There are SO many things to do in Cairns. Whether you are visiting Cairns for a week, a few days, a day or even a few hours, read on for the 101 of the best things to do in Cairns (in no particular order).
1. Swim at the top of a waterfall at Windin Falls
Read here for how to get to Windin Falls from Cairns.
2. Kayak to Double Island
3. Enjoy fresh seafood on a seafood trawler restaurant at Prawn Star Cairns.
4. Hike to Glacier Rock
Suggested read: How to get to Glacier Rock: The Ultimate Guide
5. Go crocodile spotting on the Daintree River
You can do this as a part of the Jungle Tours GO WILD Day Tour from Cairns.
6. Have a beer overlooking the cane fields at McAlisters Brewering Company
7. Find a treasure at the Cairns Night Markets
8. Snorkel straight off the boat into the Great Barrier Reef
9. Feed rock wallabies at Granite Gorge
You can do this on a Cairns to Mareeba road trip.
10. Hike the Green Arrow
11. Swim at Stoney Creek
12. Enjoy a breakfast at NOA
13. Experience the rainforest with Skyrail Rainforest Cableway
One of the many things to do in Kuranda. Read more: The best photo spots at Skyrail Rainforest Cableway in Cairns.
14. Bungy Jump at Skypark Cairns by AJ Hackett
15. Visit an art gallery
16. Enjoy a beach picnic at Holloways Beach
17. View the Great Barrier Reef by submarine
Well, unfortunately not anymore. This was back in June when scUber arrived in Cairns. You can read all about An Unforgettable Day with ScUber here.
18. Admire the outback caves at Chillagoe
You can visit these caves with Billy Tea Safaris.
19. Zip line over a crocodile at Cairns Zoom
A great family friendly activity in Cairns.
20. Swim at the Cairns Esplanade Lagoon
21. Throw plates (and eat delicious Greek food) at Fetta’s Greek Taverna in Cairns City
22. Hike up to Behana Gorge and cool off under the waterfall
Behana Gorge is one of the 5 Best Hikes in Cairns and is a beautiful waterfall to visit.
23. Visit where the Rainforest meets the Reef at Cape Tribulation
One of the must see places in the Daintree, you can do this as a part of the Jungle Tours GO WILD Day Tour from Cairns. Suggested read: How to experience the Cairns rainforest.
24. Explore Green Island situated among the Great Barrier Reef
Discover more about a day trip to Green Island here: Why you need to visit Green Island right now.
25. Check out the street art in Cairns City
26. Sail above the clouds at sunrise with Hot Air Ballooning
27. See Barron Falls in flood
Suggested read: How to see Barron Falls in flood
28. Hike the Blue Arrow
29. Slide down the waterslide on Sunlover’s Great Barrier Reef pontoon.
One of the best family friendly Great Barrier Reef experiences in Cairns.
30. Glide along the Barron River with Kuranda Riverboat Tours
One of the best things to do in Kuranda.
31. Have a drink at Rocco’s Rooftop Bar
32. Relax under the palm trees at Palm Cove
33. Swim in an old volcanic crater that is now Lake Eacham
34. Feed wallabies at Rainforestation in Kuranda
35. Discover Nandroya Falls
Nandroya Falls is one of the 5 Best Hikes in Cairns, with the added bonus of this spectacular waterfall at the end.
36. See crocodiles up close at Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures
37. Float in the vibrant blue of Cardwell Spa Pools
This is also a great stop on a Cairns to Townsville road trip.
38. Discover Fairy Falls in Redlynch Valley
One of the best waterfalls in Cairns, find this spot: How to get to Fairy Falls.
39. Visit Nudey Beach on Fitzroy Island
40. Tick ‘Hiked up Walsh’s Pyramid’ from your Cairns bucket list.
Walsh’s Pyramid is one of the 5 Best Hikes in Cairns and a nearby road is a great photo opportunity.
41. Wander with the butterflies at the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary
You can visit the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary as a part of the Kuranda Wildlife Experience package and is a great thing to do in Kuranda. For more information about the experience read Visiting the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary in Kuranda.
42. Take in the view at Rex’s Lookout
43. Walk amongst the treetops at Mamu’s Tropical Skywalk
A great way to experience the Cairns rainforest.
44. Enjoy fish and chips at Trinity Beach
45. Swim at Josephine Falls
Josephine Falls is one of the Best Cairns Waterfalls and one of the Most Instagrammable Spots in Cairns.
46. Wander through Port Douglas Markets
Suggested read: Your Cairns to Port Douglas itinerary.
