Going ashore
Cairns is a pleasant but unremarkable town that hugs you in humidity. Its top attraction is the Esplanade,with its artificial swimming lagoon and manicured walkways. Cairns Botanic Gardens,although inconveniently located,is lovely. What really matters lies beyond:the Barrier Reef out front and tropical rainforest behind. Kuranda Railway and Skyrail Rainforest Cableway are classic tourist rides to Kuranda,which has a host of kitschy tourist attractions and markets.
The Great Barrier Reef from the air.Credit:iStock
Don’t miss
The Great Barrier Reef,of course. Every cruise line offers shore excursions,or you can get yourself onto a tour-company boat or catamaran for a day trip to Green Island (Wunyami),Fitzroy Island (Koba) or Michaelmas Cay. Multicoloured fish and corals steal the show,but you’ll also spot starfish,sponges,giant clams and – if lucky – manta rays and turtles. For something different,Green Island has an Indigenous-led walking tour.
Get active
Adrenaline junkies will find plenty of options. You can bungy jump,jet ski,kayak,quad bike,skydive or parasail. The Tully and Barron rivers offer wild white-water rafting and tubing,or you can drift snorkel down the more tranquil Mossman River. If you’re after a walk or jog,turn right off your ship along the Esplanade.
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Best bites
Cairns Esplanade Dining Precinct has many choices ranging from suave rooftop cocktail lounges to swanky restaurants and a lively night market for casual Asian street eats. If you hanker after home-style Italian cooking,head to Nonna Leotta’s House in town. Don’t miss a browse through Rusty’s Markets if you’re in Cairns on a Friday,Saturday or Sunday for a chance to try sugarcane juice and exotic fruits such as sapote,abiu and custard apples.
Further afield
Cruise lines offer a wide choice of shore-excursions options,and not just to Kuranda and the Barrier Reef. Some visit old sugar town Mossman and former timber town Daintree. The Daintree River has crocodile-spotting boat tours. Children will love Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures,for its famous jumping crocodiles and snake shows. Other options are visits to resort towns Palm Cove or Port Douglas,and trips into the Atherton Tablelands to admire waterfalls,rolling countryside and historic towns.