Cairns Travel Forum

Hi to all my Aussie friends which I've yet to meet.

Are diving charters more expensive around Christmas or would be it better to wait until January to dive?

Any suggestions of quality dive companies?

Thanks much.

Cheers!

Any suggestions for a day trip for Great Barrier Reef sightseeing/snorkling/etc. And/or for a rainforest day trip?

How warm is the weather on average during the wet season?

From Cairns what is the best island to visit to see the Great Barrier Reef?

Can anyone advise me the cheapest way to travel to Bangkok from Cairns? is there a low cost airline that does this route direct?

Hi,

What would the weather be like in Cairns in early October?

Thanks.

Hi everyone,

I'm going to be in Cairns the first two weeks of October and I'd like to take a learning to dive course. I've found two that seem worthwhile. Just wondering if anyone has taken either of these and can recommend one over the other or a different one entirely?

http://ca.contiki.com/tours/57-learn-to-dive

http://www.yha.com.au/travel/traveldeals/details.cfm?ProductID=186

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

Hi,

I'll be in Cairns next week for four days, and haven't planned a thing. Would love some recommendations on the best places to visit and stay on a relatively tight budget. No hostels please, I like my privacy.

Thanks in advance

Will be spending a week in Cairns soon, and I would like some advice as to whether to take my laptop, or access the internet at internet cafes. Appreciate any feedback.

Couple arrived in Cairns this week. Looking for work or volunteer opportunities that does not require a work visa. Being from Canada I have a work visa, but my couinter part does not. Can anyone point me in the right direction? He is not picky and willing to do just about anything. Does anyone know of specific places that he can apply at???? Thanks so much any information would be excellent!!!! CHEERS

Hi, i was wondering if anyone could help me out. I need to get from Cairns to Mission Beach. Anyone got advice? Thanks for your time!

Couple will be arriving in Cairns this week..YEAH!!!!Sooo excited. Anywho, we have a hotel for the first few nights and then we are in a hostel for the next week. We are staying in Cairns til Nov. or so. What is the best option for 3 month housing. We don't want to stay in a hostel for that long. Is it better to get a furnished studio apt or do share housing? Furnished studios seem to be cheaper, but they don't include power and all the extra stuff. The shared housing has everything included, but it is shared living space and no private bath. Anyone know a better way to go??? Does anyone know anything about Cairns-Sharehouse ?? Any help would be awesome!!! Thanks

I have a question about jobs in Cairns. I'm from Canada and was able to retain a holiday work visa that allows me to work odds jobs for up to 3 months. I don't believe I'll have a problem finding work. This is my problem, my boyfriend is from the US and they don't offer working visas for US citizens. We have money, but is there anyway he can get some kind of job over there? We have contacted the AU immigration about options, but they really don't like americans. does anyone know something I don't???? Cheers

Hi,

I really want to see the Great Barrier Reef. My problem is that I don't know how to swim or know how to snorkel.

Are there tours in Carins that specialize in us non-swimmers and non-snorklers who really want to experience the Great Barrier Reef?

If not, I guess that is no reason in coming to Carins.

Couple mid-20's starting in Cairns in early Aug. We plan on traveling south and evenually stopping in Surfer's paradise. How is the best way to travel down the coast of Queensland? Bus or Train? and when I say best I mean cheapest without being a horrible experience. We want to be able to stop in mission beach, airle beach and other beach towns along the way. We don't plan on back tracking. Thanks :)

Can anyone recommend a good hostel in Cairns? Were looking for one that we can walk to just about anywhere or take a short bus ride. Is it worth going to the YHA hostel many people have told me that they are overrated and over-priced? Are the city buses a good way to get around Cairns? We will not have a car and do not plan on renting one. Whats the best way to get up to the northern beachs and rainforest? We want to spend more then a day in the rainforest and Port douglas. Thanks any info would be great :)

Couple Mid-20's on a long term vacation to Cairns, Queensland. We arrive in Cairns on Aug. 8th. I was told this is the height of the tourist season during the AU winter when the climate is cooler and dry. I believe that late november-december is when the hotter wet season begins. If I was to visit to the far north what time of year is best???? Is Cairns a good place to stay during the wet season or should I consider moving further south towards Townsville or Surfer's Paradise? Thanks any info would be great:) -------------------------Can't wait only one more month to go!!!!-----------

We are going to Cairns for the first time and there are so many tours heading out for daytrips to the reef. Can anyone point us in the right direction of a great tour? We want to snorkel, not dive and are worried we might end up on a tour geared for divers if we aren't careful.

If you've snorkelled with a good company, please let me know.

