Top things to do in Cairns; hikes, beaches, and views
30 September 2022
Charlie and I spent over month exploring all the things to do in Cairns when we travelled around Australia by van.
We didn’t think we’d enjoy Cairns as much as Esperance, but we really truly did. After reading other peoples’ blogs, scrolling social media posts, and asking our audience on Instagram what they thought the best things to do in Cairns were, we decided to explore them all.
So we’ve created a list of our 5 favourite things to do in Cairns so that you don’t miss out when you go.
Cairns hike to Windin Falls
Everyone raves about this hike in Cairns. When we started driving to Windin Falls our van couldn’t make it down the dirt road at the time so we had to turn back. We were pretty bummed. (Note: the dirt road has been maintained and seems pretty reliable even for our van).
One year later, I flew back to Cairns to see what all the hype was about while Charlie was in the UK visiting family.
All I can say is: Poor freaking Charlie. The walk is beautiful from start to finish as it goes through lush rainforest, and once you get to the top you’re in for a pretty epic Insta-worthy shot.
It’s the number one waterfall hike I’d recommend doing in Cairns, and Charlie definitely missed out. But that doesn’t mean you have to.
Cairns beach – Nudey beach on Fitzroy Island
We arrived on Fitzroy Island when other parts of the country started going into COVID lockdowns, so the island was quiet at the time. If you look closely, you’ll see Charlie swimming at this picturesque beach near Cairns all by his handsome little self.
All the things to do on this Cairns Island are less than a 20-minute walk in either direction from the ferry port.
On the southwest of Fitzroy, Nudey beach is for soaking up the sun. Although named Nudey Beach, this Cairns beach is not actually a nudist beach. If it was it would definitely make our list of Australia’s best nude beaches.
Charlie and I both agree that we will renew our vows on Fitzroy Island one day because of how magical it is. We can’t wait!
Related: Planning a trip to Fitzroy? Here’s our guide to having one perfect day on Fitzroy Island.
Cairns beach - Palm Cove
Palm Cove has to be one of the best beaches in Cairns and is home to one of our favourite hotels in all of Australia: The Reef House. The Australia Gay and Lesbian Tourism board of Australia reached out on our Instagram and asked if we wanted to stay in the Reef House for 2 nights in exchange for content they could use on their website. Can you say HELL YES?!
We pretty much spent 2 days in Palm Cove going for walks along Palm Cove beach and coming back to the Reef House lapping it up in all of their hot tubs and it was the absolute best. They have cocktail making classes at the hotel, and Charlie wasn’t impressed by my cocktail making abilities (see below).
Cairns SkyRail (and Barron Falls)
Being totally honest, cable cars aren’t usually my thing. I went on the longest cable car in the southern hemisphere in Vietnam a few years ago which takes you over the ocean and onto an island that has been turned into an amusement park. Sounds fun right? Well, it was super windy and this horror like clown music was playing while the entire gondola was swaying above the air. I legit thought we were going to fall out of the sky and die, and it was scary AF. I vowed never to take a sky rail again.
Until Cairns.
The Skyrail in Cairns was such an amazing and chilled back experience. You are legit over the top of the mountains but you don’t actually feel that high up because you’re just above the tree line. It takes you to Cairns’ super famous Barron Falls too.
Milla Milla Falls
We pretty much spent 2 days here reading our books listening to the sound of the waterfall in the background. It’s a fair bit of a drive from Cairns, but this waterfall of all the things to do in Cairns, this might be the most relaxing. There are also two other waterfalls nearby that you can see and walk to if you drive the Milla Milla waterfall circuit.
What's your favourite thing to do in Cairns?
That’s a roundup of our recommendations of things to do in Cairns. Have you tried any of these spots or others? Let us know in the comments below.
If you want to visit other epic hotspots in Australia, make sure to check out our other gay travel blogs.
