Cairns An Adventurous Holiday Escape

Cairns An Adventurous Holiday Escape

Life is all about experiences...

Reef & Rainforest! – A great value packaged deal without the big price tag. Spend a night on Fitzroy Island to get the best of both worlds, the Great Barrier Reef and a rainforest experience.

Fitzroy Island is a tropical paradise of rainforest and beaches within the calm sheltered waters of the Great Barrier Reef.  It’s also a National Park where you can discover spectacular walking trails, abundant marine life, and local wildlife.

At Fitzroy Island Resort, you have a choice to stay in an ocean suite, resort studio or a beach cabin. Something to suit everyone’s budget.

Photo Courtesy of Tourism and Events

Camping is also an option with a modern and stylish shower block, beachfront BBQs and pergola cover for eating areas. Note that campers do need to supply their own equipment.

Day tours to visit the outer reef for scuba diving and snorkelling are also available too if you’re not wanting an overnight stay.

What to do on Fitzroy Island?

Hiking - With 4 different hiking tracks that vary for all fitness levels. I recommend hiking to the summit and lighthouse.

This is an approx. 3hr return hike with breathtaking views of the Great Barrier Reef & the islands rainforest. If you’re a keen hiker you don’t want to miss this one.

Secret Garden Track and Nudey Beach Track are a lot less strenuous both being an approx. 45min return. Get in amongst the lush rainforest that this island has to offer.

Photo Courtesy of Tourism and Events

Snorkel & Swim – You can’t come to Fitzroy Island without snorkelling. Snorkel right off the beach into the warm blue waters where you can explore this underwater paradise. Come across beautiful corals, marine fish and other marine life.

Water activities - At the beach hut you can hire sea kayaks & paddleboards. You can join a guided sea kayak tour (additional cost) to explore this remote island's hidden delights and private beaches or do a self-guided tour. Last but not least, take a short swim from the main beach out to the ocean trampoline to get your jump on!

There is another island just 45 minutes ferry ride off the coast of Cairns where you can stay for a couple of nights, Green Island Resort.

Photo Courtesy of Tourism and Events - Jemma Craig

Green Island really comes into its own once the day visitors have left the island for the day… Magic!

Continue your adventure in Cairns…

Cairns has a variety of accommodation options, from 5-star hotels to backpackers and everything in between. Weather you’re travelling solo, with your partner or your family there’ll be something that suits your requirements and needs.

Further north at approximately 30 minutes from the Cairns Airport you will find a selection of popular holiday spots and beaches accommodation choices. Each beach is very different:

Palm Cove is a popular beach with a relaxed village feel, beachfront restaurants, day spas and a wide range of accommodation options to suit families, couples and larger family reunions and weddings.  Trinity Beach and Clifton Beach are quiet beaches with a couple of accommodation and dining options.

Photo Courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland

It can be quite difficult to explore the outdoors in a foreign place. Luckily, we have quite a few tour options available. Rafting, canyoning, bungy jumping, guided hikes, self-guided hikes and so much more.

White Water Rafting – Take on the mighty Tully river with a choice of the Classic or Xtreme rafting. Enjoy awesome grade 3 & 4 rapids set among spectacular scenery on this adrenalin pumping adventure! Don’t have experience? No worries! All you need is your sense of adventure.

Behana Canyoning – Behana gorge is Cairns best kept secret. There are pristine swimming holes, breathtaking views over rapidly raging water, and a stunning waterfall that flows into a deep granite gorge. This full day tour has it all! Abseiling, waterfalls, cliff jumping and rock sliding. Lots of fun challenges for those who are up for it and other alternative routes for those who choose not to. Be prepared to get wet and have lots of fun! If a full day is not an option try our half day canyoning tour set in the Crystal Cascades.

