1. Check the Great Barrier Reef off your bucket list
As the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns offers unparalleled opportunities for diving enthusiasts and nature lovers. Located just 90 minutes away, this magnificent underwater world is a must-see destination.
We highly recommend Reef Magic Cruises for an unforgettable reef exploration experience. Their 5-hour tour includes an introductory diving course (no experience required), a semi-submersible boat ride, helmet diving, and a helicopter flight. You’ll also have plenty of time to snorkel and marvel at the vibrant coral reefs and diverse marine life. The experience was simply out of this world; it’s time to strike this off your bucket list!
2. Swim in the outdoor saltwater lagoon
3. Navigate a challenging ropes course in a wildlife dome
Experience a thrilling adventure at Cairns Zoom & Wildlife Dome, the world’s first challenge ropes course within a wildlife exhibit. As you navigate through ropes, suspended logs, and hanging tyres, enjoy a bird’s-eye view of reptiles, koalas, wallabies, and soaring birds.
For an even more exhilarating experience, try ziplining above a giant crocodile! Choose from two difficulty levels: Mid-Zoom for a more relaxed challenge or Hi-Zoom for a heart-pounding adventure.
4. Jump off a suspended platform… Backwards
Granted that this is no bungee jump, but this is guaranteed to make your heart race! Jump off a 13-metre high tower, and if you dare, backwards. This power jump is part of the ropes course at Cairns Zoom & Wildlife Dome, which is located on the roof of the Reef Hotel Casino. Feel your stomach rise up to your throat as you freefall through the air. Get ready to scream your lungs out!
5. Take a walk AROUND a dome
Offered by the Cairns Zoom and Wildlife Dome as well, this Dome Climb lets you walk around a the giant dome on an external platform. Have a gorgeous bird’s-eye view of the city with the mountains and ocean in the background. You’ll be anchored by a safety harness the whole time, so it’s perfectly secure!
6. Feast on the biggest and freshest seafood platter ever
Located on the Waterfront, Dundee’s Restaurant offers an unforgettable seafood experience. Their massive seafood platter is a feast for the senses, featuring a variety of fresh and delicious seafood, including mud crab, prawns, oysters, mussels, lobsters, fish, and scallops.
Accompanied by sides like spaghetti and potato salad, this platter is perfect for sharing with friends or loved ones. Don’t forget to wear loose pants and come with an empty stomach! This is the seafood feast of a lifetime.
7. Eat bugs… the Australian version
When we first saw “bugs” on the menu, our minds immediately travelled to Cambodia, envisioning stores peddling steaming piles of fried crickets. But here in Cairns, they do it a little differently. “Bugs” simply refer to a type of seafood, and are rather similar to crayfish. Commonly known as Moreton Bay bugs, they have a certain crunch to them and the meat is tender beyond compare. Here’s your chance to say you dined on bugs in Australia!
8. Go on a crocodile-spotting cruise
9. Pole-Feed a humongous crocodile
Here at Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures, you even get to try your hand at feeding a HUMONGOUS crocodile! The crocodile was 5-metre long, with a mouthful of razor-sharp teeth to boot. This was a (however scary) first for us, as we’ve never been in such proximity to a crocodile! It was something else standing on tiptoes dangling the meat over the railing, heart pounding in our ears, and watching the fearsome crocodile rise out of the water just inches away. This is definitely not for the faint-hearted, and is a thrilling experience like no other!
10. Walk a wombat
Don’t wombats look just like adorable furry big fat sausages? And that’s precisely why we love them! Imagine our delight when we actually got to walk one of these babies! This was something special offered to us by the lovely staff of Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures, but you never know, you might just get to do it the next time you visit – stay tuned for more updates. Walking a dog? Meh. We’re perfectly content with our wombat, thank you very much!
