Our beautiful tropical beaches are just a short drive (or bus trip) from Cairns. During the wet season swimming enclosures are used at our beaches for your protection. It is highly recommended that you swim inside these enclosures during this time of the year.

There are many freshwater swimming holes around Cairns, in the numerous mountain-fed streams ~ like Crystal Cascades, a favorite spot for the locals for many years. Always check with the locals to find out if an area you want to swim in is dangerous. Saltwater crocodiles can and do inhabit freshwater streams too!

Alternatively, you can visit the superb Atherton Tablelands area, taking in Kuranda Village and its excellent markets. The Kuranda Village has many attractions of its own too. You can visit the Bird Sanctuary or the beautiful Butterfly sanctuary. You can take a trip near Kuranda in an amphibious "army duck" vehicle. When you leave Kuranda, you'll visit the diverse area known as the Cairns Highlands. Whilst there you'll be visiting many different areas including some fruit farms and some wonderful deep, cool crater lakes where you can take a quick dip or just relax on the grassy shores for a while.

When in Queensland it's a must for any visitor to see the Great Barrier Reef and Cairns is the best and cheapest place in Queensland to do just that! There are many, many companies who will make your visit to this major attraction one to remember for years to come. Choose from snorkeling, introductory diving or full guided dives on a one day trip, or choose an extended live-aboard dive or snorkel trip where you'll enjoy all the benefits of waking up with sea air filling you lungs and the cool, refreshing waters of the reef just moments away!

Ever watched the sun rise whilst you're on a hot air balloon?.... Now's your chance! Take an awesome dawn balloon flight over the tropical Atherton Tablelands. Rise up through the fog of the early morning to watch a spectacular sunrise. Feel your senses tingle as you notice the subtleties of nature waking up for the day. Take that camera... you're going to want it on this flight! Come in for a calm landing, and enjoy a wonderful champagne breakfast before returning to Cairns for the remainder of your day.

Cape Tribulation is another well-visited area on the backpacker trail, and when visiting here you'll have the option of a one day tour in a 4WD vehicle, which is a fully-guided tour taking in as much of the area as possible in one day, or you can join an extended overnight tour which consists of at least 2 days and 1 night but can be extended to enable you to stay there longer. The overnight tours stay at various backpacker lodges and hostels set right in the heart of the rainforest, or on the virtually untouched shores of Cape Tribulation beach. Where you stay at Cape Tribulation is entirely your choice.

Cooktown is also a place very worthy of a visit. In Cooktown you can get out to areas of the Great Barrier Reef that are still in their original pristine condition. In Cooktown you can take a spiritual tour with a local Aboriginal guide, visiting many secret caves and rock faces covered with traditional 'dreamtime' paintings. You can jump aboard a fishing trip, seeking the elusive barramundi and other species in the Endeavour River, or you can just sit back, relax, and take in the old world charm of this beautiful and unspoiled area of Queensland.

Waterfalls and rainforest tours are popular due to the warm climate here, and there are a couple of different companies here who will help you see as many of the waterfalls as possible. Starting from Cairns in the wee hours of the A.M. you'll head off in a giant tour of around 400km, stopping along the way numerous times to see all the wonderful waterfalls, lakes and streams and the gorgeous rainforests. You'll stop along the way at a picturesque location for lunch. Each waterfall you stop at during your day is worthy of photographing, and there's even plenty of time for a swim at each place!

Click here to close expanded text..