There is a 10 hour stopover at Cairns on our way back home (Jetstar), 4AM to 2PM.
Any suggestions we can do during the maybe spare 8 hours? Worth going to the city?
10 Hours Stop over in Cairns, Anything to Do for Two Retirees?
tooblue on 19/05/2023 - 13:43
Comments
I second this, beautiful scenery
I don't think they would get back in time from a half day organised tour.
There might only be time for a quick swim with the salties and box jellies.
Watch a few movies on a streaming service. Read a book. Get amorous with your life partner for 10 hours.
Very good suggestions, not sure why the negs.
…One possibility is that as life partners they are over the sexy times part.
Seems unlikely people would get “over” intimacy with someone they love.
Maybe your parents didn’t just have sex that one time to make you
The drive up to Daintree was nice when I did it years ago in rental car. But I can imagine you might be sick of sitting in a seat by 4am!
Worth it if you haven’t driven through cane fields and tropical rainforest, it is quite unique compared to down south.
Surfing, the net..
Medical marijuana
(Jetstar)
I would spend more time planning what to do when the flights delayed, stopped or cancelled.
The Botanic Gardens and adjacent Tank Gallery are worth a visit and brunch/lunch at Muddy's on the waterfront.
Haven't been to the Aquarium, but friends who did said it was good.
Meal and/or drinks at Rocco's, top level of the Tower at Riley Crystalbrook.
Agree Botanic Gardens are nice and not too far from airport. Transport from the airport is a pain.
It's a <$20 Uber ride, right? That's not too painful in my books.
Agree, no pain at all. And heaps of taxis for the same price. The airport is so close to the city.
retire
4am arrival, bothing open to around 9am. doesnt leave u much time since u fly off at 2pm (get nack to airport by 1 hour)
maybe have a coffee or try to get access to a lounge and chill
Exactly.
I'd be finding someone nice for brunch and back to the airport after a walk.Lounge would be my thought, usually open pretty early and can have breakfast, relax and watch some planes land.
Otherwise try get a later flight to make the most of the day.
Assuming you're coming in on an international flight… By the time you're through immigration, you could catch a taxi into town and have breakfast somewhere… If you're early, maybe get the taxi to drop you off near the northern end of Lake Street and you can walk along the Esplanade into the centre at your own pace. It's well lit and other early risers will be up for a walk, run or to go fishing. Some places like Candy Cafe on Grafton Street open for breakfast at 6am, if your flight is delayed or you spend longer getting through immigration etc you'll have more choice as more places will be open at 7am, like Wharf One which also has water views. You'd have plenty of time for a long slow breakfast since other than cafes, not much will be open until around 9am. Most shops and the art gallery open at 9am, museum and aquarium open at 10am and they're all within a few blocks of each other.
You could also consider going to Tobruk Pool first - it will be busy early in the morning, but it opens early mid week and a swim followed by a shower can be a really nice way to start the day.
If you'd like to stretch your legs, you could head out towards the botanic gardens after breakfast for a walk around, including up up the red arrow for views over the airport.
10 hours is way too long to spend at Cairns Airport IMHO - even if you've got lounge access.
Youll be wrecked with those flight times.
You can book a day room at the Rydges Cairns for $110 from 0700-1900.
Just go on the Rydges website as if you are making a normal booking, before you enter the date, there will be a slider bar to show day rates.
If you want somewhere a bit flasher and expensive look here https://au.dayuse.com/s/australia/queensland/cairns-regional…100% - landing at 4am after an (assuming economy) international Jetstar flight and then going off and doing tourist activities sounds like torture - i'd just want a bed.
Botanical gardens. City/broad walk.
It’s like 10 minutes to the city, plenty of time.Go to the pub and have fun at the cane toad races
Skyrail up to Kuranda could easily be done in that time frame. It goes up the mountain over the rainforest and barron river waterfall. It opens at 8:30am, the round trip is about 2.5 hrs but you can spend time in Kuranda. Skyrail is at Smithfield about 20 minutes from the airport.
Gilligans has fantastic scenery.
Kuranda railway