Hi All,
My girlfriend and i are heading up to Cairns next week for a couple of days (Thursday to Sunday) for a little holiday.
We have no idea what to do up there.
Do you guys have any suggestions on what to do? where to go? where the best restaurants are? whether to hire a car or not?
Any input is welcome.. Thanks in advance
Hire a car.
Plenty of driving if you want to check out some nice places : Josephine falls, Behana Gorge (my fav), Babinda boulders, Crystal cascades, Millaa Millaa Falls, Pyramid hike, Kuranda trail, Palm cove, Trinity beach, Port Douglas and Fitzroy island (i've heard this is way better than green island). This is all i could think of at the top of my head.
Have a look around the Cairns esplanade at day and night, check out the night market as well.
There are some nice restaurants in Cairns (probably should google this) especially around the pier if i recall these were quite pricey. Waterbar and Grill steakhouse comes into mind, and the neighboring restaurants.
Hire a scooter or a car. Things I would rec are white water rafting, snorkelling barrier reef, the zip line forest thing.
Although, if your not much of a adrenaline junkie then probably just do some island hoping and lazy beach days. The casino even.
I think they have a tropical fruit world there as well.
The hotel should be able to transfer you around. Call and chat to the front receptionist, they're paid to help with those sorts of things, and can advise where they can drive you etc
2 neg votes?! WTF for? Why rent a car if the hotel can transport you around?
Let's have a plus for you mate.
I did the same 4 years ago and we did:
1 day to go to to the great barrier reef.
1 day to go to to Kuranda did everything over there.
1 day rented a car to go to Port Douglas.
We spent the nights dinning in all the restaurants over the Esplanade.
great barrier reef + 1 for this. Probably can book a day trip with some snorkeling gear as part of a tour. I'm thinking of going up with my wife for this alone.
The Skyrail to Kuranda and then Kuranda Railway back is well worth a day out. I went on the tour including a trip to Rainforestation which was a good day out.
Definitely recommend a trip to the reef (what most people go to Cairns to do). Fitzroy Island is fun and you can either do a day trip or overnight. Water is great and you can snorkel off the island. Underwater viewing is not bad if you didn't want to go to the reef.
Day trip to Kuranda is fun and others say best to go one way by sky rail and the other by train.
Day trip up to Cape Tribulation with a stop over at mossman gorge - Water is so fresh there (don't forget your swimmers)
If you like action, you can go on an avt tour. Heaps of terrains to make it interesting.
Heaps of aboriginal experiences too if you are into learning about their culture.
If you want to see some crocs you can head to Hartleys crocodile or do a river cruise on the daintree river.
Note, you can't go swimming in the ocean off Cairns but they do have man made lagoons along the esplanade.
Have fun!!
Its a nice 1 hour drive to Port Douglas, have a feed at the Tin Shed and sit out on the Mill$ deck with a cold one and watch the boats go by, go up the top of PD and loo down on 4 mile beach, then take a walk along it. Call by Palm Cove on the way back its a great beach and village. Good place to eat in cairns in the RSL and Mondo's at front of Hilton, both on waterfront.
http://www.thetinshed-portdouglas.com.au
http://www.cairnsrsl.com.au/cairns-rsl-club.html
http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/queensland/hilton-cairns-CR…
Thanks
I know this is an old post but we are planning to head to Cairns at end of Nov.
After reading the comments here I have few questions, if any of you kind people might be able to guide me.
1) My wife doesn't know how to swim but I want her to enjoy the reef so what is the best way for her to enjoy the reef without knowing how to swim?
2) I am definitely looking to go to Kuranda after going through all the comments here. I have already hired a car for our 4 days there, is it worth leaving the car at hotel and catching the train or driving to Kuranda is fun too?
Thanks
Hey mate, how did you go with finding something to do for people that can't swim?
Well, where do we start…