“People come to Cairns for the reef — and discover, without expecting to, that they have arrived somewhere genuinely remarkable in its own right.”
The Reef, The Rainforest, and Everything In Between
Cairns is the kind of city that does not need to compete with its surroundings because it has made a virtue of embracing them. Positioned between two of the world’s great natural wonders — the Great Barrier Reef to the east and the Daintree Rainforest to the north — Cairns is a gateway city that has grown into a destination of genuine quality. The reef access is unmatched. The food and coffee are excellent. The atmosphere is warm, unpretentious, and deeply tropical. There are very good reasons why Cairns receives more than two million visitors per year.
The Reef, Your Way
No city in the world provides as many and as varied options for reef day tours as Cairns. High-speed catamarans, small-group boats, sailing vessels, liveaboard expeditions, helicopter flights, seaplanes, and scenic flights all operate from the Reef Fleet Terminal or the nearby waterfront. Whether you want to snorkel for the first time, dive to the Cod Hole on the Ribbon Reefs, or simply watch the reef from a glass bottom boat without getting wet, the options are comprehensive and the operators are experienced.
Rainforest and Beyond
Within an hour’s drive of Cairns is the Daintree Rainforest — the oldest surviving tropical rainforest on Earth. The Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and Kuranda Scenic Railway offer ways to travel into this landscape that are memorable in themselves. The Atherton Tablelands, accessible via the winding range road south of Cairns, offer a completely different environment: cooler temperatures, waterfalls, volcanic lakes, and a landscape that surprises visitors who expected nothing but tropics.
The City Itself
Cairns is a proper city with an excellent restaurant scene, a waterfront Esplanade with a public saltwater lagoon pool, and a year-round warmth that makes outdoor life a default rather than an aspiration. The night markets along the Esplanade offer local food and artisan products in a relaxed atmosphere. The region’s Indigenous heritage is accessible through cultural experiences that provide context and meaning for the extraordinary landscape visitors have come to see.
Practical Reasons to Choose Cairns
Cairns has an international airport with connections from Asia, New Zealand, and the Pacific, as well as domestic connections from every Australian capital city. Accommodation ranges from backpacker hostels to five-star resorts, with a wide mid-range that suits most travellers. The city’s transport links to Port Douglas (one hour north) and the Daintree allow for multi-day itineraries that explore the reef and rainforest in combination — which is, ultimately, the most complete way to experience far north Queensland.
A Hot Getaways destination. Where Care is Our Compass.
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