Cairns will impress you as soon as you first drive in, with its lush green hills, sparkling blue water, and the warm and inviting tropical air greeting you. The more you explore Cairns and its surrounds, the more you realise just how much there is to see here. Whether you want to explore a fascinating underwater world in the World Heritage Great Barrier Reef, stroll through the Daintree Rainforest— the oldest surviving tropical rainforest on Earth, or visit one of many waterfalls and swimming holes a stone’s throw from town, you’ll find Cairns perfectly positioned as the ultimate gateway to some of Queensland’s, and Australia’s, most breathtaking natural wonders.
Intro to Cairns
The best way to get a feel for Cairns City is to visit the Esplanade, a bustling hive of activity anytime time of day. The Esplanade Lagoon is a safe and child-friendly salt-water pool to cool down, and the boardwalk follows the waterline for a scenic walk or jog.
The choice of eateries and bars abound both day or night and cater to all sorts of tastes and budgets. Rudy’s Market, which is open Friday to Sunday, offers the best fresh produce, plenty of tasty eats, and lots of shops with various offerings. If you’re a coffee lover, head to Annee’s for a delicious and refreshing iced Vietnamese coffee. Beware, they will have you hooked!
To get that tropical rainforest feel without going too far from town, head north to the Botanical Gardens and Mount Whitfield Conservation Park. If you feel up for it, you can tackle one or more the Arrows, a series of connecting walking tracks winding through the conservation park. Be warned; they are all steep tracks, but you will be rewarded with beautiful tropical scenery and stunning views for your efforts. You can find a guide and map here.
If you need somewhere to play and cool off with your pup, Goombara Park in Brinsmead is our favourite. There is an unfenced off-lead play area, playground for the human kids, and a small, safe-for-swimming creek that can be enjoyed by all.
Northern Beaches and Port Douglas
Heading north from Cairns, you’ll find an area collectively known as the Northern Beaches, which includes areas such as Trinity Beach, Clifton Beach, and Palm Cove. Here is where you’ll find Insta-worthy palm-lined paths and beachside cafes.
Continuing north, you’ll start one of the most scenic drives in North Queensland along the Captain Cook Highway, also known as the Great Barrier Reef Drive, as it winds along the coastline and up to great viewpoints on its way to Port Douglas. Along the way there are lots of little hidden beaches to find your own little slice of paradise. Be sure to check out Rex Lookout for uninterrupted views along the coastline.
Further north you’ll find the Thala Palm Tree Reserve, a field of perfectly lined palm trees made famous by Instagram.
If you come to the Mowbray River Bridge at low tide, it’s worth a stop to see if you can spot any wild crocs sun baking on the banks of the river, before continuing on the the town of Port Douglas.
Port Douglas, a little over an hours’ drive from Cairns, is a compact tourist town that squeezes between Packers Creek and the long stretch of Four Mile Beach. There are beautiful views from Trinity Bay Lookout and Four Mile Beach Lookout.
Trinity Bay Lookout is reachable by car, and the walk up to Four Mile Beach Lookout can be combined with the scenic 1.5km Flagstaff Hill walking trail to Rex Smeal Park. Rex Smeal Park is a beautiful little palm tree lined park perfect for relaxing, picnicking or people watching.
Port Douglas also has a fantastic market every Sunday until early afternoon; it is one of our favourites in the area and probably one of the best we’ve come across in the country!
The Daintree Rainforest
At an estimated 180 million years old, the Daintree Rainforest is the oldest surviving rainforest on Earth. Part of Eastern Kuku Yalanji country, it covers less than 0.1% of Australia’s landmass but houses about a third of its flora and fauna species.
Mossman Gorge, only 20 minutes from Port Douglas, is one of the more easily accessible sections of the Daintree. From the Mossman Gorge Centre, you catch the shuttle bus (the only way to access the gorge), and once in the park, you can choose from several walks and swimming holes to explore and enjoy your time in this lush paradise.
For nearby camping, Creeks Edge Park offers limited creek-side sites (read: not busy!) with croc-safe swimming available at your doorstep. Head to the town of Mossman on Saturday from 7am to 1pm for the markets, held under giant rain trees offering a beautiful setting to shop for produce and local souvenirs.
