Hours, dates and closures come from Queensland Parks, Cairns Regional Council and the markets themselves. Checked 19 October 2026.
The free side of Cairns
The reef and the rainforest get the headlines, but most of our favourite Cairns moments cost nothing: a sunrise on the Red Arrow, a cold swim at Crystal Cascades, a bag of tropical fruit at Rusty's.
We've given every spot its own page, with the facts that matter: how long, how hard, when it's open, whether you can swim, and the safety notes that the signs at the trailhead won't let you forget.
Use the buttons to filter, and tap any card for the full guide.
Every spot on one map
Tap a pin for the guide. Cairns city is in the middle, the Tablelands to the west, Port Douglas up north and the waterfalls to the south.
Walks and hikes around Cairns
From a one-hour climb behind the Botanic Gardens to Queensland's highest mountain. Pick by fitness and by how early you can get up.
Red Arrow Walk
A one-hour rainforest climb with a city view, starting at the Botanic Gardens.
See the guide →Blue Arrow Walk
The serious Mount Whitfield circuit: 6 km of steep rainforest and a lookout over the city.
See the guide →Walsh's Pyramid
A 922 m granite peak near Gordonvale. Steep, shadeless and unforgettable at the top.
See the guide →Bartle Frere Trail
Queensland's highest mountain. A two-day trail for experienced bushwalkers only.
See the guide →Curtain Fig Tree
A 500-year-old fig with roots that fall 15 metres like a curtain. Ten minutes on a boardwalk.
See the guide →Waterfalls, swimming holes and crater lakes
Fresh water and no stingers. The catch: creeks rise fast after rain, and each spot has its own rules, so read the safety notes on each page.
Crystal Cascades
Cairns' own rainforest swimming holes, 20 minutes from the city.
See the guide →Stoney Creek
Clear pools and small waterfalls in Barron Gorge National Park, 20 minutes from town.
See the guide →Behana Gorge
A steep sealed walk to Clamshell Falls and granite pools. You earn this swim.
See the guide →Babinda Boulders
Clear water, giant granite boulders and a strict line on where you can swim.
See the guide →Josephine Falls
A three-tiered waterfall with a natural rock slide, under Queensland's highest peak.
See the guide →Millaa Millaa Falls
The postcard waterfall of the Tablelands, and the start of the Waterfall Circuit.
See the guide →Lake Eacham
A clear, deep volcanic lake with a pontoon, a shady 3 km loop and turtles.
See the guide →Lake Barrine
Twin 45 m kauri pines, a lakeside teahouse and a 5 km rainforest loop.
See the guide →Cairns markets, and the days they run
Some run every day, some once a month. Every day, date and opening hour below comes from the market itself.
Rusty's Markets
180+ stalls of tropical fruit, coffee and bric-a-brac in the CBD, Friday to Sunday.
See the guide →Cairns Night Markets
Seventy shops, a food court and massages, open every night of the year.
See the guide →Kuranda Markets
Two markets in the rainforest village: handmade leather, Indigenous art, buskers.
See the guide →Palm Cove Markets
130+ handmade stalls under the paperbarks on the Palm Cove beachfront.
See the guide →Port Douglas Sunday Markets
Sunday morning in Anzac Park, with the Coral Sea and a little white church behind the stalls.
See the guide →Yungaburra Markets
The biggest market on the Tablelands: 250+ growers and makers, fourth Saturday of the month.
See the guide →Tanks Markets
Art, vintage and live music around old WWII fuel tanks, last Sunday of the month.
See the guide →Free spots in the middle of Cairns
No car, no ticket, no plan needed. These are the places we send people on a first afternoon.
Esplanade Lagoon
A free 4,800 m2 saltwater lagoon with lifeguards, right on the waterfront.
See the guide →Cairns Botanic Gardens
Flecker Garden, a palm-shaped conservatory, lakes and free guided walks. Free entry.
See the guide →Muddy's Playground
A free splash playground on the Esplanade, with a cafe for the grown-ups.
See the guide →Already covered in our travel guides
A few spots have their own longer guide on the site.
Barron Falls
The big one on the way to Kuranda.
Read the guide →Mossman Gorge
The shuttle, the walks and the Dreamtime Walk.
Read the guide →Waterfalls Near Cairns
All the falls in one comparison.
Read the guide →Free Things to Do in Cairns
A whole free day, planned.
Read the guide →Walks, waterfalls and markets FAQs
What is the best free walk in Cairns?
The Red Arrow on Mount Whitfield: 1.5 km, about an hour, starting on Collins Avenue next to the Botanic Gardens, with a view over the city.
Where can you swim near Cairns?
In the city, the free Esplanade Lagoon. Within half an hour: Crystal Cascades and Stoney Creek. Further out: Babinda Boulders, Josephine Falls, Millaa Millaa Falls and Lake Eacham. Always check conditions after rain.
What markets are on in Cairns this weekend?
Rusty's Markets runs every Friday to Sunday, and the Night Markets every evening. Palm Cove (usually the first Sunday), Tanks (last Sunday, April to November) and Yungaburra (fourth Saturday) are monthly.
Which Cairns markets are open every day?
The Cairns Night Markets (4:30pm to 10:30pm) and the Kuranda Original Rainforest Market (10am to 3pm).
Is Josephine Falls open?
Queensland Parks has maintenance works from 2 November 2026 to 28 February 2027, with partial closures and an expected two-week full closure of the swimming area. See our Josephine Falls guide.