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Activities:
Cairns is an adventurer's paradise, with diving, white-water rafting, canoeing, horse riding, skydiving, mountain biking, jet boating, bungee jumping and the jungle swing craze 'minjin' all easily available. Tourism operators will bend over backwards to make sure visitors have a great holiday.
Getting There:
Plenty of Australian-based carriers connect Cairns International Airport, about 7km (4.3mi) from central Cairns, with Australian and Australasian destinations.
Quicksilver charters boats from the Pier Marina in Cairns to Port Douglas. Several bus lines operate regular services between Cairns and larger Queensland destinations such as Brisbane, Rockhampton and Mackay.
Ample options exist for car rental from Cairns. Cape Tribulation is easy to reach in a 2WD, but most car companies prohibit you from taking vehicles to Cooktown or Chillagoe. Queensland Rail can book you tickets for the Queenslander , which travels between Brisbane and Cairns three times a week.
Events:
Cairns' tropical climate means that things slow down in the harsh, muggy, summer. But during the rest of the year, ample sunshine and more tolerable conditions make for many event-worthy days.
In July the Cairns Show is a golden opportunity to get a good overview of the cornucopia that the surrounding communities have to offer. Like other state shows, the event is great for kids, with plenty of rides, sideshows, showbags and various other activities and treats.
Three weeks of Far North cultural celebration and spring-time reverie culminate in late September in the Cairns Festival Finale. The Esplanade comes alive with a day of delicious food, a rubber duck race, a street parade, fireworks, and a local music showcase.
With the Pier Marketplace and the surrounding area revamped into the glorious swimming lagoon, thick grassy parkland and boardwalk, you can be sure that Cairns' penchant for festivities will only increase.
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