Cairns might be best known as a tourist hotspot, but there is a lot more to the tropical metropolis than just island hopping, glass bottom boat tours, scuba diving and nightclubs.

Cairns sees: the rainforest meet the reef; mountains shade the sparkling blue waters of Coral Sea; waterfalls frame lush farmlands; freshwater lakes pool in volcanic craters; and graceful old buildings with sweeping verandahs throw back to time when life was more leisurely.

Take in all that Cairns has to offer, explore nearby cities of Port Douglas and Atherton, or day trip to World Heritage listed natural wonders like the Daintree Rainforest and Great Barrier Reef.

Cairns Information

Population: 130,000
Area: 1,687 km²
Time Zone: GMT +10
Languages: English (official)
Currency: Australian dollar (AUD) Order your travellers cheques and cash through our partner AMEX.
Electricity: 220 – 240v 50Hz

Cairns Climate

Cairns’ position in the Wet Tropics, see the region experience hot and humid summers, and mild and dry winters. Rain is common between January and March, with an average rainfall of 1992mm, spread over 54 days of the year. December to March is monsoon season bringing thunderstorms and tropical cyclones. Temperatures sit between 23°C and 31°C in mid-summer and 18 °C and 28 °C in mid-winter.

• View local weather forecast for your holiday

Cairns Airport

Name: Cairns International Airport
Address: Airport Ave, Cairns, 4870
Website: www.cairnsairport.com
Distance to city: 8kms

Cairns Transport

Car hire: Great choice of hire cars at mates rates from our car suppliers.
Parking: Check out our great Cairns airport parking partner rates
Taxi: Journey time approx 15 minutes

Don’t forget your travel insurance!

The Sebel Cairns

5 Star Property

The Sebel Cairns Hotel is an elegant and luxurious Cairns accommodation experience in the heart of the city. Our superb Cairns accommodation includes 321 beautifully appointed guestrooms and suites.

Oaks Lagoons

4 Star Property

This resort is located just a 5min drive south of the Port Douglas village. Port Douglas is located an hour drive north of Cairns. Beautiful beaches, and the township of Port Douglas has many cafes and shops. Several cruises to the Great Barrier Reef depart from the Port Douglas marina.

Sea Temple Resort & Spa Port Douglas

5 Star Property

For the ultimate Port Douglas hotel, the Sea Temple Resort & Spa is the perfect base to visit the Great Barrier Reef, Cape Tribulation and Daintree Rainforest. Relax at our Port Douglas Day Spa with 8 treatment rooms or dine in Aqua restaurant, be entertained in our 2 bars or 18 hole Links-style Golf Course in one of Australia's most famous resort locations.

The Sebel Reef House & Spa Palm Cove

4 Star Property

Only 25 minutes north of Cairns International Airport, for luxury Palm Cove accommodation where rainforest meets Coral Sea our Palm Cove resort is ideally located for exploring Tropical North Queensland. Palm Cove accommodation with luxury king sized beds with balconies overlooking either the ocean or tropical gardens.

Dining

A thriving tourism industry has seen Cairns attract world-class chefs looking for business opportunities. Access to outstanding fresh local produce, in particular seafood from the Coral Sea and meat and produce from the Atherton Tablelands, has kept these renowned culinary experts in residence, leading Cairns’ restaurants to rank among the best in Australia – a huge feat for a city with a relatively small population.

Seafood is Cairns’ crowning culinary glory; with shiploads delivered everyday fresh from the bay and beyond. Barnacle Bills, on the Esplanade, serves and quality seafood with menus available in Japanese, German, French, and Italian. Also on the Esplanade, Charlies – one of Cairns' favourite restaurants – boasts the best of the regions seafood in buffet-style. Pesci’s On The Water, Cairns' only seafood restaurant overlooking the famous Marlin Marina, specialising in fresh local and southern seafood and modern Australian cuisine. Sheridan Gourmet Seafood’s fast-paced take away was recently voted best fish and chips in Cairns.

Infusing regional produce with exotic flavours there few restaurants in Cairns that plate up spectacular Modern Australian cuisine. Ochre Restaurant's incorporates Australian bush foods into innovative exciting dishes. Tjapukai night tours showcase the spirit of indigenous Australia, with four-course buffet dinners and live performance demonstrating the Aboriginal culture. Dundees On The Waterfront serves traditional Aussie meals such as crocodile, kangaroo, emu and buffalo, alongside a range of fresh seafood.

Cairns dining scene has a notably strong Asian influence on food. On the weekend at the Cairns Market, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laotian, Korean and Chinese stallholders gather to sell everything from limes to lemongrass and bananas to dragon fruit. Restaurants and dining experiences have emerged in the past few years bringing focus to the ever-changing Cairns’ food landscape of Asian cuisine. Bayleaf Balinese Restaurant offers the authentic flavours of the Balinese cuisine in a tropical ambience. Cherry Blossom Japanese Restaurant utilising fresh Great Barrier Reef seafood with the refined preparation styles of Japanese cooking. Hanuman celebrates Thai, Indian and Nonya culinary traditions with innovative and modern cuisine in an elegant setting.

Shopping

Cairns is a treasure trove of high fashion finds; it just takes local knowledge to know where to look. The CBD – in particular Lake, Shields and Grafton streets – is speckled with stylish boutiques, showcasing the latest in local, national and international fashions.

U Boutique, on Grafton Street, has an understated metropolitan style, hosting a simple but smart set-up with much-loved Australian labels, such as Fleur Wood, Tallulah, Rachel Gilbert and Bec & Bridge on the racks. Across the road, Tea Lily features a range of precious pieces from Akira, Lisa Ho and Metalicus. The Eye, on Shields Street, has a small selection of garments from Camilla, Flamingo Sands and Zimmerman hidden among the store’s huge range of swimwear. Delinquent, also on Grafton Street, has the boys covered with cool pieces from great on-trend brands. Up the road, Shivamoon is one the Cairns most talked-about boutiques, stocking an eclectic mix of designs, hand-picked by the store’s owner. While We’re on Lake St stocks some of the country’s finest labels, including Romance was Born, Antipodium, Sass & Bide, Lover and Cheap Monday – brands not often seen outside Australia’s capital cities.

Department giant Myer can also be found in the town’s CBD, alongside hundreds of speciality stores at the Cairns Central Shopping Centre. Cairns Central isn’t the only complex in town…. The Orchid Plaza also hosts a range of fashion, jewellery, gifts and souvenirs stores, alongside a post office.

The Pier Marketplace is Cairns’ most impressive retail destination. An urban lifestyle centre featuring dining options, shopping outlets, specialty stores, offices, a gym, health spa and a hotel. The Pier is a great place to stroll and shop.