Tripora
Open the app
Australia
Things to do in Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef
5 activity ideas, with how long they take, an indicative price and the best time of day. Best time to visit: from May to October.
Things to do
-
The Great Barrier Reef
Two hours by boat to the outer reef, to swim among fish and corals. On Wikipedia
Nature and sceneryNature9 hr≈ €180takes the whole day
-
Kuranda by train and cable car
A mountain railway through the gorges, and a cable car back above the rainforest. On Wikipedia
Nature and sceneryViewpoint6 hr≈ €100takes the whole day
-
Mossman Gorge in the Daintree
The oldest rainforest in the world, a clear river and Kuku Yalanji Aboriginal guides. On Wikipedia
Nature and sceneryNature5 hr≈ €20takes the whole day
-
Green Island
A coral cay forty-five minutes away, its turtles and its glass-bottom boats. On Wikipedia
RelaxationBeach5 hr≈ €70takes the whole day
-
The Esplanade Lagoon
A large free public pool by the sea, where the crocodiles don’t go.
RelaxationRelaxation2 hrFreebest in the afternoon
When to go
The most pleasant months in Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef: from May to October, taking weather and crowds into account.
More ideas for those months: where to go in May, where to go in June, where to go in July, where to go in August, where to go in September, where to go in October.
Averages measured over recent years: mean temperatures and number of rainy days, month by month.
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30 °C / 86 °F | 25 °C / 77 °F | 24 |
| February | 30 °C / 86 °F | 25 °C / 77 °F | 24 |
| March | 29 °C / 84 °F | 25 °C / 77 °F | 23 |
| April | 29 °C / 84 °F | 24 °C / 75 °F | 17 |
| May ideal | 26 °C / 79 °F | 22 °C / 72 °F | 17 |
| June ideal | 25 °C / 77 °F | 20 °C / 68 °F | 9 |
| July ideal | 25 °C / 77 °F | 20 °C / 68 °F | 12 |
| August ideal | 25 °C / 77 °F | 19 °C / 66 °F | 9 |
| September ideal | 26 °C / 79 °F | 21 °C / 70 °F | 15 |
| October ideal | 28 °C / 82 °F | 22 °C / 72 °F | 8 |
| November | 29 °C / 84 °F | 24 °C / 75 °F | 11 |
| December | 30 °C / 86 °F | 25 °C / 77 °F | 21 |
What budget on the ground?
Per person and per day, including accommodation, meals, local transport and visits — excluding the round trip. An estimate calculated the same way as in the app, from the local cost of living.
- Budget
- €70
- Mid-range
- €135
- Comfort
- €250
Getting there from Paris: the carbon footprint
Per person, round trip, in kilograms of CO₂ equivalent — manufacturing, energy and, for flights, contrails included.
- Plane
- 5.4 t
Factors from ADEME (Impact CO₂); outside France, rail uses the European average published by the European Environment Agency.
Book on the ground
Tours and tickets
- Go City Multi-attraction passes for big cities
- Klook Tours, tickets and excursions
- Tiqets Museums and monuments, skip-the-line tickets
- WeGoTrip Self-paced audio tours
Internet on site (eSIM)
- Airalo Data eSIM, by country or region
- Drimsim SIM card that works in almost every country
- Saily Data eSIM
- Yesim Data eSIM
From the airport
- GetTransfer Drivers make an offer for your ride
- Intui Private transfers at a fixed price
- Kiwitaxi Booked transfers, from taxi to minibus
- Welcome Pickups Driver waiting on arrival, price fixed in advance
Rent a car
- Auto Europe Rental comparison
- EconomyBookings Rental comparison
- GetRentacar Cars from rental companies and private owners
- Localrent Local rental companies, often no credit card needed
Partner links: if you book through them, Tripora may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you and without changing the order of these lists, which is alphabetical.
Good to know: Australia
- Plugs
- Type I, 230 V
- Emergencies
- 000, 112
- Driving
- On the left
Near Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef
- Uluru Australia, 1,790 km
- Sydney Australia, 1,960 km
- New Caledonia New Caledonia, 2,240 km
- Melbourne Australia, 2,320 km
- Raja Ampat Indonesia, 2,480 km
- Tasmania Australia, 2,890 km