Cairns

Surrounded by rainforest and tropical reefs, it’s not hard to see why Cairns is so popular with tourists. The unofficial capital city of Tropical North Queensland, Cairns is a modern, vibrant city and a place where there are few things to worry about. The weather is perfect, the people are friendly and paradise is never far away.

Built up around the banks of the Trinity Inlet, Cairns is a city greener than most. There are few high-rise buildings, and the streets are lined with trees and intersected with lush parklands. The inner city is fringed with modern suburban buildings, with the prized area known as the Beaches on the waterfront to the east. Homes here generally have big backyards, and air-conditioning to combat the sticky heat of the tropics. In the background, the tall trees of many rainforest canopies tower over the edges of the city to the north, while the ocean borders the east.

Cairns is situated in the tropics, and its beautiful balmy weather is really what makes the city so attractive to tourists. Those who call Cairns their home enjoy this idyllic climate all year round, with maximum temperatures remaining in the late twenties to early thirties. Like other tropical locations, Cairns has only two distinct seasons – the wet and the dry. The wet season is the hottest and is very humid, and there’s a small chance of cyclones at this time of year.

The city has a laidback vibe, enjoyed by more than one million visitors each year. So while Cairns has only a small residential population, the city is constantly abuzz with tourists from all corners of the globe. People here have the typically friendly nature of a tourist town, and the transience of the population makes for an interesting mix in this very cosmopolitan city. Many of the permanent residents are people who only intended to visit, but ended up not wanting to leave!

The centre of Cairns social life tends to concentrate around the waterfront of the Esplanade. The shopping is fantastic, with malls and markets open every day of the week. The nightlife is alive and kicking, with heaps of clubs, pubs and bars to choose from. In and around the drinking holes, buskers and street performers provide colourful entertainment for those having a drink. Eating out is a joy in Cairns, with heaps of restaurants and cafes all around the city. On the menu is fresh local seafood and tropical fruits, and dishes of both modern Australian and international variety.

The cheapest way to get around Cairns is the local air-conditioned public bus service. The buses run throughout the inner city and out into the suburbs, and you can get almost anywhere on a regular service. There’s also a twenty-four-hour taxi service if you can’t be bothered waiting for the bus. Hire cars and motorbikes are available or if you have the energy, bicycles are also an option. The compact layout and wide bike lanes make it easy to get around the city this way.

Life is pretty good in Cairns; it doesn’t get much better than perfect weather, pristine rainforests and beautiful reefs and beaches right on your doorstep. Australia’s gem in the tropical north, Cairns residents are often envy of Aussie’s all over the country.