Photo Courtesy of Raging Thunder

Jump with the masters at AJ Hacket – Australia’s only bungy is right here in Cairns. 100% safety record, FREE transfers and something you can do in all weather conditions. Set amongst World Heritage Rainforest with wicked tunes and great atmosphere all day. You can choose to bungy ‘your way’ 16 different ways to complete your bungy you even get to choose the tune you jump to.  You might even want to add in the ‘Giant Jungle Swing’ as well!

Cairns Hiking Experience – This guided hike is only available from April to October. Walk difficulties can be modified to suit all levels of fitness and is the only ‘guided’ hike Cairns has to offer. Beautiful Lamb Range towers high above the Dinden National Park surrounds. A 10 kilometre experience of a lifetime!

Photo Courtesy of FNQ Nature Tours

Self-Guided Hikes – Mt Whitfield has our most popular hikes as they’re easily accessible and only a 10-15min drive from the city.

• The Red Arrow Circuit is 1.5km and takes about 1 hour (return). It is forested, has many steps in steep sections with two open viewing areas overlooking the city and north towards the airport.
• The Blue Arrow Circuit is 6km and takes 5 hours (return). It is a rugged bush track with steep climbs and requires a reasonable level of fitness.
• The Green Arrow is a 3km track and takes 1.5 hours (one direction) which starts towards the top of the Blue Arrow loop and branches off to the west ending at Whitfield. The track can be accessed by walkers from Whitfield, in Bel Air Drive.
• The Yellow Arrow is a 1.9km track and takes about 1.5 hours return. The windy track contains many steps and requires a general level of fitness. The track can be accessed off Aeroglen Drive adjacent to the Aeroglen dog off-leash area.

Horse Riding – Ever been horse riding? Enjoy a fantastic horse ride through rainforest and Cape Tribulation Beach. No need to worry if you are inexperience as your qualified guides will take you through safety demonstrations and lessons. 

How about heading further north to spend a night in the World Heritage Rainforest - Daintree and Cape Tribulation?

Located 2 hrs north of Cairns is this stunning picturesque slice of paradise. This unique area is one of the only places on the planet where two World Heritage sites collide!

Photo Courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland

Staying on a budget try a night at the Safari Lodge Cape Tribulation. Sleep in the jungle and enjoy the sounds of the rainforest at night, or rise early to experience the sunrise over beautiful Myall Beach only minutes away. Safari Lodge offers affordable eco huts known as Safari Huts – quad share, twin, single or dorm as well as camp sites in the tropical rainforest.

A popular option for couples and families is the Cape Trib Beach House which is located on the Beach and offers newly renovated rainforest style cabins within rainforest setting.   

If you are looking for a more luxurious escape you should consider the Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa Resort, or the Daintree Retreat holiday home.

More Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation accommodation options here.

Some of the adventurous activities you will find in the area are listed below and you can discover more here:

• Night Walk - The guided night walks allow you to indulge your inner Attenborough and tune into all your senses – free from the shackles of technology – to discover what lies beneath the blanket of darkness.
• Horse Riding - Enjoy some of the most breathtaking scenery in Australia with the only beach horse ride in Cape Tribulation. All riders will have the chance to go faster than a walk as we cater for all types of abilities.
• Freeride Mountain Biking – These high-performance electric bikes magnifies your efforts up to 300 percent so you can climb hills and traverse the jaw-dropping landscape with ease and comfort! The trails have been developed to suit all abilities, with creek crossings and potential wildlife spotting’s as you go deep into the rugged rainforest.

Cairns will definitely deliver when it comes to adrenalin and adventure! Bring your swimmers, get your hiking shoes on, don’t forget your camera and enjoy the beautiful hikes and action packed activities available in Cairns, Far North Queensland!

So, when you’re planning your next adventure think of Cairns and speak with us at Cairns Holiday Specialists so we can use our local knowledge and experience to help plan the perfect ‘adventurous  escape’ for you!

Author: Jennifer Tofia - Destination Specialists

Posted on October 09, 2018 at 10:05am by Jennifer Tofia