11. Brave the rapids at Tully River
12. Travel above a rainforest in a glass-floored cable car
We’ve heard of traversing through a rainforest, but we’ve never dreamed that we could actually travel ABOVE it! At Kuranda Rainforest – a world heritage listed rainforest – cruise through the skies high above the treetops in one of the ‘Diamond View’ gondolas, a crystal glass-floored cable car that allows you to watch the rainforest whiz by below your feet. This gondola is offered by the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway & Scenic Rail, and includes a 7.5km journey over and through the protected rainforest.
Just picture: a multitude of trees reaching out as far as the eye can see, with a blanket of green stretching out in every direction. This is, indeed, the “The World’s Most Beautiful Rainforest Experience”!
13. Go on a ranger-guided tour of the rainforest
The Skyrail Rainforest Cableway & Scenic Rail is a highly recommended way to explore the Barron Gorge National Park. After gliding above the forest canopy, you will alight at two rainforest stations to see more of the park. Join a guided ranger tour to learn more about the various flora and fauna, or simply stand still and breathe in the impeccably fresh air.
Walk among towering trunks and wander along countless rainforest boardwalks – there’s no better time to grab a respite from city life and simply lose yourself in nature.
14. Explore the charming town of Kuranda
Kuranda is an artsy paradise of everything chic and quirky, and is home to 16% of the region’s artists. We loved simply wandering around the town and taking in all there is on display – from stalls of eclectic colour necklaces to a building shaped like a boat to intricate paintings adorning almost every empty wall. Kuranda is known as the Village in the Rainforest, and the journey there is said to be an “experience in itself” – you can choose to either take the Skyrail Rainforest Railway, catch the Kuranda Scenic Railway Train or take a drive up through the rainforest.
Don’t rush through this town and take your time to explore every nook and cranny – the town is full of enchanting arts and crafts markets, whimsical village shops as well as wildlife gardens.
15. Spot baby koalas at the Kuranda Koala Gardens
The Kuranda Koala Gardens is a cosy enclave tucked in one corner of the Kuranda village, and is the place to set sight on cute little baby koalas! They’re tiny, unbelievably furry, and absolutely adorable. Watch as they cling to their mother’s backs, and gaze at you through sleepy eyes. Fun fact: did you know that koalas actually sleep up to 20 hours a day? We felt so lucky to be able to watch them being up and about!
16. Cuddle a Koala
After squealing at how cute the baby koalas were, we just knew we had to hold one in our arms! Contrary to popular conception, koala cuddling isn’t allowed everywhere in Australia, and is only allowed in Queensland, South Australia or Western Australia. The koala feels exactly like a little furry teddy bear, and are surprisingly gentle. The next time you’re in Cairns, don’t pass by this once-in-lifetime photo opportunity; we wish we never had to let go!
17. Set sight on an abandoned plane wreck
We happened to chance upon this plane wreck whilst in Kuranda, which looked like a scene straight out of Jurassic Park. We half expected a T-rex to rear his head from behind the wreck! The plane wreck isn’t just a hastily constructed display, but actually has a bit of a history! The plane was called “Geronimo” back in its glory days, and saw its fair share of wartime.
It was also a passenger aircraft at some point in time and was eventually used as a movie prop before journeying to its home in Kuranda. It now serves as a “visual memorial” for all those fortunate enough to visit Kuranda’s Heritage Markets!
18. Hand feed a wallaby
Wallabies are found in wildlife reserves aplenty across Australia, and one of our favourite things to do would be to feed these little critters every time we visit the continent. We love how these wallabies are much like itty-bitty mini kangaroos, and are super friendly! They pretty much come hopping right up to you – as long as you have food! Yep, like all animals, wallabies are just superficial like that. However, arm yourself with a handful of feed and these wallabies will literally be eating right out of your hand.
19. Get up close and personal with birds of every colour
Being rather accustomed to our usual black crows and grey pigeons, the birds in Australia seemed like from another planet! They were gloriously coloured in all colours of the rainbow, and we even chanced upon a cockatoo that was a creamy Barbie shade of pink. In certain wildlife reserves, some of them will even take the liberty to land on your head and shoulders!
