Cairns & the Great Barrier Reef

Cairns is an thrillseeker's paradise with bungy jumps, white water rafting, rainforest treks and many more adrenaline fuelled activities available. It is also the ideal place to explore the many wonders of the Great Barrier Reef.

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Nomads Serpent

Cairns

STA category: Hostels

The Serpent is a brand new resort with great facilities including a tropical outdoor pool, beach volleyball area, internet, TV lounges, restaurant, internet and a separate bar. The town centre is about a twenty minute stroll along the promenade.

Beds from £10
Check availability
i.e. 12-Feb-2010
Calypso

Calypso Backpackers

Cairns

STA category: Hostels

Everything is centred around the cool pool and the funky bar at the Calypso. Located on the outskirts of town, but only a 10 minute walk to the centre, facilities include internet access, television lounge, kitchen and laundry facilities

Beds from £12
Check availability
i.e. 12-Feb-2010

Figtree Lodge

Cairns

STA category: 3 Globe Rating

Treat yourself and book into this lovely resort, set amidst tropical gardens, situated between the city centre and the airport. Facilities include a spa and swimming pool, a bar and restaurant. All the well equipped rooms are air conditioned.

Beds from £27
Check availability
i.e. 12-Feb-2010
Lakes

The Lakes Resort & Spa

Cairns

STA category: 4 Globe Rating

This premier resort offers a relaxed village atmosphere with spacious modern Cairns apartments set amongst 11 acres of lush landscaped gardens, lakes and beach lagoon pools. Offering a fantastic range of resort services and facilities, you can choose to unwind at the Day Spa, dine at the elegant Lago Restaurant or cook a BBQ by the pool (there are 4 to choose from) - all part of your tropical resort lifestyle experience.

Rooms from £104
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i.e. 12-Feb-2010

Beaches Airlie Beach

Whitsunday Islands

STA category: Hostels

This place is so good that it wins big awards year after year. There’s a really fresh and laid back vibe, especially around the inviting pool, and vibrant bar. It’s right in the heart of town, so you won’t have to stumble far to get into your cosy bed.

Beds from £13
Check availability
i.e. 12-Feb-2010

Day trips & mini adventures

Experience Description Price from

Cairns Starter Pack

2 nights

Cairns doesn’t immediately inspire responsibility. On entering this lovely, little tropical town, your thoughts will immediately veer towards bars, beaches, babes or blokes. Don’t worry, this is fine and perfectly normal. So with this in mind, it definitely helps to have a few important things organised before you start your Australian experience. This great value starter pack will set you up with a comfortable place to kip, a couple of free breakfasts (if you get up in time) and an amazing day of snorkelling and diving out at the Barrier Reef. For those hanging out in Australia for a little while you’ll get a very useful Information pack with loads of helpful advice.

£149
Cape Tribulation day tour Enjoy an unforgettable day of fun, discovery and adventure exploring the majestic rainforest, pristine rivers and white sandy beaches of the World Heritage Listed Cape Tribulation and Daintree National Parks. £62

White Water Rafting

Full Day

Cairns

This trip features at least five full hours of action on the Tully River. Hang on very tight as you race over more than 40 rapids in this action packed thrill ride. Everything you need for a safe and enjoyable day will be supplied, as well as a tasty BBQ lunch. £88

AJ Hackett Bungy

Cairns

Fancy plummeting fifty metres from a platform above Queensland's lush rainforest, with nothing more than a bit of elastic separating you from certain death? Bring nothing except nerves of steel and maybe a spare pair of underpants. £66

Tablelands Tour

Full Day

Cairns

Visit breathtaking waterfalls, swim in a volcanic crater-lake and hike through dense tropical rainforest. This amazing trip takes you deep into Queensland’s very own Garden of Eden as you explore the amazing Tablelands. A delicious lunch is included. £47

Daintree Dreaming

Full Day

Cairns

Learn how to throw a spear, prepare your own bush medicine, track exotic wildlife, play a didgeridoo and fish for mud crabs and mussels. Also included on this amazing day out is a 1-hour river cruise on the Daintree River and a delicious picnic lunch. £85

