5 Day Itinerary for Cairns, Australia
When I first visited Cairns, I actually wasn’t very impressed. It was raining a lot and I didn’t really know what to do. After living there for 4 months, I can safely say my opinion did a 360.
Cairns is small in comparison to other Australian cities but that’s part of its charm. If you know where to go, you can experience some amazing things and visit some beautiful landscapes. There are waterfalls, beaches, reefs, rainforests, hikes, and a relaxed city life all within a short drive. A visit here will leave you wanting more. Keep reading to find out how to spend 5 days in Cairns.
Day 1 - The Great Barrier Reef
No trip to Cairns is complete without a trip to the Great Barrier Reef. It’s the most popular thing to do here, and the main reason many tourists from across the world choose to visit. I would suggest doing a full-day trip to explore the Great Barrier Reef. There are so many different tours available it really depends on what you’re interested in. I would highly recommend choosing a snorkelling and diving tour. I did the tour with Ocean Freedom and thoroughly enjoyed the day, the staff on board were great and we got to see so much. With these trips, you’ll spend the day on the boat stopping in various areas to snorkel or dive. These are a great option if you’ve never dived before as you can do one introduction lesson and still have the rest of the day to snorkel.
There are other trips for advanced divers and helicopter tours if you don’t want to spend the whole time in the water. The Great Barrier Reef is a must-do while in Cairns. You’ll see the most incredible coral and wildlife and just have the best day.
Turtle in the Great Barrier Reef
Day 2 - Explore the Rainforest and Waterfalls
The national parks around Cairns are home to some of the most impressive waterfalls so you should spend at least a day in the rainforest hiking and swimming.
Start early in the morning and head to the Mamu Tropical Skywalk. This is a boardwalk and viewpoint in the heart of the Wooroonooran National Park. It’s a short easy walk through the path and up the stairs to the lookout with the most incredible views. It takes about 2 hours to complete from start to finish. An alternative option to this would be the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. This is an all-day activity but similar in the way you can walk through the rainforest and see some spectacular views from the cable cars and scenic railway. I’d recommend this activity instead for families or people who are not interested in hiking.
After you finish the Mamu Tropical Skywalk, you should head to Nandroya Falls not too far away. Here you’ll get really immersed in the rainforest. It’s a little hike of about 4km each way to get to the waterfall but you’ll see some smaller falls and creeks on the route. Although this isn’t a popular waterfall, it was one of my favourites. It tends to be quiet there and feels very secluded. You’ll likely have the falls all to yourself where you can relax and swim.
Your final stop on your day trip will be Milla Milla Falls. This is probably the most famous and iconic waterfall in Australia so well worth the visit. If you’ve seen Peter Andre’s Mysterious Girl music video or a Herbal Essence advert then you’ll recognise Milla Milla Falls. You can park right next to the pools and there’s plenty of space to swim.
Milla Milla Falls
Day 3 - Day Trip to Port Douglas
On day 3 in Cairns, you should take a trip up to Port Douglas. On route, there are lots of beaches to stop at and enjoy including Trinity Beach, Palm Cove, and Ellis Beach. You could spend a whole day just relaxing at one of these beaches. As you head up to Port Douglas, you’ll drive along the Captain Cook highway, perhaps one of the most picturesque roads in Australia. Here you can stop at Rex Lookout for incredible views of the beach, and maybe even catch some paragliders. Further up is Pretty Beach, an idyllic untouched spot if you’re looking for a more secluded, quiet beach. The last stop on your way to Port Douglas should be Thala Nature Reserve. This is private property of the resort, but you are allowed to walk around the grounds where all the palm trees are. This is a beautiful spot and makes for a great photo.
When you arrive in Port Douglas, you should have some lunch at one of the many cafes along the main street. It’s a laidback place so take time to relax after the drive. Check out Trinity Bay Lookout for an incredible view of Four Mile Beach. This beach is a wide long beach with plenty of space to unwind in the afternoon. As it’s Port Douglas’s main beach, it can get quite busy at peak times so keep that in mind if you’re planning on visiting. Lastly, you’ll want to visit Rex Smeal Park, this is an ideal place to watch the sunset with incredible views out to the ocean. A day trip to Port Douglas will guarantee some amazing views and beaches, as well as time to sit back and relax.
Thala Nature Reserve
Day 4 - Fitzroy Island
Take the 45-minute ferry just off the coast of Cairns to arrive at Fitzroy Island. It’s well worth dedicating a day of your trip to visiting this island. Fitzroy Island is known for its amazing snorkelling and beautiful coral beaches. Just off the main beach where you arrive, there is a fantastic snorkelling spot. You’ll see a big large white rock and that’s where you’ll want to head. When I snorkelled here, I saw so many huge green turtles and a reef shark, as well as various fish and coral. This is one of the best places I’ve snorkelled by far. If you love snorkelling you’ll want to spend a while here. Then you can take the 20-minute walk to Nudey Beach a beautiful white coral beach. The waters are clear and warm and also good for snorkelling. On the way back to the ferry, you can stop off at Foxy’s bar for a drink overlooking the ocean. If you have more time and want to explore the rest of the island, you can hike all the way up to the top for some impressive views. Be warned that this is a long walk that can be difficult in the heat. There’s also a turtle rehabilitation centre on the island where you can see all the turtles and learn more about them.
Fitzroy Island
Day 5 - Explore the City
On your last day in Cairns, it’s time to relax and explore the city. Walking along the esplanade is one of my absolute favourite things to do in Cairns. The views are just incredible, especially when the tide is in. If you can muster up an early morning to walk along the boardwalk you absolutely should. It’s much quieter, calmer, and not to mention, much cooler first thing in the morning. You should return to the esplanade in the evening to watch the sunset before heading out to dinner. Sunsets in Cairns are beautiful when the sky is clear, and sitting by the sea makes them even better.
Spend the hot afternoon relaxing at the Cairns Lagoon, the city’s free outdoor pool. In the evening, stop by the Night Market. There are lots of different foods to choose from here, it’s a really relaxed place to grab a casual bite to eat. Check both entrances to the night market as there are food places on both sides. You’ll also find a range of stalls inside selling all kinds of things. My personal favourite was the homemade banana bread stall, every time I visited the night market I would buy a loaf because it was just so good.
5 days in Cairns will only touch the surface of exploring this beautiful area. There are so many more places you can visit and activities you can do.
Want to Know More?
If you enjoyed this blog post check out my Cairns Travel Guide. This book tells you everything and anything you need to know about visiting Cairns and gives you so many more recommendations that I couldn’t write about here.
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