-Day Relaxing Getaway: Explore Cairns’ Hidden Gems and Top Attractions

Let me be upfront: Cairns, to me, feels more like a sprawling suburb than a bustling city. The culinary scene is rather disappointing, and most eateries close their doors by 4 or 5 PM. My travel companion even joked that anyone with a zest for life would be driven away by the monotony here.

Day 1 ✈Cairns: We touched down at the airport at 7 PM, checked into our hotel, and then headed to a nearby restaurant for some hot pot 🫕. It was a Chinese-style hot pot place run by Malaysians, reminiscent of the revolving hot pot restaurants in China. This turned out to be the best meal I had in Cairns—an all-you-can-eat hot pot for just $55 per person, with an endless supply of meat. The shrimp and tripe were particularly outstanding.

Day 2 The highlight: Great Barrier Reef diving and snorkeling
The Great Barrier Reef is truly a marvel; you can see a vibrant array of corals and fish just by peering into the water. Despite getting seasick twice during the 2-hour boat ride, the experience was absolutely worth it.

Day 3 Kuranda Rainforest + Zoo
We hopped on a bus from the city to Smithfield Shopping Station, where we purchased cable car tickets to the Kuranda Rainforest. On the way up, we also stopped by the adjacent zoo. We learned that this is the only place in Australia where you can hold a koala. Unfortunately, we missed the 1:30 to 2:30 PM window for koala cuddles because we arrived too late.

However, we did get to touch a wide-awake koala and snapped some photos with kangaroos.
On the return trip, we took a scenic train ride through the rainforest. Be sure to catch the last train at 3:30 PM, or you’ll need to buy another cable car ticket back.

Day 4 Skydiving at Mission Beach
It’s a 2-hour drive to Mission Beach, but unfortunately, our skydiving plans were thwarted by bad weather that day.

Day 5 City skydiving + exploring the seaside area
We switched to skydiving from 15,000 feet. The jump itself was surprisingly calm, but watching the video afterward was exhilarating. I highly recommend giving it a try if you ever have the chance.

Day 6 ✈Melbourne
I couldn’t wait to leave. In Cairns, the streets are practically deserted by 6 PM, and there’s not much in the way of nightlife. So, while in Cairns, we embraced an early-to-bed, early-to-rise routine, which, admittedly, was quite healthy.