47. Let your hair down with a Sunday sesh at Boardwalk Social by Flynn, a Crystalbrook Collection
48. Hike the Red Arrow
49. Swim in the crystal green waters of Mossman Gorge
One of the must see places in the Daintree.
50. Get your heart racing with Cairns Canyoning.
51. Visit Dunk Island just off Mission Beach
52. Cuddle a koala at Kuranda Koala Gardens
You can visit the Kuranda Koala Gardens as a part of the Kuranda Wildlife Experience package in Kuranda.
53. Have a picnic at Copperlode Dam
54. Explore the Cairns Botanic Gardens
55. See Australia’s widest single drop waterfall at Millstream Falls
One of the best things to see near Ravenshoe.
56. Stay dry at the Cairns Aquarium
One of the best ways to spend a rainy day in Cairns
57. Wander through the cane fields
Click here for more Instagrammable Locations in Cairns.
58. Learn how to throw a boomerang and develop deep insight into Aboriginal culture at Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park
59. Flick your hair back and swim in the cool waters at Millaa Millaa waterfall
Millaa Millaa is of the Best Waterfalls in Cairns.
60. Hang out on an inhabited island at Frankland Islands
61. Relax to the live music on the Cairns Esplanade
62. Get the adrenaline flowing with White Water Rafting on the Tully River.
63. Fly over the rainforest with a rainforest helicopter tour.
64. Enjoy the local produce at Rusty’s Market
65. View a prehistoric world at Tully Gorge National Park
Find this spot: How to Get to Tully Gorge.
66. Hike to White Rock Peak
White Rock Peak is one of the 5 Best Hikes in Cairns
67. Wander through the castle ruins of Paronella Park
Read here for more information on a day spent at Paronella Park.
68. Swing through the rainforest on the Giant Jungle Swing at Skypark Global by AJ Hackett.
69. Visit the Low Isles off Port Douglas
One of the best things to do in a weekend in Port Douglas.
70. Scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef
71. Explore the Kuranda Original Markets
One of the most famous things to do in Kuranda.
72. Visit the Nucifora Tea Plantation
73. Enjoy a sunset dinner on Spirit of Cairns
74. Go to a Cairns Taipans basketball home game
75. Take in the view from the Kuranda Range Lookout
76. Catch a small plane over the Great Barrier Reef with GSL Aviation
77. Walk across crocodiles on the Predator Plank at Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas
You can do this as a part of the Jungle Tours GO WILD Day Tour from Cairns.
78. Have a barbecue and hang out at Babinda Boulders
79. Ride horses on the beach with Cape Tribulation Horse Rides
80. Explore the Armour & Artillery Museum
81. Wander through the markets on the Esplanade
82. Make friends of the feathered persuasion at Birdworld Kuranda
You can visit Birdworld Kuranda as a part of the Kuranda Wildlife Experience package and is a popular thing to do in Kuranda.
83. Discover the Curtain Fig Tree in Yungaburra
84. Enjoy dinner in the rainforest at Flames of the Forest
85. Hike the Yellow Arrow
86. Ride the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway
87. Stay at Pullman Reef Hotel Casino and enjoy an evening swim in their rooftop pool
88. Admire the water cascading down Ellinjaa Falls
89. Enjoy the rolling hills of the Artherton Tablelands from Millaa Millaa Lookout.
90. Visit a sea cay in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef
91. Jump out of a plane over Mission Beach
92. Quad bike through the rainforest in Kuranda
93. Drive one of the most beautiful roads in the world – the Great Barrier Reef Drive between Cairns and Port Douglas.
Suggested read: Your Cairns to Port Douglas itinerary.
94. Hike to the bottom of Australia’s tallest single drop permanent waterfall – Wallaman Falls.
Wallaman Falls is one of the most impressive waterfalls near Cairns and is also a fantastic stop on a Cairns to Townsville road trip. Suggested read: How to get to Wallaman Falls in North Queensland.
95. Admire the view of Barron Gorge from The Edge Lookout
96. Ride a helicopter over the Great Barrier Reef with Nautilus Aviation
97. Get a workout in wake boarding at Cairns Wake Park
98. Hike to the top of Fitzroy Island Summit
99. Discover the palm trees on the beach at Mission Beach
You can find this exact spot on Where to Eat, Sleep and Play in Mission Beach.
100. Admire the jungle from the top of Zillie Falls
Just another spectacular waterfall in this region.
101. Enjoy a spectacular sunset at Second Beach in Yarrabah
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