Discover the Top 9 Must-Visit Attractions in Cairns for First-Time Visitors
Not sure how to have fun in Cairns? Here’s a painstakingly compiled guide! One post is better than ten! 👍
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1⃣ Great Barrier Reef
Duration: 1 day
Recommended activities: Great Barrier Reef boat trip / Great Barrier Reef scenic flight
🚢 Popular outer reef cruises
Sunlover Reef Cruises / Dreamtime Dive & Snorkel / Quicksilver Cruises
🚢 Inner reef activities
Green Island / Fitzroy Island
Reasons for recommendation: The Great Barrier Reef is divided into the outer and inner reefs.
Corals grow from the islands, consisting of more soft corals, with smaller fish. Outer reef corals grow from the seabed, which is spectacular, with more varieties of hard corals and larger fish.
2⃣ Kuranda Rainforest
Duration: 1 day
Recommended activities: Scenic railway / Tropical rainforest park / Kuranda Skyrail / Wildlife sanctuary
Reasons for recommendation: The world’s oldest tropical rainforest 🌳, recommended for those who love natural scenery and hiking!
Hug a koala + Indigenous dance performances + WWII amphibious vehicles and the flea market in the town.
3⃣ Palm Cove
Duration: 1-2 hours
Reasons for recommendation: 2025 Conde Nast Traveler Best Beach in the World, must go on a sunny day!! It’s simply Australia’s Hawaii, guaranteed to be picturesque.
4⃣ Barron River
Duration: Half a day
Recommended activity: Barron River rafting
Reasons for recommendation: Both banks are lined with pristine tropical rainforest, and the river section is close to the estuary, with a drop of about 200-500 meters, suitable for first-time rafters.
5⃣ Mission Beach
Duration: 2-3 hours
Recommended activity: Skydiving at Mission Beach
Reasons for recommendation: Experience skydiving and landing on the beach, with a bird’s-eye view of Mission Beach, where you can see spectacular coral reefs, the azure sea, and lush tropical rainforests.
It’s one of the most beautiful skydiving spots in Australia.
6⃣ Daintree Rainforest
Duration: 3-4 hours
Reasons for recommendation: Daintree National Park is a unique natural wonder, home to one of the world’s oldest rainforests 🌳 and is also a famous World Heritage site.
7⃣ Cairns Aquarium
Duration: 1-2 hours
Reasons for recommendation: Located in the city center, within walking distance, with many rare animals and over 1,500 species, highly recommended by many as a must-visit.
8⃣ Paronella Park
Duration: 2-4 hours
Reasons for recommendation: This ancient and magical park inspired the anime “Laputa: Castle in the Sky” by Hayao Miyazaki. The park features magnificent castles, charming gardens, and waterfalls, filled with a mysterious and romantic atmosphere.
9⃣ Cairns Night Markets
Duration: 1-2 hours
Reasons for recommendation: A food court with flavors from around the world, recommended crepes from the crepe shop, and various retail stalls selling clothes, accessories, and all kinds of handicrafts.
