Cairns Travel Guide – Great Barrier Reef & Daintree Rainforest

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Guest post by Natalie and Steve of Curious Campers

The tropical north Queensland town of Cairns is the perfect base for exploring two of Australia’s World Heritage-listed natural wonders – the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. It is a beautiful part of Australia, where rainforest meets reef.

This Cairns travel guide tells you everything from the best time to visit Cairns and how to get to Cairns, to the best things to do in Cairns and how to see the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest. If you have enough time, it also describes a beautiful and fun road trip from Cairns to Mission Beach.

Getting to Cairns

You can get to Cairns by road and air. Most travellers coming into Australia’s east coast will arrive in Sydney or Brisbane and there are regular connecting flights to Cairns from those cities as well as the southern capitals of Melbourne and Adelaide.

If you have the time, you can do a road trip up the coast to Cairns – but remember Australia is a big country. By road it is 2500km from Sydney to Cairns and 1700km from Brisbane to Cairns so you will want to have plenty of time. Flying to Cairns will save you time and money.

Best time to visit Cairns

Cairns has two seasons – The wet season from November to March when there is high rainfall and humidity and the dry season from April to October when the humidity drops, it stops raining and there is a cooling breeze.

The average temperature in the wet season is 31 degrees Celsius but the humidity and lack of wind makes it feel much warmer. The average dry season temperature is 27 degrees Celsius, and the breeze takes the edge off the humidity.

While the wet season is a great time to see the nearby waterfalls in full flight, the runoff from heavy rains can affect the visibility for snorkelers and divers on the Great Barrier Reef. There are also nasty jellyfish or ‘stingers’ in the water in the wet season so when snorkelling you must wear a stinger suit. The best months to visit Cairns are June to September – the weather is beautiful and there are no stingers to worry about.

Do you need to hire a car in Cairns?

There are many tours to the Great Barrier Reef, the Daintree Rainforest and other Cairns’ attractions that will pick you up from your accommodation. So, if you are just in Cairns for a week to do these things you can get away without a car.

But there are also a lot of fun day trips from Cairns and if you want the flexibility to go where you want, when you want having a car will let you do that. There are a lot of beautiful beaches, waterfalls, swimming holes and wildlife experiences you can get to if you have your own transport.

There are plenty of hire car providers in Cairns and they all do pick up/drop off from Cairns Airport.

How long do you need in Cairns?

At a minimum, you should allow one day to see the Great Barrier Reef and up to two days to experience the Daintree Rainforest. Then there are things to see and do in and around Cairns like Kuranda Rainforest Village, the Atherton Tablelands and maybe a white water rafting trip. You could stay in Cairns for 5 to 7 days and have no trouble keeping busy.

What to pack for Cairns

Cairns has a tropical climate so light, loose-fitting clothing is the way to go. Whether you are on the reef, cooling off in a rock pool or relaxing by a pool or beach, you will need something to swim in. Tour operators provide all the snorkelling and diving gear you need. The sun has some bite so you’ll need sunblock, the rainforests can have a bite too, so it is also worth having some bug spray.

Snorkeling and diving on the Great Barrier Reef

An absolute highlight of a Cairns holiday is the chance to experience the incredible marine life on the Great Barrier Reef. No matter your swimming ability, there is a Great Barrier Reef tour for you.

There are two main ways to swim on the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns – go to a Great Barrier Reef Island or go on a cruise to the outer reef.

Great Barrier Reef Islands

If spending all day on a boat isn’t your thing, then a trip out to an island is a great option. The two most popular island tours are to Fitzroy Island or Green Island. Tours to both islands leave from the Cairns Marina, they both take about 60 minutes to get to, and there is great snorkelling right off the beach. And if you want to stay longer, both islands also have accommodation.

Fitzroy Island is a little bit bigger, there are some stunning beaches and if you want to spend time out of the water, the hike to the top of the island is hard but has amazing views. Both islands are surrounded by coral bommies where you will see lots of fish and you are a great chance of spotting a sea turtle. Both also offer glass bottom boat tours and guided snorkels.

Another option is Frankland Island. This tour drives you south of Cairns where the cruise leaves from a river location and makes its way out to the island. Unlike Green and Fitzroy Island, only one operator goes to Frankland Island, so it is not as busy, and the tour includes guided snorkel and semi-submersible tours.

Snorkeling and diving on the outer Great Barrier Reef

This is why so many people come to Cairns, the chance to see the spectacular coral and abundant marine life on the outer reef. There are multiple operators running full day trips to the outer reef and most offer both snorkelling and diving. Even if you are not a strong swimmer, there are flotation aids to give you the confidence to be in the water to see the amazing underwater world.

Some outer reef operators go to their own pontoon – a floating mini resort – where you can stay overnight, there are activities for children, glass bottom boat and semi-submersible tours and guided snorkelling options. The pontoons are moored on more shallow parts of the reef so provide a great experience for all levels of swimmers.

Outer Reef tours include stinger suits, snorkelling gear, lunch and afternoon tea. If you have never dived before, most outer reef tours also have beginner scuba diving experiences which are a great way to see the reef.

