Cairns in 3 days

The gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. Best time to visit: May-October (dry season). Average daily budget: $100 to $190 USD.

Day 1, Get oriented

Base: Cairns Esplanade, The lagoon, boardwalk, restaurants and the marina - the town's hub.

Morning: Great Barrier Reef snorkel or dive trip. A full-day boat to the outer reef - the reason you came. Book a quality operator.

Afternoon: Explore Cairns Esplanade, The lagoon, boardwalk, restaurants and the marina - the town's hub.

Evening: Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation. The world's oldest rainforest, river cruises for crocodiles, beaches with no one on them.

Eat: Fresh barramundi and reef fish

Day 2, Go deeper

Base: Port Douglas, An hour north - upmarket, Four Mile Beach, reef and Daintree access.

Morning: Skyrail and Kuranda Scenic Railway. Glide over the rainforest canopy one way, take the historic train back.

Afternoon: Explore Port Douglas, An hour north - upmarket, Four Mile Beach, reef and Daintree access.

Evening: Atherton Tablelands waterfalls. A circuit of swimming holes and waterfalls in the cool highlands.

Eat: Tropical fruit from the Rusty's Markets (weekends)

Day 3, Hidden side

Base: Palm Cove, A palm-lined beach village, calmer and more romantic.

Morning: Swim the Cairns Esplanade Lagoon. The free saltwater lagoon - Cairns has no city beach, so this is it.

Afternoon: Explore Palm Cove, A palm-lined beach village, calmer and more romantic.

Evening: Babinda Boulders and Josephine Falls - stunning swimming holes south of the city.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Esplanade waterfront dining

Hidden gems

Babinda Boulders and Josephine Falls - stunning swimming holes south of the city.
Crystal Cascades, a free local swimming spot in the rainforest.
Fitzroy Island - a quick ferry for reef snorkelling straight off the beach.
The Atherton Tablelands' Millaa Millaa Falls, the most photographed in Australia.

Getting around

Cairns town is walkable. For the reef and rainforest you'll join tours or hire a car - the coast road to Port Douglas and the Daintree is spectacular. The airport is 10 minutes from the centre. Note there's no swimmable city beach, hence the lagoon.

Safety

Safe town. The big cautions are natural: saltwater crocodiles in rivers and estuaries (never swim where signs warn), marine stingers from November to May (wear a stinger suit or swim in netted areas), and intense tropical sun. The wet season (Dec-Mar) brings heavy rain and humidity.

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