Cairns, one of Australia’s foremost holiday destinations, is the international gateway to the Wet Tropics Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef of Tropical North Queensland, as well as Queensland’s Outback. It is a tropical city, and one which has undergone considerable rejuvenation in recent years, meaning Cairns offers an attractive combination of tradition and modernity. It has a vibrant marina, and on the Esplanade, designer shops and gourmet restaurants can be found in amongst more traditional businesses.

Cairns Highlands

Beyond the city, explore the Cairns Highlands, home to small villages, plenty of adventure and a fascinating history. Most visitors to the tropical north of Queensland take a trip to Kuranda, just a 20 minute drive from Cairns. Kuranda Village boasts a famous craft market and shops, a butterfly park and noctarium, as well as plenty of cafes, bars and restaurants.

The Kuranda Train is the original pioneer steam train that winds its way up through the rainforest across gorges and waterfalls to the picturesque Kuranda Station. The Skyrail is the world’s longest gondola ride linking Kuranda with Caravonica Lakes at the bottom of the range. Gliding high above the rainforest canopy, with spectacular views over the vegetation and wildlife below is truly a Queensland experience not to be missed.

Northern Beaches

Again, away from central Cairns lie the Cairns beaches, palm lined tropical beaches starting just a 10 minute dive from the city and stretching 15 miles north along the coast. Flanked on the west by the McAlister Mountains, on the south by the Baron River and the Coral Sea on the east, the beaches include Machans, Trinity, Kewarra, Clifton, Holloways, Ellis Beach and Palm Cove, all of them popular and rich in a variety of accommodation types. Palm Cove is Australia’s “Spa Capital”, and reputedly Australia’s cleanest beach.