After my 3-day stop in Sydney, I took a 3-hour flight and landed in Cairns around 10 PM. Since Cairns is a relatively small airport, the only form of transportation available late at night was a taxicab (important takeaway: security and safety felt good). This evening, I stayed at the Globetrotters International Backpackers. Due to my late check-in, they kept my passport overnight to copy in the morning for record-keeping purposes. The hostel is pretty tight in terms of overall space; on the first night, I, unfortunately, received a room that was right next to the recreational center. Naturally, this was not conducive to sleep given how loud it was. Thankfully, the next morning I expressed my concerns to management and they were very polite in moving me to a room upstairs that was farther away from the central part of the hostel. The sheets at this hostel are pretty minimal compared to other ones I’ve stayed at. If you have a travel set of sheets, I would recommend bringing them when visiting a hostel such as this one.

Day 1:

On the first day of my trip, I decided to head north and explore both the rainforest and accompanying beaches. I knew ahead of time  I wanted to rent a car, so I made my reservation ahead of time with Enterprise. Since my flight arrived so late I couldn’t pick it up at the airport. Thankfully they had a downtown Cairns location which was open the following morning. The process was very quick, efficient and I ended up getting a very nice car with a GPS system in the console. Given I had no cell service, this made guidance easier than expected. I was still able to get around to my destinations in a convenient fashion. Something I did and a recommendation that I like to give friends is to put stars on all the places you want to visit on Google Maps before you leave. The GPS utilized location services and thus was able to pick it up and guide me.

Daintree Rainforest

I identified Daintree Rainforest on the map and knew that I had to visit it given it is not very often that you get to see a rainforest! This portion of the trip was around a 3-hour drive from downtown Cairns to get there. What I did not realize is that you also have to take a ferry to get to Daintree Rainforest. I waited around 15-20 minutes for the ferry and another 15 minutes to cross the river on the ferry. Make sure to adjust for that amount of time in your schedule and budget into your costs as well.

Cape Tribulation/Kulki Boardwalk:

This stop was the farthest point I went to today. The location has a very short trail that is only about a 10-minute walk. I decided to spend a little bit more time walking along the beach as well given it offered some absolutely stunning views!

Dubuji Boardwalk to Myall Beach:

A quick 3-minute drive south of the cape is this informative experience at Dubuji Boardwalk. It said online that it would take around an hour to complete the trail to the beach, but I finished it in 20 minutes. The boardwalk was a self-guided tour all about the local plants and animals that live in this area. When I got to the beach area, it was interesting to see people trying to harvest and open coconuts from the trees!

Thorton Beach:

20 minutes south of the last stop was another stunning location, Thorton Beach. At this beach, I stopped and walked around for 15 minutes on yet another great boardwalk trail. I loved seeing the different types of trees through this walk – in the distance, you can spot a small island where the rainforest and Great Barrier Reef meet. 

Alexandra Range Lookout:

Heading back towards the ferry, I noticed a stop off for Alexandra Range Lookout. This quick turn off the road offered some stunning 180-degree views of the rainforest and surrounding areas. Around this time since it was early afternoon, I was starting to get hungry and needed to find some lunch options. One piece of advice I will offer is to bring food with you if you travel to this area. There was a random general store on the way back to the ferry where I was able to grab some crackers, dip, and a soda, but the overall selection was very small. I recommend stopping at a grocery store in downtown Cairns before you head out for the morning.

Mossman Gorge National Park:

It was around an hour and a half drive to get to my next location, Mossman Gorge National Park. Online pictures of the park looked stunning which is why I added it to my list! I didn’t realize until after I arrived that there was a fee to enter the park ($12) that effectively paid for you to wait and take a shuttle there and back. To see the main sites in the gorge, it is a quick 10-minute walk; compared to other sites I saw on this trip, this cost didn’t seem worth it for such a short experience. They tell you that you cannot walk the 2km road down to the gorge because the road is dangerous, but there were multiple people who did so anyway to avoid paying the fee.

Port Douglas:

Another 30 minutes south and I drove into the charming town of Port Douglas. First, I stopped at the 4-mile Beach Lookout Point. There isn’t a ton of parking at this location, but if you can snag a spot it offers some fantastic views of the seaside. Afterward, I recommend walking down Macrossan Street to check out the various cute restaurants and shops the area has to offer. I then hopped over to Rex Smeal Park and Trinity Bay Lookout as well. These are also both great view spots of the ocean and the Australian coastline.

Rex Lookout:

On my final drive back into Cairns I had one last view at Rex Lookout. Thirty minutes south of Port Douglas, this is a stunning stop that is worth the time. Rex offers complete 360-degree views of the ocean and the mountainside and is a perfect last stop on an adventurous day.

