Holiday In Cairns Must Do

[Manxie]

Hi

We are going to Cairns on holiday in May, DH and my DD who will be 22 months. We are staying with inlaws based in Cairns and they also have another place north of Cairns (cant remember the name of the place).

So...... I'm very excited and just want to know what are the must do's in and around Cairns.

I have read about the train/cable cars through the rainforest:yelclap:

Also wouldnt mind fitting in a dive as we are both divers.

What good kiddie things are there to do?

Also was thinking of going to one of the Islands for a few days just to give the inlaws some space and also as it will be our 10 year anniversary Valentine . We are not into flash places just basic, love camping etc so any recommendations?

Hope you can help me girls.

[Aquamarine]

We went to Cairns for a holiday May last year and spent alot of time in the town in the man-made swimming pool. It is great. We also went to the Daintree, the Aboriginal culture centre.

There is also a great little race car track for the kids. My boys loved it.

[Snuffys Mum]

I would recomend Kuranda. There are cool markets and the butterfly park is great for kids.

As for islands, I'd recommend Green Island. Great for snorkling.

[Manxie]

thank you guys, keep them comming, just off to check out Green Island -ooh I LOVE holidays!

[mumski]

Sounds like a nice holiday. I live just an hour south and I would definitely recommend Muddy's playground on the Esplanade for a fun and inexpensive day out with the kids, take their swimmers too, the water play is lots of fun.
Cairns Tropical Zoo is great too, its just north of Cairns. Green Island will be a great place for a day trip with the kids that you could also include some diving. For overnight camping I'd probably recommend Dunk Island but its a bit further south of Cairns (an hour and a half) I think they also have camping at the Frankland Islands which are a little closer.

Have a great time!

[MammaMia]

Snorkelling off Green Island! Fantastic!!!!:thumbsup:

[Manxie]

Thank you. Is Green Island somewhere you can go and stay for a couple of nights? What is the diving like there?

[MonkeyMum05]

Oh, pleeeaaase go to the butterfly sanctuary!! It is absolutely amazing!!

[Becteria]

In the daintree there is an amazing swimming hole.

Also goldsborough forest has great camping.

[Manxie]

Ok have just added the butterfly sanctuary to my "favourites", sounds great!



Keep them comming, its so great to get all these ideas especially from kid friendly people!:D

[mumski]

Hi,
Yes I think there's accomodation at Green, although its a little pricey. My Mum and Dad had their honeymoon there, long long ago! I think it was only $30 for the whole weekend back then including the boat trip!

[Wondermum]

A boat trip to Green Island is beautiful! Free relaxing swim in the Lagoon pool at Cairns Esplanade. Skyrail cableway and Kuranda train is good. We also hired a car and drove to the Port Douglas markets.

Have a lovely time...:thumbsup:

[BabyJoy]

Hi, just spotted this thread and thought I'd add my two cents because.... I live here! :D

Kuranda railway had a landslide not too long ago and is currently out of operation, but I'm sure it will be fine by May when you get here. Also in Kuranda is a bird sanctuary - pretty good for the kids. Just be warned... everything in Kuranda is overpriced for the tourists. ;) The Skyrail is fantastic, and Tjapukai Aboriginal Centre is also very good even for littlies.

If you have transport (I'm assuming you do because you are staying with relatives), a day trip to the Daintree is a good idea. Go on a Sunday and catch the Port Douglas markets first thing in the morning (they are much better than any markets in Cairns), then head to Daintree Village (it is before the river crossing - you will see the signs). The village has such a lovely atmosphere and often missed by tourists heading north to Cape Tribulation. From the village you can do a Daintree River tour and spot some crocs as well as other wildlife.

Mossman Gorge is probably the swimming hole that Maikysmum was talking about. It is FREEZING because the water is straight from the mountain, but very refreshing if it's a hot day! Also quite picturesque and nice for a picnic. So you can do Port Douglas, Mossman Gorge and the Daintree in one day easily!

Another good day trip is to head to Atherton Tableland (only about an hour from Cairns, maybe more depending on which highway you take and where your starting from) - there's heaps to do up there. A new safari park has opened up near Mareeba where you can see lions, rhinos, etc, - the kids will love that! And there's lots of great nature spots - a huge fig tree that's a sight to behold; crater lakes; lots of different waterfalls; and rainforest walks.

Muddy's Playground on the esplanade in Cairns is free, so is the lagoon. Not sure how old your kids are, but there's also plenty of shopping, cinemas and maze mania in town. The Go-Kart track is north of Cairns (about 10 minutes drive) on the Captain Cook Highway, and also near there is cable water skiing.

