The heart of the tropical north, Cairns offers great access to reef and islands and is a perfect base for exploring the wider region. With 600 day tours departing the city daily there is plenty to do.
Cairns, the prime gateway to Tropical North Queensland is the ideal starting point for travellers wanting to explore the Great Barrier Reef, rainforest, outback and the vast wilderness of Cape York Peninsula.
Despite all these attractions outside Cairns, you’ll be seriously tempted to extend your stay in this sophisticated modern city.
With its tree-lined streets, Cairns boasts great shopping malls, efficient transport, sophisticated hotels, cosmopolitan restaurants, cafes and nightclubs and a lifestyle that is in keeping with contemporary city living. For retail therapy you’ll be in seventh heaven. Cairns boasts an excellent range of outlets and shopping centres whether you’re after designer sunglasses, hip fashion and jewellery, or souvenirs and gifts from crystals to boomerangs. Don’t miss the night markets on Cairns Esplanade for a shopping treat.
Dining is a high point in Cairns and local eateries offer an eclectic choice of Australian and international cuisine. The highlight of most menus is the region's fresh seafood and unusual tropical fruits.
As for entertainment there are excellent theatres, galleries, nightclubs and the glass-domed Reef Hotel Casino with four separate gaming areas and a luxury five star hotel. Another pleasant surprise is how close and accessible everything is in Cairns. The airport is only a few minutes drive from the city centre and visiting cruise liners and yachts moor at a marina and wharves only a block away from the main centre.
Cairns is within easy reach. International flights from across the globe service the airport, there are regular long-distance trains, daily coaches and increasingly, overseas cruise ships call into port.
One of the most popular day-tour options from Cairns (aside from the reef) is the Kuranda hinterland. Take the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway or the Kuranda Scenic Railway and take your time to explore the bustling Kuranda township. Favourites include a walk through the rainforest, photo stop at the Barron River Gorge and make sure you leave plenty of time to stroll through the markets with their myriad delights of local food, produce, art, crafts and clothing.
As an international port, Cairns offers the best in duty-free as well as locally-made products. In addition to a central business district and Pier Marketplace are five regional shopping centres close by.
Cairns has a wealth of accommodation on offer: international-standard hotels and resorts, island escapes and rainforest lodges, as well as self-catering styles for families and hostels for backpackers.

Built in the 1870s as a port serving the goldfields far inland, central Cairns has a small-town feel to it (population only 100,000) and is now almost entirely dedicated to tourism. The terrain is flat, with the streets following the common Australian grid pattern, and the town centre is little more than ½ ml wide by ¾ ml long. Only a few buildings - such as the attractive, old, wooden houses built on stilts and the former customs house - serve as reminders of pre-tourism Cairns, but there is little high-rise development apart from the odd tower block, built in 60s or 70s style (or lack of it). The central point is the pedestrianised City Place; also of interest is the Esplanade, a pleasant tree-lined green area alongside the less attractive mud flats, and Marlin Marina, a busy boating centre at the entrance to Trinity Inlet.

Mainly used as the gateway or as a base to visit the islands of the Great Barrier Reef, tropical rainforest or "accessible outback". Particularly favoured by divers, ecotourists and bird-watchers.

Full range from 4- and 5-star luxury to a string of budget backpacker hostels along the waterfront.

None in Cairns itself. Instead the town looks out over huge tidal mud flats whose only saving grace is that they attract flocks of birds to feed during their annual migration. Proper golden sandy beaches are found all along the 16-ml stretch of coast N of the city, past the airport and across Barron River. Beach buses go to the miniresorts of Machans, Holloway, the evocatively named Yorkeys Knob, Trinity, Kewarra, Clifton, Palm Cove and Ellis. All are plagued with deadly box jellyfish Oct to May, although in some places nets have been erected to keep the stingers out.

Wide range of local outlets in the town centre. Several covered shopping malls including Orchid Plaza, Pier Marketplace and Cairns Central in the old railway station. Covered night market on the sea front selling crafts, jewellery etc.

Daytime: botanical gardens with lakes and tropical woodland; large aquarium; museum; art gallery. Nightlife: plenty of places to eat or drink to live music, including a jazz club; some discos; 2 cinemas; any combination of dinner, show and gambling at the casino in the Sofitel Reef Hotel.

No shortage of "tucker" options from fine international cuisine in hotels' a la carte restaurants to fast food in seafront cafes. Seafood is a speciality but Thai, Mexican, Japanese, Korean and other ethnic cuisines are also on offer.

Comprehensive bus service, including weekend and night services. Trains N and S. "Pedicabs" (bicycle-powered rickshaws) around town. Daily ferry/cruise links to Palm Cove and Port Douglas. Metered taxis.

Half day: bungee jumping; tandem sky-diving; white-water rafting; hot-air balloon trip. Full/two days: boat trips to the Great Barrier Reef and its islands, normally incorporating opportunities for snorkelling, diving, swimming and picnicking; Daintree rainforest tour, including nocturnal wildlife safaris; scenic railway ride to Kuranda in the Atherton Tableland (can be combined with a 4½-ml cable-car ride through and over the rainforest); various trips to the "accessible outback" including the Undara lava tubes (4-hr drive).

In the NE of Australia, about two-thirds of the way up the Queensland coast. 1,100 mls NW of Brisbane. 460 mls NW of Mackay. 670 mls NW of Rockhampton. 750 mls NW of Gladstone. 3 mls S of its own international airport, served by a frequent shuttle-bus service.

On the N shore of Trinity Inlet where it opens into the Coral Sea. Facing the Great Barrier Reef to the E, with Green and Fitzroy Islands close by. Separated from the interior by the Great Dividing Range (at this part called the Atherton Tableland) just to the W. A good road leads N as far as Daintree, where it becomes an unsurfaced track in the rainforest of Cape Tribulation. The Bruce Highway heads S, following the coast to Brisbane.

Telephone Area Code: 7
Post Code: 4870
Website: www.cairns.aust.com

Airport : Cairns
Airport Code: CNS
Flight time from ther U.K.: 24 hrs