Cairns is touted as the "gateway to the Great Barrier Reef" and other destinations such as Kuranda and the Daintree Rainforest in Far North Queensland. Although the city has little to offer to travellers besides tour agencies, a handful of restaurants, cafes, and backpacker bars, and a long walk along the esplanade looking out at the swampy shoreline. Its 150,000 residents are regularly outnumbered by both domestic and international visitors.
The Cairns area was historically inhabited by the Indigenous Walubarra Yidinji people. Mapped by James Cook and named Trinity Bay in 1770, it was officially founded in 1876 as an export port for gold and renamed after the then-Governor of Queensland. The city's name is pronounced "Canz" by locals; use of the accepted pronunciation of the governor's surname, the Scottish town, and piles of stones is obsolete. The main industry for the city is tourism, with a focus on the European, Japanese and increasingly Chinese markets. There is a plethora of clubs and coffee shops, all overflowing with international tourists.
The centre of Cairns is small enough to be covered on foot, but a car is needed to see the surrounding attractions if you are not taking a tour. Expect morning and evening congestion in the city centre, as day trippers flock in and out of the town. Numerous car rental agencies are available from the airport or in the city centre. During peak season, make sure to book the car in advance. Hertz, Queensland car hire and other rental options are located at Abbott Street & Shields. SIXT Cairns city location is at Sheridan and Alpine. Kinetic operates the public bus network and offer twenty routes through the city.
Cairns serves as the gateway to the region and is rather short of cultural sights. Besides some historic buildings from the colonial era, the Esplanade and the bars/pubs are the main attraction of Cairns. 1 Cairns Regional Gallery, 40 Abbott St (Cnr Abbott & Shields Streets), ☏ +61 7 4046 4800, info@cairnsartgallery.com.au. M-F 9AM-5PM, Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 10AM-2PM. Located in a heritage building in the city centre, the Cairns Regional Gallery is the region's premier destination for exhibitions featuring historical and contemporary art by leading regional, national and international artists. $5.
Cairns is an adventure sports enthusiast's paradise: every second shop is a tourist information centre with signs blaring "dive dive" or "tandem skydiving". Its location close to the ocean, the mountains and the rainforest gives travellers lots of choices of activities. Standby rates are ubiquitous: many of the more expensive activities, including scuba diving and skydiving, are up to $150 cheaper if you are prepared to go on standby for a cancellation. Swim in central Cairns there is an artificial "lagoon" (a public swimming pool with some sand on one side) on the promenade near the pier. The lagoon is unfenced and free to use.
As with much of Cairns, you can divide the city into the Esplanade and the places within a block of it, and the rest of the city. The Esplanade is littered with bar and grill places supplying red meat and beer all in the one place, and with seafood restaurants. It's relatively difficult to find anything open before 11AM since they expect the clientele to be sleeping in. The rest of the city has small cafes and milkbars catering to locals.
Cairns has pubs and bars to cater to travellers, students, and locals. 1 Rattle 'N Hum, 65-67 The Esplanade, ☏ +61 7 4031-3011. The Rattle 'n Hum is a bar and grill in the midst of one of the busiest parts of The Esplanade. It's quite large and getting a seat is seldom a problem: sit out back once they light torches in the evenings. Competition for the pool table is not formidable so you should be able to get several games in. They do a number of main meals, including wood-fired pizza for around $20. The staff are highly variable in quality, ordering a cocktail can be risky, but they're certainly able to pull a beer.
Cairns is in general a safe city with all the annoyances (e.g. pickpockets and touts) that a city full of tourists experiences. The most notable threats are nature and the weather. Cairns is hit by tropical cyclones during the wet season (December until March) that cause damage to the infrastructure and stops public activities. While violent crime is rare, Cairns has a problem with car theft and house burglaries. Keep your valuables out of sight, preferably locked up. Exercise caution in the western suburbs of Manunda, Mooroobool and Manoora (often called "The three Ms"), which are severely disadvantaged and beset by long standing social and economic issues.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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