Cairns, located in northern Queensland, is a popular stopping off point for cruise liners with its close proximity to Australia’s Great Barrier reef, the rain forests and aboriginal attractions.
The city of Cairns is also a fascinating shore trip for cruise passengers. Most ships dock at Trinity Wharf which is right in the centre of town. Cairns can be explored on foot and passengers are recommended a visit to the Botanic Gardens and Cairns Regional Art Gallery.
There are also numerous day trips available from Cairns including Great Barrier Reef trips which leave from the pier – in a day package passengers can enjoy snorkelling around this magnificent attraction. It is also possible to dive and no experience is needed.
Other ideas for trips from Cairns include a visit to World Heritage listed Daintree Rainforest in order to experience a real flavour of aboriginal culture- throw a spear on Cooya Beach, or spot a crocodile on the Daintree River.
About 30 minutes out of Cairns is the Sky Rail that provides a ride over the tropical rain forest. The descent can be train from Kuranda back into Cairns.
