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A local guide to Cairns
Sarah & Tom's Cairns
Your hosts · The Beach House, Trinity Beach
We've hosted here for years, and the question we get most is "what should we do while we're here?" So we wrote it all down, the free local gems first, then the few tours we'd genuinely book ourselves.
We're fussy about coffee and dinner. These are the ones we send everyone to.
The reef's the one thing we'd never skip, but the right boat depends on who's coming. Here's who we'd put on what.
Great Barrier Reef
"A big, stable pontoon with a waterslide, glass-bottom boat and semi-sub. The kids can hop in and out of the water all day, and there's shade for grandparents."
Great Barrier Reef
"A catamaran, smaller, more relaxed, with quieter reef sites and a glass of bubbles on the way back. Our pick for two."
Great Barrier Reef
"A fast, roomy catamaran out to the outer reef, with intro and certified dives and loads of time in the water, the boat we'd pick for getting under the surface."
These are the reef trips Sarah & Tom recommend, but every tour has its own charms. Here is a clear overview of Cairns' best choices.
| Tour | Award | Price | Travel | Reef site | Non-swimmers | Seasick risk | Includes | The boat | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Down Under Cruise & DiveSarah & Tom's pick | 🏆 Best Overall | $275 | ~90 min | Saxon · Norman · Hastings (outer) | Good | Medium | 🍽 Lunch🥂 Wine & snack🤿 Gear🩱 Stinger suit |
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View tour › |
| Passions of ParadiseSarah & Tom's pick | ❤️ Locals' Favourite | $275 | ~2 hrs | Breaking Patches · Flynn · Hastings · Norman · Saxon (outer) | Limited | Medium | 🍽 Lunch🤿 Gear🌿 Eco-certified |
 |
View tour › |
| Dreamtime Dive & Snorkel | 💰 Best Value | $255 | ~90 min | Milln · Flynn · Hastings · Saxon · Norman · Thetford (outer) | Good | Medium | 🍽 Lunch🤿 Gear🦺 Wetsuit🌏 Culture |
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View tour › |
| Sunlover Reef CruisesSarah & Tom's pick | 👨👩👧 Best for Families | $317 | ~1 hr 45 | Moore Reef (outer) | Excellent | Low | 🍽 Lunch🤿 Gear🎪 Waterslide🔭 Observatory |
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| Silverswift | 🤿 Best for Divers | $308 | ~80 min | Flynn · Pellowe · Milln · Thetford (outer) | Limited | Medium | 🍽 Lunch🤿 Gear🦺 Lycra suit |
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View tour › |
| Reef Magic Pontoon | ☀️ Best for Seniors | $325 | ~90 min | Moore Reef (outer) | Excellent | Low | 🍽 Lunch🤿 Gear🩱 Stinger suit🔭 Observatory |
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View tour › |
| Reef Adventures | ⏱ Best Half-Day | $179 | ~45 min | Upolu Reef or Breaking Patches | Limited | Low–Med | 🤿 Gear🩱 Stinger suit |
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View tour › |
The most popular days out that aren't the reef, rainforest, the ranges and an easy island escape.
Rainforest
"Mossman Gorge, an hour on the Daintree River and Cape Tribulation, all in one day."
Kuranda
"Glide over the canopy one way, the historic railway the other, a Cairns classic."
Island
"Sand, snorkel and back by dinner, an easy island day for all ages."
All free, all close by, the stuff most visitors never find on their own.
Our favourites, and the days worth planning around.
The places that keep little ones happy, rain or shine.
Tap a pin for directions in Google Maps.
A few honest tips so you don't waste money on the wrong thing.
A local Cairns company, and the easiest start to your trip: they pick you up for free at Cairns Airport and you're driving away within 15 minutes. When you fly home, you can return the car at the airport.
I book it for you and send you the price first. Nothing to pay until you're happy with it.
Thinking about a different trip, or got a question we haven't answered here? Send us a WhatsApp any time, no obligation at all. Amber is a travel agent here in Cairns and books these tours herself, so you'll get a straight answer rather than a brochure. Usually back to you the same day.
Have the best time. It's a pretty special corner of the world.
Stuck on anything at all? Message Amber, our Cairns local, usually back to you the same day.
This is an example. Yours carries your name, your photos and your own tips: the café you love, the beach you'd send guests to, how to get around from your street. Amber builds it for you, free.