CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA (2025) | 10 Awesome Things To Do In & Around Cairns (+ Travel Tips)

What's up guys, we're here in Cairns, Australia and in this video we're going to show you our top things to do in the area. So hope you enjoy it. The city of Cairns is located on the northeast coast of Queensland. It's nestled on a narrow coastal strip between the Great Dividing Range and the Coral Sea. This unique position is highlighted by the fact that it's the only place on earth where two world heritage areas exist side by side. The Great Barrier Reef and the wet tropics blend into each other making this area a premier destination for both marine exploration and rainforest adventures. In this video we'll share our top things to do in and around Cairns which are perfect for a first time visit. At the end we'll also share a few travel tips. Now let's dive in. We are Zach and Ina. We make helpful videos about destinations around the world so you can easily plan your own adventures. Located along the city's waterfront the Esplanade Lagoon is a big man-made saltwater swimming pool. Cairns itself doesn't have a traditional tourist beach since the waterfront is lined with mangroves and tidal mud flats so this is the only swimming option in the center. The atmosphere is relaxed and social with locals and tourists enjoying the sandy edges and grassy areas. It's free to use and is open year-round. There are also a handful of cafes and shops surrounding the lagoon. Situated almost directly behind the lagoon is the Cairns Night Market. This covered market is open every night of the year typically from 4 30 to 11 pm. You can find a wide array of goods here from local souvenirs to handcrafted jewelry clothing and aboriginal art. There's also massage services available which is a nice option after a snorkel or dive session in the surrounding waters. Additionally you can find a food court with a diverse range of international cuisines offering a great spot to grab an affordable dinner. Along the waterfront in the city you'll find a two and a half kilometer or one and a half mile stretch of parklands known as the Cairns Esplanade. This area serves as the social and recreational hub. The best way to experience it is by taking a scenic walk or bike ride along the path all the way to the Marlin Marina but you'll also find a diverse range of excellent cafes and restaurants in this area. The evenings are particularly cozy as many of the restaurants have outdoor seating. The Cairns Botanic Gardens are located in the suburb of Edge Hill just a short drive or bus from the city center. Renowned for having one of the best exhibitions of tropical plants in Australia the gardens are a lush living museum that showcase the diverse flora of the wet tropics and beyond. Inside its boundaries you'll find a variety of themed areas such as the rainforest boardwalk, the Gondwanan Heritage Garden, and some picturesque lakes. For us the highlight was the Watkins Monroe Martin Conservatory, home to the garden's most valuable and tender plants. Entry to the gardens is free and this is a great option if you don't have time to go all the way to the Daintree Rainforest which we'll talk about later in the video. To experience picturesque sandy beaches a trip north from Cairns is essential. The city's northern beaches are located between 15 minutes to an hour's drive away. Palm Cove is a popular choice and is close to the city. This idyllic seaside village is known for its relaxed atmosphere, a great swimming beach, and a strip of charming shops and restaurants. For a more rugged experience Ellis Beach is a stunning and tranquil option. We had our lunch here with nobody else around and enjoyed the shade of some overhanging palm trees. About 40 kilometers or 25 miles further north the famous Four Mile Beach in Port Douglas is another sought after spot. You can relax on its shores or do a 10 minute hike to a great viewpoint overlooking the beach. The town of Port Douglas itself also has many nice shops and places to cool off on a hot day. A scenic 1 hour and 20 minute drive from Cairns is Mossman Gorge which is part of the Daintree National Park. This gorge is renowned for its crystal clear river which flows over ancient granite boulders within a lush rainforest. Access to the gorge is by a 45 minute walk or a short shuttle bus from the cultural center which runs about every 15 minutes from 8 a.m to 5 p.m. The area holds deep cultural significance for the traditional aboriginal owners of the land. The best way to experience its magic is on a guided one and a half hour dreamtime walk. On this short trek a local guide shares stories of their history, performs a welcome smoking ceremony, demonstrates traditional plant uses, and explains how body painting is used in their culture. These here patterns right not just for the arms all over the body especially if we're going out hunting we'll just see a clay but if we're doing other things like dancing singing and this is where we mix the other colors and that's a bit of charcoal from the fire and we got some ochres it's a way of how we represent who we are and the totems that we have been given. For a truly epic day trip head to the Atherton Tablelands. This lush plateau is located to the southwest of Cairns. Here you can find a variety of natural attractions from cascading waterfalls to spectacular national parks and glistening lakes. We recommend driving the waterfall circuit a long drive of about 220 kilometers or 137 miles which requires at least four hours of total driving time. Begin with a quick stop at Lake Bahrin for