Villas in Cairns - The Definitive Travel Guide
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Best Luxury Villas in Rent in Cairns, Australia
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Your Guide to Renting a villa in Cairns, Australia
Best things to do in Cairns
A thumping landscape and an oceanside city full of attractions means there's a phenomenal choice of things to do in Cairns. Here's our top picks of the best things to do and see in Cairns.
Best local attractions:
UNESCO World Heritage Sites: The Big Three
Cairns' three major attractions, the Great Barrier Reef, the Daintree Rainforest and the Atherton Tablelands will set the tone for your visit.
The Great Barrier Reef
One of the 7 Wonders of the World, the Great Barrier Reef lies just off the coast of Cairns. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is a network of 900 dreamy tropical islands and 2900 reefs. Together they make up the world's biggest coral reef system and one of the globe's best diving locations.
Diving, snorkelling or looking through the transparent floor of a semi submersible, glass-bottomed boat, you'll uncover 1625 species of beautiful fish in just about every vivid colour combination possible. Amongst the waters there are also 30 whale and dolphin species, 134 species of sharks and rays, 7 species of endangered turtles, 30 marine mammals and more. Overhead, 23 species of seabird populate the sky.
Cruise through the Reef, weaving amongst the isles, with essential stop-offs at the Whitsunday Islands and Michaelmas Cay, two of the Reef's most popular tropical islands.
For romance in spades, fly over the infamous heart-shaped reef as you pop the question – a photo guaranteed to set your Instagram alight on your return. For divers, the Agincourt Reef is your place of pilgrimage with over 16 different dive sites making it a top location for world-class diving and snorkeling.
The Daintree Rainforest
Close by lies the Daintree Rainforest, part of the Wet Tropics of Queensland Rainforest, the world's oldest (continuously surviving) rainforest.
It's an extraordinary biodiverse habitat comprised of mountains, gorges, waterfalls, rainforest and beaches. Finishing on the coast, close to the Great Barrier Reef, the rainforest is home to more than 2800 types of plants, 663 animal species, 30% of Australia's population of frogs, reptiles and marsupials and over 230 different kinds of butterfly.
Amongst the flowers and fauna of this UNESCO World Heritage Site are 12 types of flowering plants which date back to the Jurassic Age, 800 species of trees, rare orchids, strangler figs and more. Native animals to the Daintree include: tree kangaroos, possums, cassowaries, kingfishers, koalas and saltwater crocodiles.
Skyrail Rainforest Cableway
Enter the rainforest on the exhilarating Skyrail Rainforest Cableway for astonishing all-round views, including through the glass floor. Take the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway further into the Daintree or choose it for the start of your journey. Established in 1891, you'll wind through the rainforest, on a majestic expedition over mountains, past waterfalls, past Barron Gorge and on to Kuranda village in the midst of the rainforest.
Whichever route you take, you'll end up deep in the rainforest where you'll find the Rainforest Discovery Zone, Red Peak, Barron Falls, The Edge Lookout and the CSIRO Rainforest Interpretation Centre – a collection of fun ways for the whole family to enjoy uncovering more about the rainforest.
And that's just the beginning.
Rainforestation Nature Park
For other ways to unwrap the rainforest, head to Rainforestation Nature Park, 5 minutes from Kuranda village, for a range of thrilling rainforest tours. Each tour gives you a hands-on experience with rainforest wildlife and the traditional way of life of local Indigenous people, the Kuku Yalanji people, formal owners of the rainforest.
The Army Duck Tour offers the chance to explore the rainforest by land and water from an amphibious WW2 Army Duck. Your guide will point out interesting sights en route and you'll relish a stop off at the Tropical Forest where lots of juicy tropical fruit tasting awaits.
Pamagirri Experience
Alternatively, the award-winning Pamagirri Experience is an explosion of Indigenous culture, with traditional dance, boomerang throwing, digeridoo playing, bush walks and more, all taking place in the midst of the rainforest. For animal wildlife, the Koala and Wildlife Park lets you get up close and personal with koalas, wombats, cassowaries, dingoes, saltwater and freshwater crocodiles. There's also Birdworld, the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary and more.
