No. 01 · Landmark
Great Barrier Reef day trips
Snorkel or dive the world's largest coral reef
Day boats run from Cairns marina to the Outer Reef, with snorkel and intro-dive options on platforms or pontoons.
Read more →Australia
Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree
Far North Queensland's tropical hub — where two UNESCO World Heritage sites meet, and the only place on earth where a rainforest grows right down to a coral reef.
When to go
May–October — dry season; reef visibility is best.
Getting around
Walk the esplanade; rental car or shuttle for the reef and rainforest.
Don't miss
The top places to start with if you only have a day or two — the essentials before you go deeper.
No. 01 · Landmark
Snorkel or dive the world's largest coral reef
Day boats run from Cairns marina to the Outer Reef, with snorkel and intro-dive options on platforms or pontoons.
Read more →No. 02 · Landmark
The world's oldest tropical rainforest, 180 million years old
A UNESCO World Heritage rainforest 2 hours north of Cairns where cassowaries cross the road and rivers hide saltwater crocs.
Read more →No. 03 · Landmark
Heritage railway through the rainforest
A 1891 mountain railway that climbs from Cairns through Barron Gorge to the rainforest village of Kuranda.
Read more →4 hand-picked
A curated mix of landmarks, neighborhoods, and museums worth your time in Cairns, Australia — grouped by type below.
Landmark
Snorkel or dive the world's largest coral reef
Landmark
The world's oldest tropical rainforest, 180 million years old
Landmark
Heritage railway through the rainforest
Landmark
Saltwater swimming lagoon along the boardwalk