Discovering the Daintree

The Daintree Rainforest is the oldest tropical rainforest in the world, and it is a lush, beautiful place to explore with incredible trees, waterfalls, and river gorges. The southern end of the Daintree is a 60-minute drive from Cairns.

While you can get to the Daintree from Cairns, there are plenty of tours; consider spending a few days in Port Douglas. It is smaller than Cairns and has laid back feel with lots of great cafes and resorts, and the main beach – 4 Mile Beach – is simply stunning.

Mossman Gorge swim and walks

Mossman Gorge is at the southern end of the Daintree Rainforest, and it is just over a 60-minute drive from Cairns and only 15 minutes from Port Douglas. There are day tours here from Cairns. The Mossman River tumbles over giant granite boulders surrounded on either side by the Daintree Rainforest.

There are some walking tracks through the forest and there is a swimming spot where you can cool off in a calm section of the river. There is also an excellent tour you can do with an indigenous Kuku Yalanji guide where you learn how they use the rainforest as their supermarket, pharmacy and classroom.

For a unique experience you can float through the rainforest and snorkel in the Mossman River. This tour walks you through the rainforest then you get into the river, snorkel amongst the jungle perch and freshwater turtles, then float on a lilo further downstream through the forest. It is one of the most fun and unusual ways to see the Daintree and a must do when you are in Cairns.

Experience the Daintree at Cape Tribulation

At nearly 3 hours from Cairns, Cape Tribulation is in the heart of the Daintree Forest. From the Daintree Rainforest Discovery Centre, you can go on elevated walks through the canopy. There are also several self-guided rainforest boardwalks where you can take in the wonder of the forest and learn about the connection the indigenous Kuku Yalanji people have to the land.

From Cape Tribulation you can also blast out to the Great Barrier Reef on a super-fast rubber duck-style boat. It is one of the closest access points to the reef in North Queensland. When you get back to shore, relax on beaches where the sand and rainforest meet.

For a different view of the rainforest and to see some of its wildlife, the Daintree River Cruise is a great experience. It is a chance to see a giant saltwater crocodile up close in its natural habitat along with a host of water birds, eagles, and you might even spot some fish and rays.

More things to do from Cairns

Going on to the Great Barrier Reef is only part of visiting Cairns. There is a lot to do in Cairns and there are many fun day trips from Cairns you can do on your own or as a tour.

Relax at the Esplanade Pool

There is no beach in Cairns, just a big mud flat, but to make up for it there is a brilliant lagoon pool where you can go to cool off. The Cairns Esplanade is a great place to go for a walk, check out the sculpture trail and there are some fantastic playgrounds for travelling families. It is just minutes from Cairns’ CBD hotels and there are bars and cafes nearby.

Not far off The Esplanade you will find the Cairns Aquarium. So, if you can’t get enough of colourful marine life this is an amazing spot to visit. The displays not only feature fish from the reef and Coral Sea, but you can also see up close what lives in North Queensland’s rivers and lakes. The displays are spectacular, you will feel like you are in the water with the fish and turtles.

Explore the Rainforest Village of Kuranda:

Getting to Kuranda is half the fun. You can catch the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway one way with views over the forest and waterfalls. On the way back take the Scenic Railway which includes a stop at the impressive Baron Falls. In Kuranda, stroll around two markets full of local art, craft and produce or visit the Koala Gardens, Bird World or the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary.

Follow the waterfall trail through the Atherton Tablelands

With over a dozen waterfalls, the gorgeous Lake Echam formed in a volcanic crater, rainforest walks and the castle in the forest at Paronella Park, the waterfall circuit is a great drive if you have your own transport. There are also tours from Cairns that take in the highlights of the Water Fall circuit including beautiful Millaa Millaa Falls and the spectacular Curtain Fig tree.

Beyond the Rainforest and Reef

While getting out to the Great Barrier Reef and going to the Daintree Rainforest are the best known things to do around Cairns, there is a lot more to see in the area. The road trip south from Cairns to Mission Beach takes less than 2 hours but it is action packed.

Checkout the swimming holes at Behana Gorge and at the Babinda Boulders. Spot a cassowary walking along the beach at beautiful Etty Bay. Drive alongside Mount Bartle Frere – Queensland’s tallest mountain – and go white water rafting on Australia’s best rapids at Tully.

There is a huge amount to do in tropical north Queensland, so a final bit of travel advice when you go on your holiday to Cairns – give yourself enough time to take in all the incredible natural beauty the region has to offer.

Cairns Accommodation

From luxury hotels to budget-friendly hostels, there is a full range of accommodations in Cairns. Many tours will pick up from your CBD accommodation. If you want to be nearer a beach, the northern suburb areas of Trinity Beach and Palm Cove are beautiful, but some tours will not pick up from there.

Author Bio

Natalie and Steve manage Curious Campers, a popular Australian travel website featuring experiences, wildlife encounters and road trips for people wanting information and inspiration while travelling Australia. You can connect with Curious Campers on their Facebook group Experience Australia.

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