Cairns

Understand

The Cairns area was historically inhabited by the Indigenous Walubarra Yidinji people. Mapped by James Cook and named Trinity Bay in 1770, it was officially founded in 1876 as an export port for gold and renamed after the then-Governor of Queensland. The city's name is pronounced "Canz" by locals; use of the accepted pronunciation of the governor's surname, the Scottish town, and piles of stones is obsolete. The main industry for the city is tourism, with a focus on the European, Japanese and increasingly Chinese markets. There is a plethora of clubs and coffee shops, all overflowing with international tourists. Cairns is also supported by agricultural businesses which include sugar cane, bananas, coffee, tea and the world's first tropical fruit wine region. Peak season in Cairns is between June–August, a particularly busy time occurs in the first two weeks of July during the school holidays. There is no swimming beach to speak of in central Cairns, although there are many choices just north and south of the city. A large outdoor, lagoon-style pool is in the centre of the Cairns City area, which is very popular throughout the year with tourists and locals alike. For a beachside resort holiday, there are several resorts a short drive north of Cairns.

1 Cairns Tourism Office, 51 The Esplanade, ☏ +61 7 4051-3588, toll-free: 1800 093 300, fax: +61 7 4051-7509. M-F 8:30AM–6PM, weekends and public holidays 10AM-6PM. Official Cairns and tropical Northern Queensland tourism office at the Esplanade. (updated Feb 2015)

Climate

A good time to visit is during the more comfortable winter months of June–August, especially compared to the hotter and stickier summer months. The summer months can see tropical systems threaten Cairns, alongside high heat, humidity, and very heavy rainfall and downpours. Despite average highs and lows topping out at 31 °C (88 °F) and 24 °C (75 °F) in the summer months, the humidity can make those average temperatures feel more like 36 °C (97 °F) and 25 °C (77 °F), respectively. The apparent feels like temperature can increase further to 39 °C (102 °F) and 28 °C (82 °F) at night in cases of exceptional summer heat or humidity, with an air temperature of only 33 °C (91 °F) and 26 °C (79 °F) at night. There is very little daylight variation in Cairns, being in the tropics. The winter months have daylight from 6:45AM to 6PM, and from 5:45AM to 6:45PM in the summer months.

Getting there

By plane

1 Cairns International Airport (CNS IATA). The primary international gateway into the region. It is also served by many domestic flights. Cairns Airport has two terminals: a domestic terminal and an international terminal, which are within walking distance of each other. The international airlines serving Cairns are:

Air New Zealand. Seasonal flights from Auckland Air Niugini. Flights from Moro and Port Moresby. Cathay Pacific. Offers seasonal flights to Hong Kong 3x per week between December and March Hainan Airlines. Flights from Shenzhen. Jetstar. Flights from Denpasar, Osaka Kansai International Airport, and Tokyo Narita International Airport; codeshares with their parent carrier Qantas and Japan Airlines. Qantas. Flights from Port Moresby Singapore Airlines. Flights from Singapore The domestic airlines serving Cairns are:

Airnorth. Flights from Darwin and Gove Qantas. Flights from most airports in Australia, e.g. from Ayers Rock/Uluru, Brisbane, Hamilton Island, Horn Island, Mackay, Melbourne, Rockhampton, Sydney, Townsville, Weipa. Their low-cost Jetstar subsidiary flies from Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney Regional Express Airlines. Flights from Bamaga, Burketown, Doomadgee, Karumba, Mornington Island, Mount Isa, Normanton, Townsville Skytrans. Flights from Aurukun, Cooktown, Horn Island, Kowanyama, Lockhart River, Pormpuraaw, Weipa Virgin Australia. Flights from Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide Cairns airport has a paid Wi-Fi service.

Getting around

The centre of Cairns is small enough to be covered on foot, but a car is needed to see the surrounding attractions if you are not taking a tour. Expect morning and evening congestion in the city centre, as day trippers flock in and out of the town. Numerous car rental agencies are available from the airport or in the city centre. During peak season, make sure to book the car in advance. Hertz, Queensland car hire and other rental options are located at Abbott Street & Shields. SIXT Cairns city location is at Sheridan and Alpine. Kinetic operates the public bus network and offer twenty routes through the city. The terminal of all routes is at the corner of Lake and Shield Street in the centre. Tickets are extremely cheap, at 50¢ per trip, $1 for day ticket, and $5 for weekly ticket. Buses accept both card and cash. There are also a number of car rental companies available from Cairns Airport.

