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There is not really a beach in Cairns, so if you want to relax on the sandy stuff you will need to head a little bit up the coast to one of the beachy areas. Closest to Cairns you have Machans beach and Holloways beach, but the nicest area is a little further north - Palm Cove.
Palm Cove is home to some stunning luxury resorts, but also thankfully some more affordable accommodation options and even a caravan park. There are some cafes and restaurants which are always busy in summer, and there is just a good feel about the place.
A word of warning when swimming in the ocean in this part of the world - from around November to May there are dangerous Marine Stingers in the water - at this time ensure that you only swim within the special enclosures at the beach - more info under my 'Warnings or Dangers' tip. Leave a Comment
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What an experience! The Skyrail Rainforest Cableway is an amazing cable car ride which takes you for a 7.5km trip across the top of the rainforest, just north of Cairns.
A one-way trip takes about 1.5 hours and departs from either Caravonica or Kuranda, depending on your direction of travel. If you are going to take just the one-way option (you can do a return trip as well) then I would recommend starting in Kuranda so you get the great views as you come down the hill into Cairns. There are two station stops along the way if you want to get off and go for a wander in the rainforest.
We found this to be a fabulous experience and loved the feeling that we were floating about the trees. A friend of mine who is scared of heights also thought it was an amazing experience, but did confess to being terrified the whole time!
Highly recommended. Leave a Comment Phone: 07 4038 1555Directions: The base station is at the corner of Captain Cook Highway and Cairns Western Arterial Road, Smithfield QLD 4878Website: www.skyrail.com.au Other Contact: reservations@skyrail.com.au
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Lake Placid is a tranquil lake and picnic area located on the outskirts of Cairns. The lake is at the end of the Barron Gorge, which is a popular place for white water rafting.
We went to have a look at the lake and sat in the sun for a while eating an ice cream and watching little children play precariously close to the water. There is a café and bar which looked like a nice place for a drink post raft.
My Dad has previously gone on a white water rafting day and was telling us about the experience while we sat by the lake. As if on cue, a raft appeared in the distance, full of exhausted but exhilarated adventurers.
There is more information about the rafting via the web link. Leave a Comment Directions: Lake Placid is located in Caravonica, not far from the Skyrail station, off Lake Placid RoadWebsite: http://www.raft.com.au/
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So, instead of a beach in the centre of Cairns, you can now swim in a huge man-made lagoon! The lagoon is 4800 square metres in size, and is located on the foreshore. It has a sandy beach which is a great for the kids to build sand castles whilst you keep watch from the shady grass area nearby.
This is a pretty major development for Cairns. I guess they figured they needed to create something amazing like this to stop all of the tourists heading straight to the northern beaches. It is impressive actually - the lagoon is pretty big, and the area around it is landscaped nicely, with picnic areas and BBQ's the public can use. There are trained life guards on patrol throughout the year and there is a first aid room as well.
The lagoon is certainly a bonus for those with young kids as it is a very safe alternative to the surf. And also good for those of us scared of sharks ; ) Leave a Comment
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Green Island is a coral cay located on the Great Barrier Reef. It is a 30-45 minute trip from Cairns by catamaran. Once you get there you can do some snorkelling, stay dry and check out the under-water world from the glass bottom boat, take a wander through the rainforest, or just relax on the beach.
It is a great place to get an introduction to the Great Barrier Reef without having to travel too far from the mainland.
To get to Green Island we caught a fast catamaran from Cairns, with the company Great Adventures. We did their 'Green Island Eco Adventure', which at a cost of around $60 per person gave us:
- return trip to the island (took around 45 minutes)
- morning tea onboard the boat
- a choice of doing a glass bottom boat tour or use of snorkelling equipment
- Guided eco island walk
- Entry to island swimming pool and use of day visitor facilities.