20. Get acquainted with aboriginal culture at Tjapukai Cultural Park
If you’re curious about the fascinating Australian aboriginal culture, Tjapukai Cultural Park is the place to go! Touted as the place that showcases “where Australia begins”, Tjapukai delves into the history of a culture that dates back over 40,000 years. Try your hand at traditional aboriginal hunting methods such as throwing a boomerang or a spear or go on a guided bush walk.
Learn about bush foods and medicines, and join in the rousing celebration with the dance put up by the Tjapukai Aboriginal dancers. The performances and experiences here at Tjapukai feel incredibly authentic, and we enjoyed ourselves immensely while also gaining treasured insight into the Aboriginal culture.
21. Try your hand at making fire with two sticks
If you visit Tjapukai Cultural Park at night, join in the “Night Fire” celebration where you’ll get your face painted, watch a cultural performance or try to blow a didgeridoo. You can even get back to basics and try to make a fire with just two sticks! We had so much fun learning traditional language songs together with the ‘Bama’, the indigenous rainforest people. At the end of the night, enjoy a sumptuous dinner consisting of traditional Australian bush meats, such as crocodile, emu and kangaroo.
One of the highlights of the night was watching a majestic fireball shoot high into the sky. A night at Tjapukai is both educational and good fun, and we highly recommend everyone to visit whilst in Cairns!
22. Trawl through the many weekend/night markets
One of the things that we never quite liked about Australia would be how there’s virtually nothing to do at night. Shops close at 5pm, and the only option left is to have a long dinner. Here in Cairns, at least they have night markets to keep all of us night owls entertained! The night markets feel like an organised enclosure of delightful chaos, with assaults of colour and sound everywhere we turn.
Venture here for an hour or two of aimless wandering; you’ll never know what you might find – dainty wood-carved figurines, a glass-blower spinning creations out of thin air, or packets after packets of chia seeds. Grab your souvenirs here, they have something for everyone!
23. Join a free aerobics class
If shopping isn’t up your alley, why not try out an aerobics class? And did we mention that these ‘Active Living Fitness Classes’ are absolutely FREE? These classes are held six days a week, and range from aqua aerobics to zumba to yoga and more. Spend the evening working out, or dancing to a groovy beat. If you haven’t done this before, don’t fret – the classes are all at an introductory level. You’ll get the hang of it within minutes of trying, easy peasy!
24. Go on a hot air balloon ride
Hot air ballooning in Cairns offers an enchanting adventure like no other. Imagine drifting serenely over the lush landscapes of Far North Queensland, with sweeping views of the rainforest, majestic mountains, and sparkling coastline below.
Whether you choose a sunrise flight, where the world wakes up beneath you, or a sunset journey with golden hues painting the horizon, each flight is a feast for the senses. With small group tours and expert pilots providing insightful commentary, hot air ballooning in Cairns is the perfect blend of excitement, beauty, and tranquillity — an unforgettable way to see nature from a completely different perspective.
25. Bungee jumping!
Thrill-seekers, this one’s for you. Get ready for the ultimate adrenaline rush at Skypark Cairns by AJ Hackett. Experience the heart-pounding AJ Hackett Bungy Jump, where you’ll take the plunge from a dizzying height of 50 meters above a stunning natural lagoon. With 16 unique jump styles, there’s a perfect leap for everyone, whether you’re a first-time jumper or an adrenaline junkie.
The best part? This exhilarating adventure is available rain or shine, ensuring that your quest for thrills can happen anytime!
So there you have it, 25 fun things to do in Cairns on your very first visit! If you’re not convinced to book your ticket there now, here’s a picture of the sunset viewed from Cairns Esplanade to give you that extra push:
Have the adventure of a lifetime!
Special thanks to Tourism and Events Queensland for making this trip possible, and for showing me the unadulterated beauty of Cairns.