Cairns Esplanade:

After I got back to my hostel and cleaned up a bit, I decided to go out and explore the downtown area of Cairns. This 2.5km walk provides some solid exploring and is a great way to kill time with your friends. Cairns Esplanade has a lot of BBQ and picnic tables to enjoy each other’s company. The Esplanade also exists by a very cool lagoon, which stays open late and is completely free to the public!

Prawn Star Cairns:

After talking with some locals and with people at my hostel, I was on the hunt for delicious local seafood. The recommendation I got was this amazing boat restaurant named Prawn Star Cairns! I had to wait roughly 20 minutes to get a seat, but the food vindicated my decision. There was so much seafood that I couldn’t pick just one thing; in the end, I decided to do a jumbo seafood platter (let’s call this a tactical mistake). This was entirely too much food for one person and I wish I had someone to share it with, but undoubtedly all of the seafood it came with was delicious and appetizing. If you have 2-3 people with you that don’t mind a bit of communal sharing, this is an excellent deal!

Day 2:

Snorkeling/Scuba Diving in the Great Barrier Reef:

The biggest reason I chose to come to Cairns was for the once and lifetime experience of seeing the Great Barrier Reef! After doing intensive research on various options, I decided on Silverswift Snorkel Cairns through the Cairns Dive Adventures Company. I chose this exact provider because of the flexibility to be able to do one guided scuba dive while getting to visit three different reef locations. This was a cost I was prepared to pay, and I was excited I could do an introductory dive without having my certification. The experience I had on this part of my trip is something I will never forget. I hope you too will get a chance to visit if you have not been before!

Overall Diving Experience

Given I was uncertified, the staff was unbelievable at making sure I was 100% prepared to go down for my first dive. All the equipment and safety training made me feel very comfortable. All I had to do was show up and put on some gear! At one point on my dive, I didn’t feel like my ears were popping to stabilize the pressure, so I started to panic and think I wasn’t going to be able to go farther down. My guide helped me with my breathing and through all the steps to make me feel safe to stabilize my ears and head to the bottom of this part of the reef. Seeing all the amazing wildlife and coral, plus getting to swim right through them up close and personal is something everyone needs to add to their list. I love that at the other two stops, you get to snorkel for approximately 30-45 minutes as well (which provides some different vantage points when observing the reef). The experience lasted all day and included two full meals and a snack on board the ship.

I would recommend that you have a day between flying and going diving so that your body can adjust. I also recommend bringing a beach bag or backpack on the boat. Fill this bag with a water bottle (you’ll get dehydrated easily), a beach towel, and an extra change of clothes to put on after your final dive. This last part is key since you’ll have about an hour boat ride back to the mainland. The Great Barrier Reef experience was once in a lifetime and completely worth the money, so save up and have an amazing day!

Day 3:

Today was all about waterfalls! One of the main reasons I decided to rent a car in this area was to explore all the amazing waterfalls south of Cairns. All of the waterfalls I visited on this day-long journey were completely free as well! This is definitely a great budget-friendly activity to do while you are in this area. The only costs you should incur are the gas to travel and the time allocated to each individual stop.

Josephine Falls:

I started off the day about an hour south of the city in the Wooroonooran National Park. Yes, I know the name of the forest might be a tad long, but the trail I went on was unequivocally short and sweet. It is only a 700-meter walk, which is around half a mile. It culminates in some stunning views of Josephine Falls! If you have some extra time in this area, it should be noted that the trailhead for Mount Bartle Frere, the highest mountain in Queensland, is also located here. As you leave the falls, make sure to keep your eyes peeled for some local banana farms!

Paronella Park and Mena Creek:

Another 45 minutes south and I landed at Paronella Park! This park is actually a historical site and gardens that were built by Spaniards in the early 1900s. It is a historical site that you can go inside and tour around, but it is 50 ASD to enter. Ultimately I didn’t think the high price was worth entering. On the outside of the park, there is a stunning waterfall, Mena Creek that anyone in the public can walk up and see! You can walk across the suspension bridge to see the top of the falls. Then take a quick 0.25-mile trail down to the bottom where there is an equally stunning view that provides a different perspective. I would classify this as a nice stop, but not something you definitely need to make time for.

Wallacha Falls and Tchupala Falls:

A quick 30-minute drive to the west is another stop worthy of your time, Wallacha and Tchupala Falls! The parking for these falls is right off the side of the highway, but the falls themselves are difficult to locate. It is pretty easy to miss and is actually about 100 meters west of what Google Maps indicates. Look for a blue wooden sign at the start of the trailhead. This hike is only a 0.35-mile walk to Tchupala Falls, and then an additional 0.2 miles to Wallacha Falls. The trail is Y-shaped and forks, with each waterfall at the end of their respective trail. It took me around 45 minutes to complete some hiking and see both of the waterfalls. There is an additional trail past the Wallacha falls lookout that you can get a view from the top as well, but I decided to opt-out in the interest of time conservation.  If you need more resources, a great way to find the trail is on All Trails.