Tandem Skydive

Half Day

Cairns

Jump out of a plane from 10,000-14,000ft attached to a fully qualified skydiver, freefall at speeds touching 120mph, and then float down to the ground over stunning rainforest and amazing coral reefs. Surely you we don’t have to sell this anymore! £105

Green Island

Full Day

Cairns

On this full day Green Island reef cruise you’ll travel aboard a modern catamaran called ‘Big Cat’! Departing at 9am, the cruise over to the island takes about 1 hour. Green Island is a beautiful coral cay on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. This Marine National Park is covered with tropical rainforests and surrounded by white sandy beaches and magnificent coral reefs.

£57

Oyster and Upolu Reef

Full Day

Cairns

A great opportunity to scuba dive in one of the seven natural wonders in the world, without a license. It’s perfect for those who have never dived before, but wouldn’t mind giving it a go. If you’re already a certified diver, then this trip ain’t too bad either as the qualified instructors will take you round some of the best dive sites on the reef.

£71

Raft, Rainforest & Reef

3 Days

 Start & Finish: Cairns

Max out you time in Cairns with three sensational days of unadulterated pleasure. White water raft down the Tully River, walk through an amazing Rainforest Habitat,  swim in Mossman Gorge, search for crocodiles on the Daintree River Cruise, and set sail for the Great Barrier Reef on Rumrunner.

£221

Cape Tribulation

2 Days

 Start & Finish: Cairns

The brilliant nightlife and easy-going atmosphere of Cairns has a habitat of making you spend more time there than you originally intended. So instead of lazily hanging out by the pool all day, take a two day adventure trip up the coast and go and explore the ecological wonders on show in this beautiful part of the country.

£97

Cairns Adventure Package

6 Days

 Start & Finish: Cairns

Cairns is a cool little town, but it’s real draw is all the wonder that surrounds it. This fantabulous package tick off just about every ‘must do’ experience in the area. You’ll be based in Cairns, so you won’t too far from all its buzzing nightlife and its very friendly fellow revellers when you return back after a day of action-packed activities.

  • 5 nights accommodation (multi share)
  • Full day Tully River white water rafting
  • Sea kayaking guided tour
  • 30-minute balloon flight
  • Skyrail rainforest cableway
  • Full day outer barrier reef cruise
  • Some meals (see itinerary)
£460

Cairns Budget Buster

4 Days

 Start & Finish: Cairns

Prepare for a jam-packed thrill ride around the tropical wonders that encircle Cairns. Basing yourself in the town, this terrific little trip crams in so much fun, that you’ll walk away from it wondering just how you managed to see and do so much in only 4 days. Read on and try and comprehend just how much amusement is on offer.

  • 3 Nights accommodation (multishare)
  • Full day Tully River White Water
  • Full day waterfalls tour
  • Half-day snorkelling on Fitzroy Island
  • Reef Magic outer reef experienceFull day Cape Tribulation tour
£303

Padi Open Water Course

5 Days

 Start & Finish: Cairns

All of us have regrets, not learning to play the piano when you were younger, not trying that bit harder at school, or not getting that phone-number off the guy or girl you snogged at the weekend. You can live with those, but one that may nag you into old age is not getting your diving qualification while you were in Australia.

  • Intensive pool & theory training
  • 4 training dives
  • PADI Openwater Diver certification
  • 4 pleasure dives
  • 1 guided night dive
£376

Live-Aboard Certified Diver Trip

3 Days

 Start & Finish: Cairns

Get ready for three fantastic days exploring the stunning marine life on Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Prepare for all kinds of encounters with some of the planet’s most exotic creatures as you peacefully glide through their underwater world. This trip consists of a total of 11 dives including two exciting night dives. Your nights will be spent aboard an awesome 80ft vessel, where all the comfortable en-suite cabins feature air conditioning. There’s also two large decks, one of which is purely dedicated to relaxation and sunbathing, perfect to kick back on after a long day of diving.

£287

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