Destination Guide to Cairns, Australia

It is not easy feat for Cairns to rank as the fourth most popular tourist destination in Australia. After all, this country has alluring and magnificent cities like Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. One of the reasons, Cairns attracts tourists, especially backpackers from all around the world are because it has great tourist attractions and fabulous weather. To add icing to the cake is the fact that it is closely located to the Great Barrier Reef.

In addition, it has affordable accommodations and eating options for backpackers and classy accommodations and restaurants for people planning a luxurious vacation. In short, your Cairns tour can be tailored exclusively to your personal needs and requirements.

Cairns hold many attractions that are fun for the young and old. The best place to begin your Cairns travel is in Esplande, located in the CBD. This place has the best cafes, restaurants and bars in the city. There is also a huge lagoon located there, which is the area’s central meeting point. The lagoon is a great place to sit back with a book and relax.

Another top attraction of Cairns is the Kuranda Rainforest. The Skyrail rainforest cable car will give you a ride so that you can view the dense forest and its waterfall from the top. The cable car will stop at a 175m boardwalk where you will get to see the local wildlife up close and personal. The village of Kuranda is not far away and you can enjoy the laid-back pace of life there. It is also a home to interesting markets and quaint cafes.

Other attractions that you might want to check out are Flecker Botanic Gardens, Cairns Tropical Zoo, Cairns Night Zoo. Last but not least, be sure to ask your Cairn tour guide to take you to a day trip to the Great Barrier Reef. The world’s largest coral reef has unique sea life of it own that can’t be found anywhere else on the planet.

It is true Cairns events are not as big scale compared to cities like Sydney or Melbourne, however it does have some amazing festivals that can be an interest to all kinds of people. Festival Cairns for example is a much awaited festival that celebrates the local culture and lifestyle. It starts from the second last week of August and finishes somewhere in the beginning or middle of September. The Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, the Cairns Amateurs Racing Carnival and the Tropical Wave Festival are smaller events that are incorporated in the Festival Cairns.

Also the Pacific Toyota Grand Parade and Fireworks is a curtain raiser for the Festival Cairns. It attracts a crowd of more than 35000 people, due to its combination of fun and free family attractions. 

There are other such events in this place as well. Just ask your Cairns guide to list important events and festivals for you so that you can choose the best month to go there.

Esplande is not only the most happening place in Cairns, it also has a great number of restaurants, cafes and fast food chains. Conventional eaters can drop by McDonalds or KFC. If you like eating different cuisines then you should check out the restaurants in Cairns Night Markets. This place has different Asian cuisines that you might like to try. People on a simple budget should try restaurants like the Rattle and Hum. This is an affordable place that serves renowned wood-fired pizzas. Also be sure to try the seafood restaurants here which are dubbed as “Cairns food” because you won’t find such fabulous seafood anywhere else.