Cairns Nightlife

This a great Bar, it is on the waterfront at the Pier Complex.
It's some where all ages can go and have a drink in great surrounds. It has lounge chairs with coffee tables, High tables with stools and an out door deck, all in a friendly decor.
A lot of locals meet here for an after work drink.

You can select drinks from the extensive wine list, to mixers and shots.

There is also a great snack menu, this is an all night thing. We really enjoyed the calamari rings and avocado mixed with king prawns. I like the idea of grazing while drinking.

There is a resident DJ, I suppose the music is rather loud, but I am old!!!!!
Great place to people watch, or just meet up for pre dinner drinks before walking along the Pier to select where to dine from a number of lovely restaurants, all looking over the Marina.

The drinks on a Friday night are half price until 7pm...that's a bonus!

Dress Code: Once again, when in Cairns you can wear that little black number or you can go more casual, anything goes really. Except, you will be expected to wear a shirt and shoes:)
It is a rather laid back type of feel here in the Far North Queensland.

If you are looking for a nice place to unwind with a drink and conversation, then your best bet is to head off to the back bar of the backpacker resort called Gilligan's located in downtown Cairns. It is one of the more relaxed portions of the place, where there is the music of the inside dance club that comes through when the door opens, but just a bit of rowdy style talking going on.

I would highly recommend the beer, as it seemed to be extremely affordable before 9pm... three beers only cost 7.50.

Drink up until 9pm, when it piles up to 10.50.

One of the things that I had missed about Austin, was that there really wasn't much live music playing down here in Melbourne. Well, that was quickly resolved on our trip to Cairns, as we headed out to the first floor of Gilligan's Backpackers bar where we joined a couple hundred of our closest neighbors and bunk mates to listen to this band rock out.

They were severely over-amplified and their lyrics sucked, but hey, there was cold beer, they were rocking out, and the kids were enjoying it. Maybe some day they will be the next Ozzy Ozbourne.

Anyway, have fun there at Gilligan's... you never know, you might see me next time!

Dress Code: The only requirement is to make sure you are wearing shoes!

Every Sunday, many bars in Cairns have something called a Sunday Session. Typically starting around 5 pm, certain drinks are 2-for-1. It's a good deal and a great way to meet people, because many locals and tourists know about the deal.

The Wool Shed has a reputation for being a rowdy backpacker nightclub. It is usually crowded, the music is loud, and you get some really interesting people there, so I would recommend coming with at least one friend. This is not to say that you are in any danger by going there, just that it's not your run-of-the-mill nightclub. I met people who loved it, and I met people who swore never to go there again. I had some good experiences, but I always made sure to go with people I knew.

Gilligan's is a popular place with travelers and local college students. The bar has three main areas: the large floor, an upstairs lounge area, and a massive porch out back. The main floor offers a large dancing area, some tables, and a wraparound bar, and a DJ is employed on weekends. There is occasionally a live band. This is a place for the younger set. The bar is a little on the expensive side, but the porch is definitely worth the added price. Gilligan's bar is large enough that even when the party is in full swing, it isn't oppressively crowded like many other places can be.

PJ's is a displaced Irish pub, laden with all sorts of Irish paraphernalia and drinks. It's more of a sit-and-drink type of place than a nightclub, though there is often live music and it can get pretty crowded. The food is good, and they get some interesting characters. There is also an outdoor seating area on the sidewalk who would rather enjoy the night air.

The Pier offers a stylish nightclub spot located right at the end of the Cairns Esplanade. The clientele is young and there is often live music on weekends. It does get fairly crowded on weekends, though there is a great deck that overlooks the harbor in case you need fresh air. The view is spectacular and they have good deals on Sundays (like many other bars in Cairns). The Pier also serves food, though I never ate meals there.

Dress Code: No dress code, though most people wear typical nightclub apparel.