During my semester abroad in Australia, I decided to visit the main cities on the east coast to see more of the country. So from Melbourne, I chose to go to the furthest one first — Cairns ! Cairns is mainly known as the starting point for people who want to see the Great Barrier Reef. So visiting Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef was one of my goals ! Still, when I arrived, I realized there was more to the city than just the Reef.
To help you decide whether visiting Cairns is worth it, here are the pros and cons — along with my honest review!
✅ Pros of Visiting Cairns
🐠 1. Easy Access to the Great Barrier Reef
Cairns is usually the starting point for Great Barrier Reef excursions. It’s the closest town to the reef and is easy to reach by plane or bus, making it a perfect connection spot.
Thanks to this location, the tourism industry around the reef is well-developed. One big plus: you’ll have plenty of tours to choose from. There are different options for every budget, schedule, and diving style. Most tours let you pick between snorkelling and scuba diving.
My friend and I did a one-day snorkelling trip and we loved it! We were hesitating with scuba diving, but honestly, snorkelling was more fun. The reef is close to the surface, so you don’t need to dive deep to see its beauty. Plus, you have much more freedom to swim around.
With scuba diving, you go deeper, but they won’t let you get too close to protect the reef. It can still be a cool experience if you’re into diving though!
🌿 2. Beautiful Natural surroundings
With its tropical weather, Cairns is surrounded by natural spots, making it a great base if you want to get out of the city. The most famous place is Kuranda Village, known for being right in the rainforest and for its cultural heritage. You can reach Kuranda in two fun ways. The Skyrail Rainforest Cableway gives you a bird’s-eye view of the forest. Or you can take the Kuranda Scenic Railway for a closer look at the landscape. Both are worth trying ! Once you’re up there, you can visit the local markets, see animals like koalas and kangaroos, or just wander around.
My friend and I really enjoyed this day trip. I especially liked the train ride down from the village. It stops at scenic spots like waterfalls where you can take photos and enjoy the view.
Tip: Can’t choose between the Skyrail and the train? You don’t have to! We got a ticket that let us take the Skyrail up and the train down — the perfect combo !
I mostly talked about Kuranda here, but there are other great day trips from Cairns too, like Daintree Rainforest and Mission Beach.
🚶♀️3. Small and pleasant city
Compared to other Australian cities, Cairns is very small — which makes it super easy to explore on foot. Still, there are still a few fun things to do! Cairns has an Art Gallery with beautiful pieces, and a famous indoor night market where you can find a bit of everything.
While walking around, you’ll come across the Esplanade, the city’s main square. There’s a public Lagoon where anyone can swim — which is great since Cairns doesn’t have a beach !
I went to the Lagoon several times and really liked it. It’s super convenient, with nearby changing rooms and toilets. The water is clean, it’s safe for kids, and it’s big enough that you don’t feel crowded. A perfect way to relax !
❌ Cons of Visiting Cairns
🏙️ 1. Cairns is small but maybe too small
As I mentioned above, Cairns is small, which makes it a nice place to relax — but that’s also its downside. The city doesn’t have much in terms of shopping or cultural spaces to explore before or after your Great Barrier Reef trip.
Even though there are lots of tourists and people in their 20s, the nightlife is pretty limited, which can be a bit frustrating. So yes, there are a few things to do, but it can get boring after a while.
My friend and I were staying in a hostel and didn’t feel like staying inside all day. We wanted to do more activities outdoors, but at some point, there was just nothing left to do.
🌞 2. Tropical Weather
Some people might see this as a good thing, but since I’m not a big fan of heat, Cairns wasn’t the easiest place to adapt to. The tropical weather makes the city very humid, and the temperature usually stays around 30°C.
On top of that, it’s often sunny with little cloud cover — so yes, it gets really hot. And since it’s a tropical climate, there’s also a wet season. From December to February, it rains a lot, but temperatures don’t drop much. So keep that in mind if you plan on visiting Cairns.
🏖️ 3. No Real Beach in Town
When I first arrived in Cairns, I was surprised to see that even though it’s by the sea, there’s no beach! The city is surrounded by muddy coastline, which means you can’t swim there. There’s also a small harbour, so you can’t just jump in for a quick dip. That’s why they built the Lagoon in the city centre — to make up for the lack of beach.
If you want a proper beach day, you’ll need to drive about 20–30 minutes outside of the city. So if you’re looking for a relaxing beach escape, Cairns probably isn’t the place.
🗨️ My Honest Take: Was It Worth Visiting?
Cairns was a great first stop on our east coast trip. The city feels like time slows down — it’s calmer than the other places I visited. Its location near the Great Barrier Reef is also a big reason why I’d go back. And Kuranda was an amazing discovery. Definitely one of the highlights of the trip !
That said, my friend and I stayed for five days, and we were already bored by day three. I ended up regretting spending that much time there.
So yes, I’d still recommend Cairns for all its advantages — but my advice is to keep your stay short !
Now that you know everything on Cairns check out my other articles on Australian cities :
