Of our two(ish) years in Australia, we’ve spent most of our time in Cairns. Eleven months to be exact. Joachim scouted the area when Laura was still finishing her studies in Belgium. We came back to live here for half a year, and when the time came to decide where to spend out last months in Oz, the choice was made pretty quick.
I mean, what’s not to love. It’s a nice town, not too big with a good mix of travellers and locals. The Great Barrier Reef and rain forest in our backyard, lovely weather especially in the dry season, falls, gorges and swimming holes galore.
We’ve done a lot of fun things in the past eleven months of living here, and we want to share our highlights with you!
Our MUST DO’s in and around Cairns
Table of Contents
1. Go diving / snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef
If you’ve been reading our blogs, you know this one had to be our first suggestion. We love diving, and the Great Barrier Reef is absolutely stunning. If you only have time for one activity in Cairns, this must be it! You won’t regret it, promise. Read more about dive spots in Australia here or about our experiences on the GBR here.
Joachim joining a turtle for a swim
2. Daintree Rain Forest
Explore the green lush rain forest, take a plunge in Mossman gorge, go on a crocodile tour and check out the pristine beaches of Cape Tribulation! Read more about our trip here!
The rainforest has plenty of beautiful walks!
3. Swim in the many gorges and water holes
One of our favourite activities on our days off, going for a swim! There are heaps of water holes, cascades and gorges around Cairns. Our hotspots are Josephine Falls and the Babinda Boulders!
Enjoying the view after a swim
4. Drink the best coffee in Cairns
We only discovered this gem recently, but it already made it on this list! Cruze has over twenty different types of beans, so if you like coffee (decaf, strong, weak or with a flavour) there’s something here for everyone. Their guys know what they’re doing!
So much choice!!
5. Visit the markets
Nothing beats browsing market stalls on a quiet chilled day. Luckily there’s plenty of markets to choose from around here!
- Rusty’s market is open every Friday to Sunday
- The night markets at the esplanade are fun, especially for a cheap massage
- Port Douglas has one every Sunday
- The markets in Kuranda are famous and attract a lot of tourists!
We got most of our fruit and veggies from Rusty’s Market
6. Try kangaroo, crocodile, emu and native bush foods
When we travel, trying the local foods is one of the things we love doing most. For us, it’s a big part of the culture. Try native bush foods like lemon myrtle, Davidson plum, rosella flower and wattleseed or taste wallaby, kangaroo, crocodile and emu. A good place to try all of these things is Ochre. They work with locally sourced food and native bush tucker. You’ll be surprised by how much more there is to Australian cuisine than sausage sizzles!
Our fave dessert at Ochre: Davidson plum mousse – photo credit Ochre
7. Port Douglas
This town just an hour north of Cairns has so much to offer! Besides the many resorts there, it also has some cute shops and restaurants. Perfect for a stroll on a nice day. Make sure to check out the sugar wharf which has some great views. The Rex Smeal Park next to it is a good spot to take a break from walking around town. Last but not least, have a beer in Hemingway’s Brewery! Read all about them in this post here.
Rex Smeal Park is a little paradise!
8. Tjapukai
This incredible indigenous experience really surprised us, which is why we had to mention it! Tjapukai offers a great introduction into the culture from this area. The guides are very knowledgeable and passionate. Read more about our full experience here!
One of the performers at Tjapukai, playing the didgeridoo
9. Relax at the lagoon
If you’ve done all the above things, or simply need a day of doing not too much, the lagoon is the place to be! It’s a beautiful spot right next to the esplanade. You can go for a swim, relax on the grass, have a smoothie and use the BBQ’s for a quick sausage sizzle! The esplanade is good to go for a stroll as well and make sure you’re still around when the sun sets!
The perfect place to wind down
10. Stroll around the Botanical Gardens
The gardens in Cairns are beautiful! It’s pretty much like all of the botanical gardens like Australia: different flora, relaxing fun atmosphere, great walks, .. you could even go for some more challenging walks higher up in the hills from there! There’s a nice place for lunch or grazing dinner called NOA close by as well! We wrote about them here, definitely worth checking them out!
Rainforest walk in the Botanical Garden
What place in Cairns do you think should be on this list? Comment below!
You might like these posts too:
Laura is the lead writer at BackpackBeliefs.com, where she specializes in travel guides, cultural exploration, and sustainable tourism. With over 10 years of travel experience and a Master’s degree in Cultural Anthropology, Laura brings valuable insights to her readers.
For the latest travel tips and updates, connect with Laura on Facebook at @backpackbeliefs and Instagram at @backpackbeliefs. where she has 4,622 followers.