Silver Falls and Nandroya Falls (Henrietta Creek Camping Area):

Right down the road is Silver and Nandroya Falls, a 2-minute drive to the next stop on my waterfall journey. Make sure you park at the Henrietta Creek Camping Area, or you will add a little bit of extra time to the next hike! Note that this trail is a loop trail. I chose to make it an out-and-back to save some time since the loop in total is approximately 4 miles. I chose to go left at the fork for the quickest route to the falls. This trail does involve some water crossing at a small waterfall called Silver Falls, so make sure you have good hiking boots or tennis shoes you don’t mind sacrificing. At the end of the trail, Nandroya Falls was just stunning and yet another fantastic addition to my nature tour. Note that if you visit during the summer, there is a small swimming hole in front of the waterfall! It took me about an hour to complete this particular hike.

Mungalli Falls:

This next waterfall is actually located at a local wilderness retreat center. The walk down to Mungalli Falls is straight downhill, but very short; the total distance is less than half of a mile. Be prepared for the hike back uphill! Given the falls are located at a wilderness center, this is a great location to hunt for a restroom or fill up your water bottle if needed.

Ellinjaa Falls:

A quick 15-minute drive down the road and we have hit our next stop, Ellinjaa Falls. These next three waterfalls are on a 15km loop that is known as the Waterfall Circuit. The walk down to the falls is a quick 200 meters and not physically intensive. This is one of the few falls you can actually get very close to as well. Many people were actually swimming around the falls and going under them as well! This was a quick 20 minute stop, so if you are hard-pressed for time, Ellinjaa should not cause too much planning stress.

Zillie Falls:

Right down the road is the next waterfall on the Circuit, Zillie Falls. This waterfall is truly immense and beautiful, but you’ll need to earn it. The hike down to the falls was quite muddy and tricky to navigate. Make sure you have good hiking boots that will give some traction. Like Ellinjaa Falls, this was also a 20-minute quick stop.

Millaa Millaa Falls:

My last stop on the Waterfall Circuit, Millaa Millaa Falls, was by far the most popular waterfall I visited! There is a simple paved path to the falls. It opens up to several great picnic tables and spots to sit and enjoy a packed lunch. After visiting personally, I can understand why Millaa Millaa is one of the most photographed waterfalls in the area. If you go in the summer, expect large crowds and a strong population of swimmers.

Souita Falls:

Soujita Falls was a bit off the beaten path regarding my planned route. Driving through the rolling hills and the local farms made the visit worth the drive. The windy road led to a simple sign and parking right off the road to these falls. This trail is fairly muddy but is covered by a canopy of trees which adds some natural beauty. If you have some time to kill, I’d recommend the visit. However, skipping Soujita will not leave you wishing you had visited if time is short. 

Gallo Dairyland:

When I was picking up my car from Enterprise on the first day of my trip, the nice receptionist asked what my plans were while I was visiting and I mentioned going to see some waterfalls. She pointed out Gallo Dairyland near the area I was touring around and I knew I had to visit it. Forty-five minutes from my last waterfall, I had been saving my appetite all day for this spot and it did not disappoint! Tossing calorie caution to the wind, I ordered a delicious burger covered with onion rings and a side of fries. I also grabbed some fresh homemade ice cream. It should be noted that Gallo also has a wide selection of treats for sale as well. They also have a small farm that you can walk around and see all the animals, such as the dairy cows that they milk on-site for use with their treats!

Barron Gorge National Park:

The last stop of my day, Barron Gorge National Park, completed my full loop of nature exploring. I first stopped at the Barron Falls lookout point. This national park is huge and you could spend a whole day exploring it. Today, I just wanted to tackle Barron Falls as a brief stop on my way back. The lookout for Barron Falls offers stunning views of the falls in just a quick 20-minute walk. When you see the falls, you also get to see Kuranda Scenic Railway as well. The train was actually stopped when I was there and had offloaded passengers who were also exploring the park in a similar fashion to myself. Taking the train into Kuranda is quite expensive. If you have room in your budget I would recommend it as a once in a lifetime experience!

Overall Cairns Experience:

The 3 days I spent in Cairns brought me so much joy and they were the highlight of my Australia trip. Getting to see the Great Barrier Reef, rainforests and an innumerable amount of waterfalls in one day made my heart so full and I hope everyone can enjoy this experience like I did. When you plan your future trip to Australia, book a flight to Cairns and you won’t regret it!

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