See

Cairns serves as the gateway to the region and is rather short of cultural sights. Besides some historic buildings from the colonial era, the Esplanade and the bars/pubs are the main attraction of Cairns.

1 Cairns Regional Gallery, 40 Abbott St (Cnr Abbott & Shields Streets), ☏ +61 7 4046 4800, info@cairnsartgallery.com.au. M-F 9AM-5PM, Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 10AM-2PM. Located in a heritage building in the city centre, the Cairns Regional Gallery is the region's premier destination for exhibitions featuring historical and contemporary art by leading regional, national and international artists. $5. 2 Cairns Museum, Cairns School of Arts Building, corner Lake and Shields Streets, ☏ +61 7 4051 5582, info@cairnsmuseum.org.au. M-Sa 10AM-4PM. The Cairns Museum showcases the Cairns Historical Society’s collection of objects, photographs and archival records. This collection holds the memories of the people, places, events and changing environment of Cairns and Far North Queensland. Adult $10, child (under 14) $5, family (2 parents or grandparents + 2 kids) $25, pensioner/senior/concession $8. 3 Cairns Botanic Gardens, 78-96 Collins Ave, Edge Hill, ☏ +61 7 4032 6650. Daily 7:30AM-5:30PM. The Cairns Botanic Gardens are about 4 km from the city centre, and a number of bus routes pass by the various entrances. The Gardens are divided into 5 distinct zones, including Formal Gardens, Rainforest Boardwalk and Mangroves Boardwalk. Free. 4 Cairns Aquarium, 5 Florence St, ☏ +61 7 4044 7300. Daily 10AM-4PM. This is Australia's most spectacular aquarium, displaying 71 exhibits with more than 16,000 colourful marine habitats and 10 ecosystems. The facility holds the country's largest freshwater tank and is home to the world's first tidal motion tank.

Events

Catch an amateur rugby game in town if you can, the locals play a mean game, and it's a great way to meet local folks. International cricket is sometimes played in Cairns at 5 Cazaly's Stadium. Time your visit right and you could catch a great game for just a couple of dollars. Cairns is home to one of Australia's best basketball teams, the Cairns Taipans, as well as Australian basketball's most famous mascot, Joe Blake the Snake.

Do

Cairns is an adventure sports enthusiast's paradise: every second shop is a tourist information centre with signs blaring "dive dive" or "tandem skydiving". Its location close to the ocean, the mountains and the rainforest gives travellers lots of choices of activities. Standby rates are ubiquitous: many of the more expensive activities, including scuba diving and skydiving, are up to $150 cheaper if you are prepared to go on standby for a cancellation.

Swim in central Cairns there is an artificial "lagoon" (a public swimming pool with some sand on one side) on the promenade near the pier. The lagoon is unfenced and free to use. A shallow depth (max depth 1.5 m) makes it ideal for families with children. The lagoon is a good place to cool off, especially during "stinger season" between October and May (cf. Dangerous creatures in Australia) when swimming at local beaches should be avoided except inside the stinger net enclosures, which are no bigger than the lagoon itself. Visit beaches. Although there are no real beaches in central Cairns itself you can catch a bus or drive to Cairns' northern beaches where there are some beautiful sandy beaches, cafes and restaurants. Swimming net enclosures exist at Holloways, Yorkey's Knob, Trinity, Kewarra, Palm Cove and Ellis Beaches. Sun-bake or people watch on the grassy part of the promenade near the lagoon. On a sunny day, even in the middle of Cairns's tropical "winter", there will sometimes be more sun-bakers than there is visible grass. Have a barbecue on the promenade. Cairns has free barbecues scattered generously among the picnic tables on the grass. Go walking - Cairns is surrounded by rainforest-clad mountains, and there are nearly 200 walking tracks in this World Heritage Area. Keen walkers should keep an eye out for Tropical Walking Tracks, found at local bookshops and adventure shops. It lists all of the tracks around Cairns as well as those between Townsville and Cooktown and has maps of them and 'how-to-get-there' directions as well.