Thanks,

Tim

Couple in are 20's from the US and arriving in Cairns, AU Aug.8th. We have already made arrangments to stay in a Hostel for the first 5 nights. However, we plan on staying in Cairns for about a year and are having trouble finding long-term apartments on the web. Something we can lease three, six, or nine months. Something we can pay month to month or week to week if needed. Fully or part furnished, just the basics nothing fancy. Is it called something different over there??? Hows the best way to find these types of places? Are there these types of places? On a side note what kind if outlets are used over there. Also, how do the cellphones work of there? is it pay as u go or do u join a carrier? Any help would be great....:) thanks

Husband and Wife, mid 70's, holidaying in Cairns July 22 - 25, then on to Port Douglas till August 3. Seeking similar couple to hop in the car beside us, for sharing friendship, laughs and adventure. E-mail to:
alfmorley@aapt.net.au

Hi Vters, Father and son coming to Cairns for two nights. Am looking for some suggestions for accommodation, probably 4 star and self contained, but certainly central. Your help is appreciated.

I am was supposed to go to Australia in the end of June on a business trip, so I have extended my stay to do some diving on ПИКю I am now trying to choose the dive operator/tour. So far the Mike Ball (on Spoilsport) is the one which seems to fir my schedule (I am in Cairns 23-28 June, flying back to Sydney on the evening of 28th) and interests the best, except the cost is quite considerable.

Any advices from locals or experienced divers about good liveaboard tours for 3-4 days for a reasonable price? Also, someone on virtualtourist mentioned that you can buy the same trip via some local travel agents cheaper than it is published on the dive operator's web site - any recommendations?

hi my wife and i are travelling to cairns for three days s5 july to 28 july and then on to brisbane/gold coast.any suggestions on things to do and places to c while in cairns please.also going to stay in hilton hotel cairns, anyone any thoughts on this
thank you

Thanks to everyone regarding my previous post. My file is getting quite thick and will probably end up as being my main item of luggage!! Just a few questions more though. My wife and I are planning to go to the Tablelands and Cape Trib whilst we're in Cairns and Port Douglas. We have already hired a car. Are they good roads? Are there any steep climbs? Good signposts? We are in our mid '70's, and it would also be nice to have some travel companions for a few laughs and a bit of adventure. We are in Cairns 22nd--25th July. Port Douglas 25th July---3rd August. Anyone care to hop in beside us? Cheers, Alf.

Couple in Mid-20's arriving in Cairns Aug. 8th. Where should we stay for the first few weeks? What area of Cairns is the best place to set up perment housing? We are not going to buy a car and will try to rely on public transportation to get around town. We would like to be able to walk or ride bikes for the most part. What are the things or places we should not miss while in Cairns????

Thanks....any info would be great :)

Hi everyone. Apart from doing the 'relatives' thing to the UK a few times, my wife and I have never had what you might call a 'real' holiday. Although we migrated to Oz 42 years ago, with five kids, we've never been outside of WA. In fact, we haven't done much travelling at all. Now that we're in our mid-seventies and great-grandparents many times over, we reckon it's about time that we had that 'real' holiday, so we're spending our meagre savings, (and the kids inheritance!!), on a twelve day Cairns/Port Douglas holiday. First problem is whether to hire a car and visit the usual tourist destinations, or whether to rely on the Package Deals by tour operators. If we decide on the latter, it seems it would hardly be worth hiring a car, but of course, one would have less independance. Most of those package deals certainly consume your spending money in a very quick space of time, so with 3 days in Cairns and 9 in Port Douglas, which destinations offer the best value? It's costing a small fortune just getting there from Perth, so we want to make the most of it. It would be nice, too, if we could hear from any similar age couples, not necessarily from Perth, who are planning a similar trip, so that we could perhaps get to know each other even before our late July holiday. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to read, Alf.

My son is a keen skater, and has been told about a skatepark in Cairns that is meant to be really good..Can anyone give me any info on it please.....He is researching Aussie skateparks..and as we want to go to Cairns to visit Anne12 sometime soon...he is wondering about it!

I am going on a 5 week luxury tour of Oz in Sept/Oct and will be spending 5 days in Cairns staying at The Lakes Resort (what's it like please?) I will be going on organised trips to Green Island, Flames of the Forest dinner, Port Douglas and Kuranda but wondered if there was anything else that was a "must see" while in Cairns? Am not really into "adventure type" stuff (look at my age!!) but would like to try Snorkelling if poss - am a fair swimmer - is it very hard to do? Also will it be very hot/humid in Oct? And lots of mozzies? They love to feast on me!
Also nice places to eat/drink/socialise in the evening please. On this occasion cost not really a problem - am treating myself after a traumatic divorce! Although normally luxury not my budget (NHS Nurse) - this trip will hopefully provide a lifetime of memories!
Thanks in advance everyone. I can't wait for Sept!

aussie travellin round. looking for someone to share ride to darwin.
cheers G.