Cairns is a sophisticated city of 140,000 that caters to tourism. The city is encircled by tropical forests and is a springboard for trips to Kuranda and Daintree.
Cairns is accessible by flights, trains and car. Many international airlines fly into the airport, as do Australian domestic airlines. The Qeensland Railway travels to Brisbane and other cities. The Bruce Highway on the coast also connects to Brisbane.
Cairns is a sports devotee’s center with sky diving, trekking in the rainforests and mountains, Swimmers can enjoy the lagoon that is a public swimming pool with sand included. It is shallow and safe for family swim. The lagoon is a good place to swim between October and May when the stingers invade the local beaches making it unsafe to swim. While Cairns does not have beaches, travelers can take a bus to the north where there is sand and netting protecting the beaches during stinger season. Swimmers can also sun on the boardwalk near the lagoon even in the winter.
Hikers can go walking in the mountains around Cairns and enjoy the tropical rainforests around the mountain. Trekkers will find over 200 walking paths. This area has been designated a World Heritage Area. The book, Tropical Walking Tracks, delineates all the tracks around Cairns, plus those between Cooktown and Towns, and contains maps and directions.
Cairns Wildlife Dome is a stunning year-round wildlife display that is covered by a glass dome that is 20 m high. It is located on top of the Reef Hotel Casino. Inside the dome, visitors can see a duplicate of a rainforest with birds – lorikeets, parrots, and cockatoos and animals -kookaburras, koalas and frogmouths, wallabies, pythons, and crocodiles.
Cairns is also a center for scuba diving and boat sightseeing trips. Diving enthusiasts can arrange scuba diving trips and viewing the Great Barrier Reef.
Charters vary as to service and length of trips. Catamaran trips are also provided to Michaelmas Cay where travelers can reach the beach, which is a bird sanctuary on the Great Barrier Reef.
Cairns offers alternatives to diving. Skydiving is available for those who want to try tandem or single jumps. Enjoy the flight over the reef. Try ballooning s the weather is usually favorable. The trips fly inland to Atherton Tablelands. Hang Glide from Rex Point Lookout that is located half way from Cairns to Port Douglas. Ride rafts in white water ratting through the rivers in the rainforests.
Tourists can plan to take daily coach tours to many attractions around Carins. Sights include the Daintree River, Cairns Highlands, the tropical forests, Mossman Gorge, the Kuranda and Kuranda Scenic Railway, Australian Butterfly Sanctuary, , and Cape Tribulation.
Cairns hotels offer both budget and mid-priced hotels. Great accommodation can be found all year round for superb prices.
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