Cairns is the base for the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest, with Port Douglas, Kuranda and Cape Tribulation nearby. June to October is dry and comfortable; stinger season runs November to May.
Good to know
- Wear a stinger suit in the water from November to May.
- Choose reef trips that go to the outer reef for clearer water.
- Rent a car to explore the Daintree and Cape Tribulation.
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Places the planner can use
Mark places as a must or something to skip. The itinerary is built only from this list; ★ marks the destination’s highlights.
Free swimming lagoon by the sea, safe year round.
Modern aquarium with reef, river and rainforest exhibits, a good option on rainy or stinger days.
Evening market with a food court, souvenirs and cheap massages along the Esplanade.
Fresh prawns and barramundi with water views.
Full-day boat trip to vibrant coral and fish, with diving options.
Ancient tropical forest with boardwalks, river crocs and cassowaries.
Historic railway up and a cable car down over the rainforest canopy.
Where the rainforest meets the reef on a wild beach.
Relaxed town with beach, markets and reef boat departures.
Swimming holes and Indigenous-guided Dreamtime walks.
Aboriginal dance, didgeridoo and boomerang throwing.
Upland road trip to Millaa Millaa Falls, crater lakes and dairy farms with cooler weather.