Diving and snorkelling

A number of Cairns operators run day and liveaboard scuba diving trips from both Cairns and Port Douglas, and almost all include complimentary day transfers for their passengers between the two. For seeing the Great Barrier Reef, the smaller dive boats provide the most intimate experience, both for diving and for snorkelling and are excellent for the confident or experienced. The larger operations have more amenities - better food, larger and faster boats, more activities, and often easier access to the water and are great for beginners, but sometimes provide a poorer underwater experience, as the underwater areas that the larger boats visit are heavily used.

Shopping

Shops selling pearls are fairly widespread in Cairns, with a huge price range. You can find real A-grade pearls from the Torres Strait - not cheap, but in the end more than fair in comparison to the European or US prices for the same quality level.

1 Cairns Esplanade Markets, The Esplanade at The Lagoon, ☏ +61 7 4044 3715. Saturday 8AM-4PM. Esplanade Markets have homemade products, rare stones, clothes, all types of art, massage, local music, local rainforest timbers/carvings/wooden chopping boards and you will be buying from the maker/artist of the products. Heaps of budget-priced stuff, but some very refined high art/design/ideas that could easily become a feature piece of a house/garden. Great place to find a special gift. And best of all it has a 'locals feel' about it. Make sure to take a hat and sunscreen as it's an outdoor market. Have fun and meet some locals. from $0.50. 2 Night Markets (Cairns Night Markets), 71-75 The Esplanade, ☏ +61 7 4051-7666. Every night of the week till late. The markets are a collection of stalls catering mainly to tourists: you can buy lots of clothes, games, souvenirs, and Australiana.

Eat

As with much of Cairns, you can divide the city into the Esplanade and the places within a block of it, and the rest of the city. The Esplanade is littered with bar and grill places supplying red meat and beer all in the one place, and with seafood restaurants. It's relatively difficult to find anything open before 11AM since they expect the clientele to be sleeping in. The rest of the city has small cafes and milkbars catering to locals. The number of Japanese tourists here makes Japanese food a fairly reliable option, although prices can be steep. A number of the more expensive restaurants on the Esplanade, particularly towards the north end, offer discounts of 20-30% for early birds: usually, you will need to order by 6:30PM and pay and leave no later than 7:30PM to get a discounted meal.

1 La Pizza Trattoria, 93 The Esplanade, ☏ +61 7 4031 2646. M–Th 6AM–10:30PM, F–Su 6AM–11PM. La Pizza Trattoria has good pizza. It lures most patrons in by letting them wander past the pizza chef kneading the dough as they smell the baking pizzas. Medium-sized pizzas: $18–21. 2 Villa Romana Trattoria, Aplin Street (cnr The Esplanade), ☏ +61 7 4051 9000, fax: +61 7 4031 5557. Italian meals with some good seafood options and overworked wait staff. 25% discount if you order before 6:30PM. Meals are $25-40. 3 Orient Express Sushi Train (Sushi Express), Shop 28 Orchid Plaza, 79 Abbott Street, ☏ +61 7 4041 4388, fax: +61 7 4052 1277. A sushi train made up to look like the Kuranda Railway, this place is popular but not wildly busy. The tempura seems to get more attention than the sushi or sashimi. Plates from $2.50–4.50. 4 Perrotta's At The Gallery, 38 Abbott Street, ☏ +61 7 4031-5899, perrottasatg@hotmail.com. If you want to escape from several evenings touring the bar and grill places, Perotta's is just off the Esplanade and does more sophisticated Western food. Try the French toast with roast pear for breakfast. Breakfast, lunch and dinner approximately $25. (updated Dec 2018) Waffle On, 64A Shields St, ☏ +61 429 930 921. Tu-Su 7:30AM-1PM, closed M. Breakfast and brunch restaurant. Waffle on is a family-owned restaurant serving sweet and savoury waffles, organic coffee and fresh juices. $9-15. (updated Sep 2024) Yaya's Restaurant, L 1 Aplin St, ☏ +61 740313033. Su-Tu Th 5-9:30PM, W 5-10PM, F Sa 5-11PM. Greek kitchen and bar. You can expect fresh, delicious dishes, prepared in a traditional way. $11 dips - $40 main dish. (updated Sep 2024)

Drink

Cairns has pubs and bars to cater to travellers, students, and locals.