Pamagirri Rainforest Walkabout.
For a deep-dive into some of the ancient customs of local Indigenous people take the Pamagirri Rainforest Walkabout. Learning about totems, body painting, rainforest survival, traditional shelters, implements and more, is a fascinating introduction to one of the oldest cultures in the world.
Other ways to enjoy the rainforest include: birdwatching, fishing, hiking trails, boat tours and watersports. There are also ancient caves to explore plus Mossman Gorge, waterfalls and all sorts of other excursions by local Kuku Yalanji people who have always called the Daintree Rainforest home.
For nocturnal animals, take a tour across Cape Tribulation, a magnificent junction of habitats where the Daintree Rainforest meets the Great Barrier Reef.
The Atherton Tablelands
Completing the trilogy, Cairns' third gem is the Atherton Tablelands. This outback savannah is the source of much of Australia's tropical fruit and fresh produce. Here you'll find fertile farmland, wetlands, open savannah and untouched rainforest scattered with mountains, waterfalls, wildlife, volcanoes, ancient limestone caves, lakes, tiny villages and more.
Rainforest walks, cave exploration and the Waterfall Circuit are popular ways to explore the area. A hot air balloon ride is a phenomenal way to survey the region in its full glory whilst the Crystal Caves are an opportunity to see natural prehistoric crystals and fossils up close.
Curtain Fig Tree
Not to be missed is the jaw-dropping Curtain Fig Tree, thought to be over 500 years old and nearly 50m tall, it's one of the biggest trees in Australia.
Other attractions
Beyond its sensational landscapes, in the city itself there's lots to do. The Cairns Aquarium puts marine life from the Great Barrier Reef at your fingertips whilst the Cairns Zoo and Wildlife Dome makes animal fun for all ages easy. Cairns Botanic Gardens has activities for all ages and the Esplanade Lagoon is a saltwater pool surrounded by sandy beach to provide safe swimming for anyone.
The city is a hub of historic and contemporary creativity with lots of galleries and museums plus bars, oceanside restaurants, watersports and markets to keep you busy.
Best restaurants
Best restaurants
It's no surprise such a creative, beautiful region has a vibrant restaurant scene with food from all over the world. You'll find lots of interesting restaurants serving up locally produced food in global dishes, including Japanese, Chinese and Vietnamese.
Ochre
Top restaurant choices in Cairns include Ochre for contemporary spins on all sorts of local wildlife, both animal and plant, Bayleaf Balinese for the best Balinese food, Rocco for all-round views across Cairns as you dine, Dundees for steak and seafood at the water's edge, Ganbaranba for ramen-gyoza heaven and Lillipad Cafe for relaxed vegetarian goodness.
Best places to stay in Cairns, Australia
Whether your dream location is luxury accommodation by the beach, overlooking the harbour, up in the hills or right in the centre of the action, discover a superb choice of stunning luxury villas, perfect for couples, families and groups of all sizes.
Highlights
Discover more top luxury accommodation to rent in Cairns or call us to discuss the best holiday villas in Australia to suit you and your family
Cairns, Australia Holidays: Why go?
Find out more about the top local attractions in Sydney:
Best airport for travel to Cairns:
The best airport for Cairns is Cairns International Airport.
When is the best time to visit Cairns?
You can visit Cairns all year round but the best time to visit is from April to October. Between June and October you'll find great conditions for spotting wildlife whilst September to October bring optimum conditions for diving. June and July are peak season in Cairns, busy with Australians who want to make the most of the dry weather as well as tourists from overseas.
Whale-watching is superb during these months, with humpback whales easy to see from August to September.
October to May is stinger season. Though stings aren't common, jellyfish and Irukandji are present in the water and you'll need to wear a stinger suit when diving. Meanwhile, December to February is the wet season with rain appearing daily. For the best all-rounder, August is a favourite month with dry weather and lots to do.
Where is Cairns?
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