Cairns Travel Forum

A mate and I are venturing around the cairns region in a couple of weeks (mid march). Please offer comments on these ideas and questions if you can:

Mon evening arrive in Cairns from Sydney; lodging TBD but considering anything from a hostel in town to a luxury place in port douglas at this stage...
- virgin blue the way to go? quantas?
- we are two single early thirties guys; very flexible on acommodations and $ but prefer meeting new people and convenience over abject luxury. We could take a hostel or resort or anything in between. Any recommendation that would be convenient to the day-trip below and/or a little nightlife/socialising at the same time?

Tue morning out on a day-trip to the reef. Looking at reef magic's 'marine world' tour that could get us out, snorkling, maybe the quick chopper trip, and beginner snorkling.
- how is this outfit?
- is the 'marine world' base they use smack in the middle of the reef and indicative of it or something watered down?
- is a chopper trip worthwhile over the reef?
- are most outfits flexible with the weather? I know we could easily get rained out on our day of choice and could consider swapping that day to the end of our trip if weather dictates. Is mid-march absolutely verboten for thinking of the reef at all?

Tue night back in cairns/portdoug etc.

Wed morning pick up a 4x4 rental - either one of the wicked campers outback campers or something equally ludicrious. Venture out on one of the posted trails I've seen mentioned hitting rainforest/outback forest areas/tours for 2 nights.
- any recommendation for a good place to get a strong 4x4 - maybe a range rover wrapped in jerry cans and spare tyres? Any experience with wicked campers' outback offering?
- I assume we want all the vehicular muscle and flexibility we can muster in mid march - right? Are any/all trails likely to be closed due to weather?
- can anyone recommend a route that would let us see a lot of wildlife and get back to Cairns in 2 days? We are happy to rough it/sleep in camper/change a tire in a mud flat in pouring rain.

Return friday and fly back to sydney.

i am sticking my neck out here and saying these are way too many questions all at once

however - whenever i key that in - it seems thousands of people want to prove me wrong - so expect many replies soon

(If you don't - ask separate questions on specific matters)

wotif.com is a great idea in oz - we always use it - last minute cheap booking place

also BUG - Backpackers Ultimate Guide is a useful site

i often stay in hostels in oz and they are so brilliant - you meet people just landed from Italy, Swedes, Dutch, Germans lawd knows what

i do love your use of the word verboten though

very rupert brooke

i met a young feller in rome when i was there for 6 months and he had come to oz and had a bit of a difficulty - boat in Frasier island - or somewhere - fetched up on the rocks in the middle of the night - danes, swedes, italians - all having the adventure of a lifetime -

Loved Pete Baxendell. He was recommened to us when we were in Port Douglas. He does rainforest walks and 4WD safaris. It was quite the adventure. You can look at his website at www.daintree-speicalised-tours.com

Sounds perfect.
So I found some vehicular options a la http://www.aussiecampervans.com/Result.aspx . Looks like a 5-day min though, so I wrote them. to see if they'll do any less. It might be worth getting it all 5 days and just using it as the Cairns hotel though... I guess.... if we have to have it anyway. Maybe a combo of that and a hostel would give us some flexibility and options.

The weather in Cairns is bloody wet at the moment, the wet season has hit. We have had floods around here over the last few days....
BUT this doesn't mean it will be raining like this in two weeks.( I hope that it isn't as my son and wife are visiting) I have spent the last two wet seasons here and it is the worst I have seen.

The road to Cape Tribulation is all sealed. You can't go any further than Cape Trib in the wet season. ( this road is open in the dry season and you can go up to Cooktown)You don't need a 4x4. If it is raining like the last few days you will have rain over the road in parts of the trip. You might feel more comfortable having a 4x4. You won't need jerry cans and all that stuff. You will only need the basics.All cars hired have spare tyres etc.
The wicked campers are VERY popular and are just down from the airport road entrance. They are everywhere here and around Aus.My son hired one and was very happy with it.There is also all the hire car places in Cairns, the main ones like Budget etc.


Port Doulgas is great, there are a number of backpacker places, which may be more comfortable than a camper van if raining.
Port O Call in a good one in Port.
Also there is PJ's up in Cape Trib.

4 days ....one to reef, one trip to Cape Trib, one to get over hangover you will have after having a few drinks at either Port Douglas or Cape Trib..the other could be spent having a look around Cairns, you could spend the last afo/night here, then go to the airport.

There is the Zoo in Cairns that you can visit for wild life ( apart from the Clubs in Cairns:))
Also there is Hartely Croc farm you could visit, this is on the highway between Cairns and Port.

Try Virginblue, Jetstar and Qantas for flights.

Just a few ideas for you to ponder, ask more if needed:)
Cheers from *wet* Cairns...( it is wet but still warm, when the sun comes out it will be bloody hot!!!)
PS..check Coral Cay Cafe in Departure Lounge when you leave, if you see an Old Lady serving coffee etc with Anne name tag, say Hi, I will give you a Hi back:)

Mispelled the website: http://www.daintree-specialised-tours.com/

Thanks much for the feedback. Am I reading correctly that the area beyond Cape Trib that is closed is the 'Bloomfield Track'? Is it possible this would be navigable by then and is this perhaps the 4wd/offroad adventure I'm seeking?

No you won't be allowed to do the Bloomfield track when you are here.
It will be deep in mud and water and no 4x4 hire company will let you take the car there.
So it will be out of the question.

There are some great trips into the Atherton Tablelands.
You go from Port into the hills and can visit all the little towns in the hills, including Kuranda.You can do a round trip form Port through the hills back to Cairns, there is a lot of waterfalls etc..at this time of year it would be really great to visit.
At Kuranda you can go to the Barron Falls, great at this time of year, lots of water falling.

You don't need a 4x4 with winch and snorkel for this trip:)

There are some wonderful places to stay up in this area. Little pubs and B and B's etc. At this time of year you should get a good price. One that we have stayed at is Fur and Feathers Tree Houses. These are great, In forest, wild life around at night. Beautiful birds, possums, tree kangaroos, platapus in the river and cassawarys etc

Check out a map of Port Douglas, Mount Molloy, Mareeba areas.

day trip to the reef is great but don't bother with the chopper flight, we did and it is not worth the time or money, did not see anything of interest and the small dots that we were told were turtles could have been anything (even rock) I felt the chopper was too high up and even so there was NOTHING to see, your time will be better spent in the water with a snorkel or eating the great food, nobody was much interested in the prawns so I howed in, yum, (for the frist time every I wore a life jacket as I snorkeled, I am a very strong swimmer so I thought that I didn't need the jacket but thought that I would give it a try, much to my surprise it was great, made floating very easy and I could just concerate on looking at the coral and fish). We went out to the reef with a different mob