a tea house visit then drive to the heart of the circuit to see the three famous waterfalls. Each can be reached by a short but muddy walk from their respective parking lots. As the day starts to wind down visit the quaint town of Yungaburra. Arriving a few hours before sunset gives you the best chance to spot unique wildlife along the nearby Peterson Creek. We just spotted a platypus right in front of us. We did this route as a detour from Mission Beach on our way to Cairns. It's a great one-way option if you're coming from the south. As the world's largest coral reef system the Great Barrier Reef stretches for over 2,300 kilometers or 1,430 miles. Cairns is often considered the gateway to the reef since the outer section can be reached by a fairly short boat trip. Many snorkel tours and dive adventures depart daily from Marlin Marina with both half-day and full-day options. We chose a half-day snorkel tour which took us on a one-hour speedboat journey to the outer reefs. While the outer section was definitely a bucket list item for us we found the experience quite rough. This was due to strong winds, high waves, and heavy currents. In retrospect a snorkeling tour to a protected bay on a nearby island such as Green Island or Fitzroy Island would probably have been more enjoyable for the day. These usually offer a calmer more sheltered environment. Located about two hours north from Cairns the Daintree is the world's oldest continually surviving rainforest. A visit here often begins with a one-hour tour on the Daintree River. For us this was a definite highlight of our trip as we saw lots of wild crocodiles while learning interesting facts from the guide on board. After the tour we crossed the river via the car ferry which brought us into the heart of the forest. Here we explored various boardwalks and saw the famous Cape Tribulation. Unfortunately the water was very murky during our visit due to recent storms but if you catch it on a good day it could be stunning shades of blue here. All of the stops are easily accessible with your own vehicle as the roads are paved and while a day trip from Cairns is possible we highly recommend staying a night inside the park. This will allow time to fully immerse yourself in the rainforest's unique sights and sounds. You can find a separate video about the Daintree rainforest on our channel as well highlighting everything you need to know about this special place. Karanda is a village nestled in the rainforest just a short distance northwest of Cairns. Getting here is an experience in itself as you can opt for a ride on the skyrail as well as a historic train trip instead of driving a car. We chose a combination of both beginning with the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. This silent 7.5 kilometer or 4.7 mile journey will take you over the wet tropics rainforest offering amazing views. It takes about one and a half hours including stops at two different stations for short walks and viewpoints. Upon arriving in the town we had a few hours to explore its eclectic mix of shops and markets. The rainforest market was our favorite with its unique setting and laid-back vibe. For the return trip we boarded the famous Karanda Scenic Railway. This historic train journey took us through tunnels and across bridges passing beautiful waterfalls. In fact it even made a stop at the majestic Barron Falls Lookout. We concluded our day at Freshwater Railway Station before catching a bus back to Cairns. We booked this as a self-guided tour package which included all the transportation fees. Now we'll go over our travel tips for Cairns. First, the best time to visit Cairns is during the dry season from May to October. This period offers pleasant temperatures, low humidity, and minimal rain. However, keep in mind that this also tends to be the windiest time of the year. This can impact some activities like boat trips to the outer Great Barrier Reefs. We visited at the end of June and had quite unpredictable weather with a mix of rain, clouds, wind, and sunshine. There was still a lot of runoff from the rivers as well which gave the water a murky brown appearance. Stay safe in the water by being aware of marine stingers and saltwater crocodiles. During stinger season from November to May, always wear a full body stinger suit and swim only in designated net enclosures at patrolled beaches. For crocodiles, be croc-wise. This means avoid swimming in estuaries, river mouths, and murky water and always obey warning signs. The beaches north of Port Douglas and around Cape Tribulation have a higher crocodile risk and it's best to avoid swimming here. For all ocean swimming, the safest option is to stay between the red and yellow flags at patrolled beaches. Getting around Cairns is tricky as many of the main attractions are outside the city center. While the city itself is quite walkable and has a public bus system, a rental car is often the best option. A car gives you the freedom and flexibility to explore the Daintree Rainforest, the Atherton Tablelands, and the beautiful northern beaches at your own pace. If you're primarily staying in the city and relying on organized tours, the bus or rideshare services like Uber are a perfectly viable alternative. We visited Cairns as part of our three and a half week Queensland road trip, which started in Brisbane. We have a separate video about this entire journey on our channel in case you're interested in doing a similar trip. And make sure to check out the description below the video for important links to the activities that we mentioned. We'll catch you on the next adventure.