Cairns holiday

[Dogwatcher]

Anyone been to Cairns for a holiday?
Someone I know is looking for some suitable places to go for a family holiday.
They have a young child.
Where are the good family orientated places?
Cheers for your help.

[fisho mcspaz]

I went there when I was 9 - so a little while ago but I remember it pretty well. They had a big market in Cairns on the weekend that had all sorts of cool stuff - spent most of my pocket money there. There isn't much of a beach at Cairns from what I recall but Port Douglas to the north isn't far away. There's the nearby Skyrail that runs for about 8km over the rainforest to Kuranda, the Cairns Tropical Zoo which is a hands-on wildlife park - a bit like Cleland I guess (I didn't actually go to this one, a friend of mine went recently and said it's a great place to bring the kids), and the Shipwreck Museum.

If they haven't booked accommodation yet I can recommend this place: http://www.reefpalms.com.au/

[Bum Crack]

Cairns isn't the best place for a family holiday. Nice beaches out of Cairns, but the beach in Cairns is mud. I've been there twice, but have no urge to go back there. Still reckon Gold Coast is the place to go as a family.

[Dirko]

Port Douglas....

http://www.rydges.com/hotel/0/RQPDUG/Rydges-Sabaya-Resort-Port-Douglas.htm

[MW]

I would only use Cairns as a base to start from and do day trips from there to Cape Tribulation, Kuranda, Port Dougas etc etc

[overloaded]

tha mangroves on the cairns front beach are awful. over-rated

[MagicKiwi]

I have to stay in Cairns once a month on my way into PNG. It is a not a place for a family holiday unless you want to stay at the hotel and chuck the kids in the pool every day - sure they won't mind. I wouldn't holiday there in a fit but that's me. It's a stopoff on the way to somewhere else for sure. I would take the family to Townsville instead if it's a tropical holiday you're looking for. They have netted off parts to their beaches so you can swim in the seawater.

[Booney]

Townsville over Cairns? If you have the chance to do the train ot Kuranda up the mountain, a day trip to Port Douglas, lunch on the beach at Palm Cove, a Reef trip, the night zoo, the Croc farm perhaps a night or two in the Daintree it will change your mind on Cairns. There is more to Cairns than just the main drag. Sure you cant swin on the city's shores but that lagoon is awesome day and night and the attractions around the city are well worth the effort.

Im gunning for my company to open a Cairns branch so I can go up there and run it....

[Sploosh]

Would recommend you stay at port Douglas, about 45 minutes north of Cairns. Beautiful beaches on apartment doorsteps, "breakfast with the birds" and then look around the great zoo, great barrier reef access and still central enough to get to the skyrail etc attractions or go to Cairns for a day if you want to, too.

[FattyLumpkin]

I thought Cairns was ok.
1. Stay at the northern beaches (Trinity Beach).
2. Esplanade pool great for kids (& perving on backpackers!)
3. Sky rail to Kuramda very, very good. Expensive, but worth the $$
4. Green Island a good intro to the reef (hint: take the option of a small group dinghy out to unspoilt areas of the reef - you'll see the guff on the boat on the way out)
5. Head north to Port Douglas for a day
6. Out of season now - but catch a Cairns Taipans b-ball game. Locals are into their b-ball & make great fans.
7. Get a/c'd accomodation

[AFLflyer]

Townsville over Cairns? If you have the chance to do the train ot Kuranda up the mountain, a day trip to Port Douglas, lunch on the beach at Palm Cove, a Reef trip, the night zoo, the Croc farm perhaps a night or two in the Daintree it will change your mind on Cairns. There is more to Cairns than just the main drag. Sure you cant swin on the city's shores but that lagoon is awesome day and night and the attractions around the city are well worth the effort.

Im gunning for my company to open a Cairns branch so I can go up there and run it....

100% agree Booney, cairns and the surrounding area is an awesome tourist destination.
my tips for an unforgettable holiday in cairns:
- Fitzroy island day trip.
- reef trip
- crystal cascades, pristine freshwater waterways - locals secret
- The boulders south of cairns.
- mission beach south of cairns - lots of cassorawaries and dunk island
- palm cove
- camping in the Atherton tablelands
- Atherton tablelands waterfalls
- the steak in Atherton
- mossman gorge
- trinity beach pub.
- Cape tribulation camping and fire on the beach
- Tully rainforrest

dont forget the northern beaches are less than 10 mins away

Townsville (a part from magnetic island), failes in comparison..

get off the beaten track and you will love it.. Cairns itself is just a good place to BASE yourself.

buy a map peoples!!!

[fisho mcspaz]

Definitely agree! I loved Cairns as a kid. Townsville doesn't have as much to recommend it, although Magnetic Island is a beautiful place (plus the parrots will sit on you - one of them bit me because I only let it have half my ice cream).