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Cairns itinerary

Every place in “10 Top Things to Do in Cairns”. Save places in the guide to make this list yours.

  1. 1

    Great Barrier Reef from Cairns - The Iconic Snorkelling and Diving

    The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system - a UNESCO World Heritage Site covering 344400 square km along Australia's north-east coast. Cairns is the most popular base for reef trips - 30-90 minute…

    Address
    Cairns Marlin Marina, 1 Spence Street, Cairns, QLD 4870
    Nearest transit
    Walking from Cairns city centre to Marlin Marina
  2. 2

    Daintree Rainforest - The 180-Million-Year-Old Rainforest

    The Daintree Rainforest is the oldest continually-existing rainforest on earth - 180 million years old, predating the Amazon by approximately 110 million years. The 1200-square-km area is UNESCO-listed as part of the…

    Address
    Daintree Rainforest, Daintree, QLD 4873
    Nearest transit
    Day tour from Cairns (90-min drive) or rental car
  3. 3

    Kuranda Scenic Railway - The Rainforest Train Journey

    The Kuranda Scenic Railway is a 37 km heritage train from Cairns to the rainforest village of Kuranda - built 1882-1891 to serve the Mareeba goldfields. The 90-minute journey climbs 327 metres through tropical…

    Address
    Cairns Station, Bunda Street, Cairns, QLD 4870
    Nearest transit
    Cairns Station, walking from city centre
  4. 4

    Cairns Esplanade and Lagoon - The Free Tropical Pool

    The Cairns Esplanade is the 2.5 km waterfront promenade running along the city's eastern edge - the central social space and the best free attraction in Cairns. The Esplanade Lagoon at the southern end is a…

    Address
    Cairns Esplanade, Cairns, QLD 4870
    Nearest transit
    Walking from any city centre accommodation
  5. 5

    Skyrail Rainforest Cableway - The World's Longest Gondola

    Skyrail is a 7.5 km gondola cable car between Cairns and Kuranda - opened in 1996 and the world's longest gondola at the time. The 90-minute trip glides above the rainforest canopy at 40 metres elevation, with 2…

    Address
    Skyrail Cairns Terminal, 6 Skyrail Drive, Smithfield, QLD 4878
    Nearest transit
    Skyrail shuttle bus from Cairns hotels (30-min ride)
  6. 6

    Green Island - The Coral Cay Day Trip

    Green Island is a 12-hectare coral cay 27 km north-east of Cairns - the closest reef island to the city and the standard easier-than-the-outer-reef alternative for snorkelling. The island combines a small rainforest…

    Address
    Green Island, Great Barrier Reef, QLD 4871
    Nearest transit
    Ferry from Cairns Marlin Marina (45 min)
  7. 7

    Fitzroy Island - The Mountain Island Day Trip

    Fitzroy Island is a 339-hectare continental island 29 km south-east of Cairns - geologically older than Green Island (a continental island rather than a coral cay) with a mountainous interior, Nudey Beach (consistently…

    Address
    Fitzroy Island, Great Barrier Reef, QLD 4871
    Nearest transit
    Fitzroy Island Adventures ferry from Cairns Marlin Marina (45 min)
  8. 8

    Cape Tribulation - Where Rainforest Meets Reef

    Cape Tribulation is the headland where the Daintree Rainforest meets the Great Barrier Reef coast - the only place on earth where 2 UNESCO World Heritage natural sites meet at sea level. Named by Captain Cook in 1770…

    Address
    Cape Tribulation, Daintree National Park, QLD 4873
    Nearest transit
    Day tour from Cairns (3.5-hour drive each way)
  9. 9

    Kuranda Village - The Rainforest Village Day Trip

    Kuranda is a rainforest village 25 km north-west of Cairns - a hill-station retreat developed since the 1880s when the railway connected the goldfields. The village population is just 3000 but tourist numbers exceed 1…

    Address
    Kuranda Village, Kuranda, QLD 4881
    Nearest transit
    Scenic Railway from Cairns or Skyrail Cableway
  10. 10

    Hartley's Crocodile Adventures - The Crocodile Farm

    Hartley's Crocodile Adventures is a wildlife park 40 km north of Cairns - the local centre for seeing the saltwater crocodiles that inhabit the rivers and estuaries of North Queensland. The 22-hectare site combines a…

    Address
    Hartley's Crocodile Adventures, Captain Cook Highway, Wangetti, QLD 4877
    Nearest transit
    Hartley's shuttle bus from Cairns hotels (40-min ride)

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