No trip to North Queensland would be complete with visiting the city of Cairns and the natural wonder of the Great Barrier Reef. This travel info post puts both in the spotlight.
A tropical North Queensland holiday is certainly on the wish list of a lot of people, and there’s a good reason why: it’s one of the most beautiful areas on the planet! In fact the Great Barrier Reef, just a mere hop skip and a jump away from Cairns, is listed among the Great Natural Wonders Of The World. Quite a feat – but then if you’ve seen if first hand you’ll know that it warrants that moniker and more. And because Cairns is conveniently located just a short distance away from this natural wonder, if you’re looking for a
holiday spot that gives you access to some of the best that North Queensland has to offer, then Cairns is the best place to start.
If the Great Barrier Reef is going to be the first stop (or among the stops) on your trip, make sure that you have ample space left on your camera or phone to capture all of the beautiful fish, scenery and island life that is going to be front and centre of your vision as soon as you get close. You’ll be blown away with the veritable smorgasbord of colour and life when you first get to the Great Barrier Reef, which includes 1625 species of fish, 630 species of echinoderm (starfish, sea urchins), 14 breeding species of sea snakes, 215 species of birds, six of the world’s seven species of marine turtle, 30 species of whales and dolphins and 133 species of sharks and rays. That’s a whole host of wildlife and oceanic creatures to ogle and get to know!
You have a lot of options available to you when you think about how you’re going to approach the Great Barrier Reef – and the way you choose to do it depends entirely on you. You can dive, snorkel, boat in, glass bottom boat in, kayak, sea plane, scuba dive or simply frolic from island to island on a pleasure cruise, hopping from one idyllic beach to the next. It all depends on how much activity you like, and whether you have young kids or older grandparents with you, as some of the activities require that you’re more mobile than others.
Cairns is so much more than a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef though, because there’s a wealth of other things to do when you arrive to that part of Queensland. For example, there’s Cape Tribulation (or Cape Trib, as it’s affectionately known), which is a hive of activity and beautiful day trips. You won’t be stuck for activities for the kids either, with a whole host of tour guides, operators and people offering a whole range of activities that are suitable for kids right up to experienced adventure junkies. Check out the backpackers haunts and hostels if you get stuck for things to do – there’s usually always a whole array of brochures available for you to take a look at for inspiration.
If you’re really stuck for something to do and you don’t have a car – why not try car hire Cairns with DriveNow and get on out of the city for a while? You’ll be certain to see some spectacular scenery on your way and you have the opportunity check out exactly what you want to check out and when. Your Cairns holiday is certain to be something that you’re going to remember for years to come with fondness, thanks to accessibility and ease with which you can have a good time. So go on, get amongst it in the top end!