1 Rattle 'N Hum, 65-67 The Esplanade, ☏ +61 7 4031-3011. The Rattle 'n Hum is a bar and grill in the midst of one of the busiest parts of The Esplanade. It's quite large and getting a seat is seldom a problem: sit out back once they light torches in the evenings. Competition for the pool table is not formidable so you should be able to get several games in. They do a number of main meals, including wood-fired pizza for around $20. The staff are highly variable in quality, ordering a cocktail can be risky, but they're certainly able to pull a beer. 2 The Woolshed (The Woolshed Chargrill & Saloon Bar), 24 Shields St, ☏ +61 7 4031-6304, fax: +61 7 4041-2283. If you are looking for a place to find all the travellers, go to the Woolshed in downtown Cairns.

Sleep

Cairns has seemingly endless places to stay, but during high season (June - September) most hotels are well booked.

Budget

There are over 20 hostels, with bunks in the $16–30 range. Many of the hostels are not particularly clean or well-maintained.

1 Asylum Cairns, 149 Grafton St, ☏ +61 7 4031 1474, toll-free: 1800 065-464, fax: +61 7 4031 8499, cairnsbackpackers@cairns.net.au. Check-in: 9AM, check-out: 10AM. Bed in a small dorm (no bunk beds). Prices on the website may be out of date. Free transfers to and from the airport, bus or train station if staying 2 nights or more. Free internet. Not particularly clean or well-maintained. Very friendly and helpful staff. Not in the city centre, but within easy walking distance. (updated Feb 2015) 2 Bohemia Resort, 231 McLeod St, ☏ +61 7 4041-7290, fax: +61 7 4041-7292, info@bohemiaresort.com.au. Close to the centre of Cairns and with 4 dorm rooms, singles, twins and doubles, as well as ensuite and family rooms. Clean and well maintained. 25 m saltwater pool, kitchen, bar and shuttle bus service. From $23 per person, per night. 3 Cairns Central YHA Backpackers Hostel, 20-26 McLeod St, ☏ +61 7 4051-0772, fax: +61 7 4031-3158, cairnscentral@yha.com.au. Bunk beds in shared rooms $23-25 per night, double and twin rooms from $54 per night. 4 Cairns City Backpackers, 274 Draper St, ☏ +61 7 40516160, info@cairnscitybackpackers.com. Small, quiet and friendly and located in a quiet backstreet and a 5 min walk to Cairns Central Shopping Centre. Full laundry and kitchen facilities and internet at $3 per hr. 5 Castaways Backpackers, 207 Sheridan St (near city centre), ☏ +61 7 40511238, toll-free: 1800 351115, info@castawaysbackpackers.com.au. Check-in: 10AM, check-out: 9:30AM. Small family-run hostel with a focus on cleanliness and friendly service. Free Wi-Fi and evening meal at the Woolshed, free tea and coffee. Shared dorm accommodation from $19, single, double, twin and en suite rooms available. 6 Dreamtime Hostel (Dreamtime Travellers Rest), Cnr Bunda & Terminus Street Parramatta Park, ☏ +61 7 40316753, toll-free: 1800 058 440, info@dreamtimehostel.com. Check-in: 10AM, check-out: 9:30AM. Small hostel across Cairns Central with its mall and lagoon-like backyard. Air condition available. Shared dorm accommodation from $22, single and twin rooms available. 7 Floriana Guesthouse, 183 The Esplanade, ☏ +61 7 4051-7886, fax: +61 7 4051-3056, reservations@florianaguesthouse.com.au. Front rooms look out to the Coral Sea, Floriana is an older style Art Deco 1930s guesthouse. It is a 15-min walk to town and offers rooms with shared facilities and self-contained flats. 8 Gilligans Backpacker Hotel and Resort, 57-89 Grafton St, toll-free: 1800 556 995, reservations@gilligans.com.au. Private hotel rooms also available. Free meal every night, clean, safe, fun hostel with loads of activities and massive swimming pool. Shared dorm rooms starting from $18 a night. 9 Mad Monkey Backpackers Village, 141 Sheridan St, ☏ +61 7 4231 9612. Free shuttle bus ride into the heart of Cairns. Has female-only dorms. 10 Motel Nomad (Serpent Hostel), 341 Lake St, ☏ +61 7 4040 7777, toll-free: 1800 666 237, info@nomadscairns.com. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. Free shuttle bus. Very clean hostel with a huge swimming pool and a volleyball court. Shared dorm accommodation from $14 a night. (updated Nov 2015) 11 Bounce Cairns, 117 Grafton Street, ☏ +61 7 4047 7200, toll-free: 1800 000 541, cairns@bouncehostels.com. All guests receive free daily breakfast, free unlimited internet 24/7, free hidden swimming hole trip, sailing trip and more activities. Located in the centre of town. 12 Mumma’s Hostel Cairns, 140 Grafton St, ☏ +61 7 4041-5255, info@reefbackpackers.com. Check-in: 10AM, check-out: 10AM. Free Wi-Fi internet. clean safe and friendly. In the city centre with a pool and great outdoor area. $15. 13 ibis Styles Cairns, 15 Florence Street (Corner of Florence and Lake St), ☏ +61 7 4051 5733. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM.

