The excursions to do in Cairns, Queensland in Australia. See the reefs, snorkel or visit the coastal towns of Palm Cove and Port Douglas from Cairns.
Cairns is one of the largest cities in the state of Queensland, located in the tropical part ofAustralia.
That it is tropical is immediately evident from the abundant presence of palm trees, the bright green of the plants and the landscape that is somewhat reminiscent of that of Hawaii.
Having a tropical climate, Cairns has 2 seasons: the Monsoons (December-March) and the dry season (April onwards). I was there just in April, taking advantage of Easter. Temperatures are high, but there was still some light drizzle.
Activities to do in Cairns
The main reason to visit Cairns is to access the great barrier reef. Depending on your personal tastes, there is plenty of choice on the excursions that will take you to the barrier: ferries that dock on platforms, catamars with one or two stops at different points, boats that stop on islands, half-day excursions or all the day.
Depending on the popularity of the chosen period, I recommend booking the excursions in advance, because we happened to find almost all of them full and having to settle for those available. Also consider your choice based on your familiarity with swimming and water sports. The platform is probably not the bravest choice, but it does allow for a quieter experience and choice among various activities, including snorkeling, diving and also submarines and boats with glass bottoms for those who really don't want to know about entering the water.
All the equipment is generally provided by the tour operator, which for a small surcharge also guarantees the full anti-jellyfish wetsuits. As Queensland waters might feature the famous box jellyfish, I didn't have it repeated twice and for the modest sum of $ 5 I rented one! The full wetsuit also has the advantage of protecting from the sun's rays without having to use a sunscreen, which would help to disturb the delicate balance of the coral reef.
Other places to visit from Cairns:
- the town of Kuranda, which can be reached with a picturesque vintage locomotive and then take the cable car that passes over the rainforest
- the coastal towns of Palm Cove and Port Douglas, both with beaches and thick vegetation
- the island of Fitzroy, reachable in 45 minutes by ferry, with access to the coral reef.
Plan your trip to Cairns
Cairns is easily accessible from major Australian cities. From Sydney it takes about three hours with a direct flight. For low cost fares I recommend Jetstar or Tiger Air, prices in a normal period, not in another season, are around $ 300 a / r.
'Shotel, Cairns prices are significantly lower than Sydney and Melbourne! For a room or studio with limited facilities, expect approx $ 100-130 per night. But considering the number of excursions available and the fact that Cairns is quite small and everything takes place in the surrounding area, the overall price of the holiday increases dramatically! The alternative is to rent a car and visit only the places that seem interesting to us, but for the coral reef you still have to rely on organized tours.
