If you plan to explore the Great Barrier Reef or Queensland's rain forests, chances are you'll wind up in this tropical city on Australia's northeastern coast. Once a sleepy fishing village, Cairns seems intent on establishing its own identity and offering visitors a reason to stay around. Judging from the youthful crowds on our last visit, that's already beginning to happen, even though its shoreline is mostly mangrove mud flats. Cairns (pronounced
cans) has a pleasant downtown with palm trees lining the grassy promenade along the waterfront. Every other shop seems to be a tour operator touting reef excursions, but there's also a good range of accommodations, innovative restaurants and plenty of stores, from duty-free boutiques to fine-art galleries. And the nightlife goes on until the sun comes up.
The beaches get better north of Cairns. Port Douglas, about 45 mi/70 km up the coast, has sand and upscale resorts. This is where the rich and famous come to play. You can snorkel or take glass-bottomed boat trips almost anywhere along the coast. But if you really want to experience the Great Barrier Reef, you should take at least one day trip from either Port Douglas or Cairns to the outer reef. Several tour operators have platforms anchored there, allowing visitors to snorkel, dive or ride in semisubmersible watercraft to see the underwater life along the coral reef. Day trips to the islands along the reef—Green Island is one of the closest and most popular—allow you to spend more time snorkeling and swimming. Serious scuba divers, however, will want to spend several days on a live-aboard boat—it's the best way to get away from the crowds and see the most pristine coral and the most colorful fish.
Although we think the reef is the main attraction, we also recommend a visit to the rain forest if you have extra time. You can take a train that runs on a century-old track or ride the Skyrail gondola through the mountains to Kuranda, a rain-forest village with a butterfly farm and a wonderful crafts market. The ride takes you past Barron Falls and through the lush foliage of the Atherton Tablelands and Daintree rain forest. You can take a tour or go on your own from Cairns or Port Douglas. Flames of the Forest, which operates from Cairns, takes participants into the heart of the Daintree at night for a candlelight dinner at the edge of a rain-forest creek. In Kuranda, don't miss the Tjapukai Dancers, a world-famous Aboriginal dance troupe that performs a one-hour show of legends, music and dance. Plan a three-night stay in Cairns. 1,220 mi/1,965 km north of Sydney.