Stay safe

Cairns is in general a safe city with all the annoyances (e.g. pickpockets and touts) that a city full of tourists experiences. The most notable threats are nature and the weather. Cairns is hit by tropical cyclones during the wet season (December until March) that cause damage to the infrastructure and stops public activities. While violent crime is rare, Cairns has a problem with car theft and house burglaries. Keep your valuables out of sight, preferably locked up. Exercise caution in the western suburbs of Manunda, Mooroobool and Manoora (often called "The three Ms"), which are severely disadvantaged and beset by long standing social and economic issues.

2 Cairns Base Hospital, 165 The Esplanade, ☏ +61 7 4226 0000. Emergency services and all standard medical departments.

Go next

Kuranda

This small town nestled in the rainforest-covered mountains just north of Cairns draws thousands of tourists each week and is perhaps the most popular day trip from the city. Kuranda (elevation 330 m) is 25 km from Cairns via the Kennedy Highway, which snakes its way over the Macalister Range. However, most visitors reach the town by taking the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway or Kuranda Railroad, both of which offer transfers to Cairns and package deals with Kuranda attractions. Skyrail travels above the rainforest with stations along the route to explore the rainforest environment and view the Barron River Falls. The Kuranda Railway makes a scenic trip through Barron Gorge National Park. The town itself offers plenty of shopping and is home to several wildlife parks.

Further out

Mareeba, the edge of the outback, where the sun shines 300 days a year, and they produce the majority of Australia's coffee crop. Tours from Cairns are available. Mossman Gorge, 70 minutes north of Cairns is a good place to cool off. Avoid arriving at the same time as the tour coaches, and take great care swimming as the currents are very strong. The Daintree Rainforest which is officially the world's oldest rainforest is located an hour and a half north. Here you can see Australia's largest variety of flora and fauna as well as ride one of the top tourist attractions - Jungle Surfing. Green Island and Fitzroy Island, both resort islands that welcome day trips, are within 45 minutes of Cairns by ferry. The Savannahlander is a four-day train journey that departs from Cairns to the outback town of Forsayth. It's a unique way to see the Chillagoe caves and Undara lava tubes. Cooktown is around 3 hours north along the coast from Cairns, and has history, national parks and beaches to explore. Mission Beach a lovely tropical beach is about an hour and a half drive south. It is the gateway to Dunk and Bedarra Islands. Mission Beach is one of the few places you might see the very rare and endangered Cassowary bird. Port Douglas a seaside resort town and another gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest is an hour north along one of the nicest drives in Australia. Lake Tinaroo is on the Atherton Tablelands about an hour southwest of Cairns. Lake Tinaroo is great for swimming, water sports, bush walking, fishing and camping. Mt Isa is just perched on the NT border Townsville, 345 km south, is the regional capital of North Queensland, and has plenty to offer

More pictures of Cairns

From this destination's category on Wikimedia Commons. Each photograph is credited to its own author under its own licence.