent snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef with a local tour group. The variety of marine life on the reef is staggering. I came out of the sea that day with a renewed appreciation for nature and our planet.

Many tours depart daily from Cairns. Here are some I recommend:

From Cairns: Great Barrier Reef Half-Day Snorkelling Tour – snacks are provided on board, and drinks are available to purchase. Half-day snorkelling tour with up to 25 other guests.

From Cairns: Full-Day Green Island Cruise – Great options for budget travellers, as you can add on optional extras, such as lunch and a glass-bottom boat trip if you want them, or simply opt for the cheapest package.

From Cairns: Great Barrier Reef Cruise by Premium Catamaran – For a more luxurious experience, hop aboard the premium catamaran and enjoy a day of snorkelling in two reef locations. You can pay extra for scuba diving if you wish.

Take a Day Trip to Cape Tribulation

Cape Tribulation is the only place in the world where two UNESCO World Heritage Sites meet – the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef.

The beach is beautiful, with white sand, clear turquoise ocean and tropical palm trees wherever you look. We drove to Cape Tribulation from Cairns and spent a few hours wandering along the beach and exploring the surrounding area. It really is paradisaic!

You will need to hire a car to reach Cape Tribulation from Cairns unless you join one of the tours from Cairns or Port Douglas. I recommend using Discover Cars to easily compare prices across multiple rental companies.

If you don’t want to hire a car, here are some tours I recommend:

Cairns: Daintree, Mossman Gorge, & Cape Tribulation Day Trip – Maximum of 14 guests on this tour, which includes trips to Mossman Gorge, the Daintree and Cape Tribulation, with a Daintree River Cruise and lunch included.

Daintree Rainforest & Cape Tribulation 4WD Tour – Enjoy a guided tour of Daintree Rainforest in a 4WD and a cruise along Daintree River, where you’ll be able to spot crocodiles.

Safety note: It’s not advisable to swim in the sea on any of the beaches in Queensland, especially during summertime, due to the box jellyfish and crocodiles!

Go Crocodile Spotting on a Daintree River Cruise

Hop on a Daintree River Cruise boat trip to spot saltwater crocodiles in their natural habitat (always the best way to see them)! As a keen wildlife enthusiast, I love the opportunity to spot any kind of wildlife in its natural environment. Here are a few river cruises I recommend:

River Rainforest Crocodile & Wildlife Cruise – This river cruise provides an experienced naturalist as your guide and the opportunity to learn about and spot crocodiles, interesting birds, butterflies and reptiles. You’ll also get to explore the largest collection of mangrove species in the southern hemisphere!

Daintree Rainforest Wildlife Experience Cruise – Includes morning or afternoon tea.

Shop for Arts and Crafts in Kuranda

A picturesque village tucked away in the Daintree Rainforest, Kuranda is a haven for all things arts and crafts. You can easily spend a couple of hours in this pretty little village, wandering around the market/shops with a pit stop at a cafe.

Just a short distance from Cairns, it is easily drivable, but if you don’t have access to a car, you can take the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. The cable car is quite expensive, but it offers breathtaking views as it glides above the rainforest canopy.

The stunning Barron Falls are also located near Kuranda, so be sure to pay them a visit too. We also got some Thai massages in Kuranda which were great value!

Visit Mossman Gorge

This is where hiring a car comes in handy. 77km (approx. 1 hr 13 mins) north of Cairns, lies Mossman Gorge, a beautiful attraction in the Daintree Rainforest.

Guided tours of Mossman Gorge provide an insight into the lives and culture of the indigenous people of Australia. The gorge consists of walking tracks through the rainforest, rivers, streams and a visitor centre complete with a shop and cafe for a bite to eat.

There is a shuttle bus which leaves every 15 minutes from the centre to take visitors to the gorge. The staff at the centre will strongly recommend that you take the bus. However, it is very expensive at $15 per person return! Although the Mossman Gorge website says that the fee for the shuttle bus plays a ‘vital role in maintaining the area, ensuring sustainable access, creating employment opportunities, and supporting ongoing conservation efforts.’

The staff and website strongly recommend that everyone take the shuttle bus, as there is no footpath between the car park and the gorge.

Explore the Cairns Night Markets

Whether you just fancy a bite to eat or want to do a bit of shopping, Cairns’ night markets are an interesting way to spend an evening. The markets are the perfect place to pick up some souvenirs, indigenous arts and crafts, jewellery and clothing and most stalls are very reasonably priced.

The markets are open 365 days a year from 4:30 PM – 11:00 PM. You’ll find all kinds of stalls from street food to fashion and crafts, and even massage and acupuncture, which we found to be very reasonably priced.

How to Get Around Cairns

Cairns is a great city to drive in. It’s not as busy as other cities like Brisbane, Melbourne or Sydney and actually feels more like a town than a city. I highly recommend hiring a car with Discover Cars, which allows you to easily compare prices across various car rental companies. I hired a car at Cairns Airport and loved the freedom it gave us to explore the area.

Alternatively, if you don’t drive or simply want a more relaxing way of getting around, Cairns has a good public transport network. You can take the Sunbus, which operates throughout the city, between the northern beaches to the southern suburbs via the Lake Street bus terminal.

There are also rail links between Cairns and Brisbane five times a week, as well as long-distance and interstate coaches from the Reef Fleet Terminal on the Cairns Esplanade.