Since you are divers, I thought I should tell you that the snorkelling off Green Island is rather sad. You really have to go to the outer reef for good snorkelling and diving. If your kids are old enough to snorkel, then do an outer reef trip - you will get a much better "reef" experience than just going offshore to Green Is. Some of the bigger companies have pontoons on the reef with showers, toilets, cafe, dive gear and semi-submersible boats for non-swimmers. However, if you have little kids, Green Island is good because there is coral straight out from the beach, and the water is very shallow and calm. In May you still have a slight chance of getting stung by jellyfish so think about hiring a stinger suit - especially for the kids - these creatures are DEADLY. May is the end of the season for jellyfish, so you've definitely picked the right time of year to visit. Green Island also has a small crocodile farm which you can visit (for a price).

Google all of the above and you will find plenty of pictures, information, maps, etc. As a holiday destination, Cairns is all over the internet!
Enjoy your trip! :thumbsup:

[PunkyDiva]

By day the Green Island resort is full of Japanese daytrippers but if you stay they clear out late afternoon and the entire island is yours. Croc farm on the island too, very safe for kids to snorkel or swimm in resort pools. Might be exxy though as was quite a flash place. Cost us $120 for 2 adult day trippers.

Kuranda is a cairns must, leave credit cards behind as artwork is amazingly unique but priced for tourists, can catch the train up there.

Lake Placid about an hours drive is very relaxing, we drank, ate, canoed, slept and swam the rapids. Can hire canoes etc fairly cheaply there. Big croc two waterways over does come in occassionally though but there's a lifeguard person there.

Muddies playground on the foreshore is great for kids, with interactive waterfeatures, cycle path, shade, cafe.

I met up with one BH mum at Macca's for a cuppa and she was lovely but shy, my freind up there is a bit scary/intimidating looking though.

Sunscreen, hats, insect repellant, cool cotten clothes are necessities

Fresh food markets in Cairns central every Saturday are a sensory wonder, local food and cheap.

[Manxie]

Thank you so much guys, keep them comming!

My BIL has put DH off Green Island:rolleyes: so I am after somewhere dosent have to be one of the Islands where we can go for a few nights. I am thinking beach shack type accomodation, basic but not rough IYKWIM! Is there anywhere up the coast or somewhere in the Daintree that dosent cost the earth? Its our anniversary so I'd just like to find somewhere off the beaten track that dosent cost the earth.

I will be googling all your other suggestions.

We will have transport and DD will be 21months. BIL also dives so hoping we can do this in shifts but I guess we dont really want a long rough boat trip.

Thank you guys:D I'm getting very excited!

[Becteria]

Baby Joy when is the irikangi (SP) out?

I visited in Dec/Jan and couldnt swim in ocean...

[Snuffys Mum]

Baby Joy when is the irikangi (SP) out?

I visited in Dec/Jan and couldnt swim in ocean...

Stinger season in the tropics is November to April but the popular public swimming beaches will have stinger nets.

[BabyJoy]

Well, it probably was once November to April, but lifeguards who regularly sweep the swimming enclosures still find jellyfish out of season. Along the coast gets more box jellyfish, while irukandji are everywhere - outer reef as well.
The best times are from May to September. Any other time of year, I'd recommend hiring a stinger suit.

For your anniversary I would have highly recommended anywhere at Palm Cove - it's a honeymoon paradise full of gorgeous spa resorts and restaurants... but it comes at a cost, so instead I'd recommend a B&B at Daintree Village (not on the beach though but wonderful people, very peaceful and private), or you could do a search for somewhere at Mission Beach - it's a beautiful spot - I had my honeymoon there (on a budget!) There's also Cape Tribulation... but it's mostly full of backpackers, or overpriced exclusive resorts for the rich and famous {a bit like Port Douglas!}. Try Kewarra Beach Resort... it's quiet and smaller - has the most beautiful gardens, and is right on the beach. Might be half the price of Palm Cove which is just up the road.

I also think the boat ride out to the reef is absolutely worth it... the diving is great and the day trippers love it. Try and get on one of the fast Cats to the reef.

BTW Lake Placid gets croc visits regularly - I wouldn't take my chances swimming there!

[Manxie]

Thanks babyjoy - just off to google Kewerra Beach resort. I had looked at coconut beach resort at cape tibulation as they are doing some good deals at the moment but to be honest it looks a bit too nice for us, lol! I can't imagine the other guests being too thrilled with DD running wild.

Thank you for the suggestions

[Manxie]

Hi

Can anyone recommend a car rental company for Cairns.

Also does anyone know anything about Cape Tribulation Beach House & Resort?

Can anyone recommend accomodation for an overnight stay in Kuranda?



Trying to do a bit of trip planning this weekend, :D