Cairns
Australia
- Safety rating
- 8/10
- Best time to visit
- The dry season from May to October brings sunny days, calm seas, and ideal reef conditions. The wet season (November to April) is hot, humid, and prone to jellyfish.
- Population
- 0.2M
Overview
The tropical gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and the ancient Daintree Rainforest, Cairns is an adventurer's basecamp in Far North Queensland. Its relaxed esplanade, dive boats, and rainforest railways draw travelers chasing reef and rainforest wonders.
Top attractions
Snorkel or dive the Great Barrier Reef, ride the Skyrail cableway and Kuranda Scenic Railway over the rainforest, and cool off at the free Cairns Esplanade Lagoon.
Getting around
The compact centre and Esplanade are easily walkable, with buses and taxis for the suburbs and beaches. Most reef and rainforest trips include hotel pickups.