The catamaran left from the main wharf area in Cairns. It was a decent size boat, with plenty of seating in and outside. I was impressed with the friendliness of the staff and enjoyed the trip. Leave a Comment
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Kuranda Skyrail offers a unique way of seeing the rainforest, as the Sky gondolas transport you right over and sometimes inbetween the trees. We took the trip from the Caravonica Station in the Cairns flatlands to the Kuranda Station up in the Rainforest. There are a number of stations on the way up that you can get off at, each one offering a slightly different experience from Rainforest boardwalks to the Barron Falls waterfall. It gets interesting as the gondola dangles out over the Barron River but as long as you don't think too hard about the crocs waiting in the water below you'll be fine ! Leave a Comment
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The Rainforest Habitat is a wildlife sanctuary with an abundance of indigineous wildlife. It's really nicely laid out, and there's a relaxed atmosphere where you can get up close and personal to many of Australia's extraordinary animals. Favourite features were:
1) a walkthrough Aviary where you can see the famous and rare Cassowary and different types of Kookaburra
2) the Koala Conservation Area, where for a fee you can have a picture taken with a Koala, but unlike many other places, you don't get to pick up the Koala as they can be easily hurt. Aswell as a chat on the Conservation side of their project all proceeds from the photos go to the Conservation Project
3) the Kangaroo pen where you can hand feed Kangaroos, Wallabies and Pademelons ?!?
There are also Crocs and Pelicans and lizards and so on and so on.
If you're going to visit one Wildlife Sanctuary while you're here this is the one to go to, and say hello to Lewis the Koala for me. Leave a Comment
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One nice way to tour the scenic area inland from Cairns is to take a ride on the Kuranda Scenic Train. After climbing just a short distance in elevation the landscape becomes more dramatic, with steep rocky hillsides and dense vegetation.
The train leaves from Cairns and travels past Freshwater, Stoney Creek, and then finally to Kuranda. Now there is evidently a sky train at Kuranda too, though it was only in the planning stages when I was there. Leave a Comment
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We came here on a day trip and were SO disapointed that we didn't have more time to spend. It is a fascinating place, built by 'The Spanish Dreamer' for his bride to be, and is full of history, hardship and romance. If you decide to visit, allow yourself at least a whole day...do NOT do a tour...they are too rushed and you will be dissapointed. it costs about $70 for a family pass. Address: Mena CreekDirections: About 120 km south of Cairns. Take the old Bruce Hwy to Mena creekWebsite: www.paronellapark.com.au
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We took a day trip to Fitzroy Island. It was one of the closest islands to Cairns, so was good for me as I get seasick. This island was a great day out. The snorkelling was fabulous, the kids (and us) had a ball on the ocean trampoline, there are glass bottomed boat tours, and there are some excellent walks. We went to Nudey Beach, which was a long and energetic trek, but for once I got no complaints from my young son, as he was in hopes of seeing a 'naked lady'...yes, Nudey Beach is clothing optional. Sadly, his dream went unanswered...until the walk back where he spotted two nice young ladies sunbathing topless right near the main jetty! The walk had been entirely unnecesary! (in my 8 year olds mind anyway). It was worth it to us though...the beach around there is lovely!
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- Rydges Plaza Cairns (Cnr Grafton And Spence Street 4870 Cairns)
Corner Grafton and Spence Sts, Cairns - Comfort Suites City Terraces
63-65 McLeod St, Cairns - Rydges Tradewinds Cairns
137 The Esplanade (formerly Tradewinds Esplanade), Cairns - Mercure Hotel Harbourside Cairns
209-217 The Esplanade, Cairns - SOFITEL REEF CASINO CAIRNS (35-41 Wharf Street PO Box 6545)
35-41 Wharf St, Cairns - Serpent Hostel
341 Lake St, Cairns - Club Crocodile Hides Hotel
87 Lake St, Cairns - Quality Hotel Pacific International
Cnr The Esplanade & Spence St, Cairns - Matson Resort Cairns (Cnr Esplanade & Kerwin Street.), 4870
Cnr The Esplanade & Kerwin St (formerly Matson Resort Cairns), Cairns - Shangri-La The Marina Cairns
Pierpoint Rd, Cairns - Cairns Plaza Hotel
Cnr. The Esplanade & Minnie St., Cairns - Amaroo At Trinity Resort
92 - 94 Moore St., Cairns - Tradewinds Esplanade Hotel
137 The Esplanade (formerly Tradewinds Esplanade), Cairns - Cairns Colonial Club Resort
18 - 26 Cannon St, Cairns - The Sebel Harbour Lights Cairns
1 Marlin Parade, Cairns
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on June 1, 2007
on February 11, 2009
on April 25, 2004
on March 29, 2008
