Cairns is a very popular tourist destination as it provides the best access to one of the Seven Wonders of the World: The Great Barrier Reef. If you are starting or ending your trip in Cairns, you should spend a few extra days here. Visit The Great Barrier Reef, take a rafting trip, go skydiving, bungy jumping or visit Cape Tribulation to get the full experience of the northern region of Queensland.
Population: 150,000
Vibe: Tropical, tourist town with heaps of adventure activities to get stuck into
Known as: The best spot to explore the Great Barrier Reef
THINGS TO SEE AND DO
Snorkel/Dive the Great Barrier Reef
Sail to the outer reef on a catamaran and then swim amongst colourful fish, turtles and incredible coral formations, this is a Stray passenger favourite in Cairns!
AJ Hackett Bungy
Home of Australia's best bungy jump, adrenaline junkies do NOT want to miss this! Why not take a (literal) leap out of your comfort zone and throw yourself off a 50m tower for fun?
Hang out by the lagoon
One of the local hotspots, the Cairns lagoon is an iconic 4800 square metre swimming pool. Filled with salt water from the Trinity Inlet, the lagoon offers respite from the tropical north Queensland heat (without any dangers of jellyfish or crocodiles!)
Cape Tribulation Tour
Located in the heart of the Daintree rainforest, Cape Tribulation is a special place that should be on your Oz bucket list if it isn't already! Take a day tour from Cairns and witness the incredible views, mountain ranges, beaches and wildlife.
Visit the Northern beaches
The Northern beaches are found just 15 minutes from Cairns CBD. The palm tree lined beaches stretch for 26km along the beautiful coastline, and the local Cairns bus service picks up and drops off passengers at nearly every single one of them!
WHERE STRAY STAYS
Adventure Tours: Gilligan's Cairns
Gilligan's is an award-winning adventure resort hotel located in Cairns CBD. It features a swimming pool, 3 bars and a beer hall, nightclub, restaurant and gaming lounge. There is often live music and everything opens from 10am. It's a great place to stay and perfect for exploring Cairns.
Address:
57-89 Grafton Street
Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia
View in Google Maps
Tel: +61 7 4041 6566
Select Tours: Mercure Cairns
The newly renovated Mercure Cairns is centrally located in the Cairns CBD. The hotel offers stylish guest rooms, a pool and an onsite restaurant and bar serving the finest locally sourced produce.
Address:
15 Florence Street
Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia
View in Google Maps
Tel: +61 7 4051 5733
CENTRAL CITY TO CAIRNS AIRPORT (or Visa Versa)
BY TAXI
A taxi to Cairns Airport costs around $25-$30 and takes about 20-40 minutes.
STRAY TOURS THAT VISIT CAIRNS
- Emu Adventure Tour
- Roo Adventure Tour
- Dingo Adventure Tour
- Kookaburra Select Tour
- Cassowary Select Tour
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