If you want to continue north through the Daintree, you will need to take a ferry across the Daintree River; find more information here (https://daintreeferry.com.au/). From north of the river you will enter Cape Tribulation, one of the more remote but still accessible coastal sections of the rainforest. Here you’ll find deserted white sand beaches fringed by lush tropical greenery. Camping options include national parks campgrounds (Noah Beach is our favourite!) or Cape Trib camping, a popular caravan park only steps away from the beach.
To experience the area’s culinary delights, visit Cape Trib Farms to sample tropical fruits unique to the region, or Daintree Ice Cream for a cool treat with exotic local ingredients. If you have a 4×4, the Bloomfield Track is a 30km track which winds through the rainforest from Cape Tribulation to Wujal Wujal near Cooktown. Along this track you’ll have beautiful tropical scenery, remote swimming holes, great lookouts, and a decent chance of seeing the elusive cassowary.
The track itself is not overly challenging but does have steep ascents and descents as well as water crossings unsuitable for a 2WD or towing. If you don’t have a 4WD you can at least get to Emmagen swimming hole, a lovely croc-safe swimming spot nestled in the rainforest.
The Great Barrier Reef
If you want to see another UNESCO World Heritage site during your time in North Queensland, Cairns is the perfect launching point for a visit to the Great Barrier Reef. There are numerous tours on offer here, from day sails and diving tours to liveaboard and overnight pontoon stays on the reef. Cairns Tourist Information Centre is your best bet to help you organise the perfect trip.
One of our favourite trips on the reef is to Fitzroy Island. We opted for the day trip out from Cairns, which is a very affordable ferry trip away, but there is a lovely resort and campground on the island if you want to extend your stay for a few days. From here you can enjoy a swim or a snorkel, hike the summit track for some great views, or enjoy a poolside cocktail at the resort.
If you like turtles (and who doesn’t!), you can join a 30 minute talk and tour at the Turtle Rehabilitation Centre and get to meet some of the resident turtles. This activity books out quickly so make sure to book ahead to avoid missing out. Don’t miss Nudey Beach (Nudey by name, not by nature – so keep your kit on!), once voted Australia’s best beach. Nudey Beach is easily accessible via an easy 600m track. The stunning white sand and inviting clear blue water will be hard to tear yourself away from.
South of Cairns
South of Cairns you’ll find a few popular spots as well as hidden gems. Behana Gorge and Clamshell Falls is one of those lesser known, therefore usually less busy, destinations near Cairns. Only a 30 minute drive from Cairns to the trailhead, the 6.6km return trek follows the creek along an undulating sealed track; it is a moderately difficult hike but by no means challenging. And the falls and swimming area at the end are more than worth it! Plan at least a half day to enjoy the walk and the falls.
The town of Babinda has two main attractions. First are the Babinda Boulders, an easily accessible swimming hole dotted with large granite boulders, along with a 1.3km return walk to the Devil’s Pools, impressive rock formations that have been carved out from thousands of years of water flow.
The other worthwhile attraction is the Babinda Bakery, a very popular eatery with excellent savoury and sweet treats; we rate it one of our top bakeries in all of Australia.
A further 15 minutes drive south of Babinda, you’ll find Josephine Falls, located on the edge of Wooroonooran National Park. It’s a 1.2km walk through rainforest to the falls. While there are your typical North Queensland swimming holes here, there is a unique feature that draws visitors. From the upper pool to the lower is a smooth granite rock that, when wet, becomes the perfect slide!
Always check that the area beneath the “slide” is clear before having a go; regular flooding, especially around the wet season, can carry objects down the waterway and deposit them in unexpected places. Also be aware that flash flooding does occur in this area; there are warning signals that will flash and siren if flooding is imminent.
If you still have time after exploring all of these fantastic spots, check out our blog post on Townsville and the Cassowary Coast for more great day/weekend trips easily reachable from Cairns. Otherwise, stay tuned for our two-parter on the Atherton Tablelands, our top list of unique and unusual campgrounds near Cairns, and our guide to every avid 4WDer’s bucket list destination, Cape York!
