A local guide to Cairns

Sarah & Tom's Cairns

Your hosts · The Beach House, Trinity Beach

The tips we give every guest who stays with us, the good coffee, the quiet swims, and the reef trips worth your money.

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.

Eat & drink

Where to eat

We're fussy about coffee and dinner. These are the ones we send everyone to.

Caffiend
Coffee

Caffiend

Grafton St laneway · Cairns city
"Cairns' cult laneway coffee, grab a batch brew and a pastry."
Salt House
Lunch

Salt House

Cairns marina · waterfront
"Wood-fired grill and Aussie seafood right on the water."
Rocco
Best view

Rocco

Crystalbrook Riley · rooftop
"The city's highest rooftop, 270° over the Coral Sea."
NuNu
Dinner

NuNu

Palm Cove · beachfront
"Barefoot fine dining under the palms. Book ahead."
Ochre
Splurge

Ochre

Cairns · Marlin Parade
"Cairns' most-awarded kitchen, native-ingredient degustation."
Our reef advice

Reef trips we recommend

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.

If you're with the family

Sunlover Reef Cruises

"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."
★ 4.7 · from $317
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If you're a couple

Passions of Paradise

"A sailing catamaran, smaller, more relaxed, with quieter reef sites and a glass of bubbles on the way back. Our pick for two."
★ 4.8 · from $275
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If you love snorkelling or want to dive

Evolution: Down Under Cruise & Dive

"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."
★ 4.9 · from $275
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Beyond the reef

Other Tours Worth Booking

The most popular days out that aren't the reef, rainforest, the ranges and an easy island escape.

Daintree & Cape Trib
Rainforest · day trip

Daintree & Cape Trib

Full day · with a local guide
"The oldest rainforest on earth, worth every minute with a guide."
★ 4.7from $215
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Kuranda by Skyrail & Rail
Rainforest village · full day

Kuranda by Skyrail & Rail

Cableway up · scenic rail back
"Glide over the canopy one way, the historic railway the other, a Cairns classic."
★ 4.6from $145
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Green Island Day Trip
Island · easy day

Green Island Day Trip

Coral cay · 45 min from town
"Sand, snorkel and back by dinner, an easy island day for all ages."
★ 4.6from $112
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Fitzroy Island
Island · reef & rainforest

Fitzroy Island

45 min by fast ferry
"Snorkel straight off the beach, then hike to the summit."
★ 4.6from $108
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Hot-Air Ballooning
Scenic · sunrise

Hot-Air Ballooning

Atherton Tablelands · dawn
"Dawn over the Tablelands, worth the early alarm."
★ 4.8from $450
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Free & outdoors

Favourite hikes & waterfalls

All free, all close by, the stuff most visitors never find on their own.

Crystal Cascades
Waterfall swim

Crystal Cascades

20 min · free swimming holes
"Go before 10am and you'll have it all to yourself."
Red Arrow Circuit
Short hike

Red Arrow Circuit

Cairns city · 1 hour loop
"A quick rainforest climb right in town, perfect before breakfast."
Josephine Falls
Waterfall

Josephine Falls

1 hr south · natural rock slide
"Bring water shoes. The smooth-rock slide is a hit with kids."
Milla Milla Falls
Waterfall

Milla Milla Falls

Atherton Tablelands · 1.5 hr
"The postcard waterfall, worth the drive up."
Crater Lakes
Lake swim

Crater Lakes (Lake Eacham)

Tablelands · easy loop
"Still, clear crater lake, easy swim and a shady walk."
Getting around

How to get around

A few honest tips so you don't waste money on the wrong thing.

From the airport
A taxi to Trinity Beach is ~$45. We can arrange a fixed-price transfer for you, just message us.
Hire a car?
Worth it for 1–2 days (Daintree, waterfalls), not the whole stay. Reef & rainforest tours include pickup.
Getting into Cairns
15 min by car; the Sunbus runs along the coast road if you'd rather not drive.
Markets & when

Markets & when to go

Our favourites, and the days worth planning around.

Rusty's Market
Cairns city · Fri–Sun mornings, mango smoothies and local produce. Get there before 9.
Palm Cove Market
Beachfront · last Sunday of the month, crafts and coffee under the melaleucas.
Port Douglas Market
Anzac Park · Sunday mornings, worth the drive if you're heading north anyway.
Ask Amber

Other plans in mind? Just ask.

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.

💬 Message Amber on WhatsApp

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.

💬 Chat with Amber, our local travel agent