Why go
- City in Queensland, Australia.
- Served by Mareeba Airport (MRG).
History
Cairns is a city in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia, on the tropical northeast coast of Far North Queensland. In the 2021 census, Cairns had a population of 169,312.
Where to stay
Pier Point Rd, Cairns City QLD 4870, Australia · shangri-la.com
85 Esplanade, Cairns City QLD 4870, Australia · crystalbrookcollection.com
8/10 Scott St, Cairns City QLD 4870, Australia · travellersoasis.com.au
69-73 Abbott St, Cairns City QLD 4870, Australia · theabbott.com.au
131/141 Esplanade, Cairns City QLD 4870, Australia · crystalbrookcollection.com
Unit 101/105 Esplanade, Cairns City QLD 4870, Australia · all.accor.com
209-217 Esplanade, Cairns North QLD 4870, Australia · cairnsharboursidehotel.com.au
145 Esplanade, Cairns City QLD 4870, Australia · cairnsplaza.com.au
1/62 Abbott St, Cairns City QLD 4870, Australia · ilpalazzo.com.au
20-26 McLeod St, Cairns City QLD 4870, Australia · yha.com.au
423 Mulgrave Rd, Earlville QLD 4870, Australia · balaclavahotel.com.au
18-26 Cannon St, Manunda QLD 4870, Australia · cairnscolonialclub.com.au
34 McLeod St, Cairns City QLD 4870, Australia · grandhotelcairns.com.au
295 Sheridan St, Cairns City QLD 4870, Australia · cairnssheridan.com.au
43 Esplanade, Cairns City QLD 4870, Australia · pacifichotelcairns.com.au
7-11 Chester Ct, Manunda QLD 4870, Australia · palmroyale.com.au
89 Grafton St, Cairns City QLD 4870, Australia · gilligans.com.au
6 Lake St, Cairns City QLD 4870, Australia · parkregiscityquays.com.au
Lake St & Gatton St, Cairns North QLD 4870, Australia · bayvillage.com.au
167-171 Sheridan St, Cairns North QLD 4870, Australia · k2queenscourt.com
179 Sheridan St, Cairns North QLD 4870, Australia · hoteltropiq.com.au
4/87 Lake St, Cairns City QLD 4870, Australia · hideshotel.com.au
6/12 Florence St, Cairns City QLD 4870, Australia · wyndhamhotels.com
121-123 Esplanade, Cairns City QLD 4870, Australia · hilton.com
231 McLeod St, Cairns North QLD 4870, Australia · bohemiaresort.com.au
209-217 Abbott St, Cairns City QLD 4870, Australia · rydges.com
183-185 Lake St, Cairns City QLD 4870, Australia · choicehotels.com
Indoor
2303 Pine Creek - Yarrabah Rd, East Trinity QLD 4871, Australia · youtube.com
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Restaurants & places to go
Burger, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Su 05:00-00:00 Features: takeaway · mcdonalds.com.au
Chicken, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Su 09:00-22:00 Features: takeaway · kfc.com.au
Sandwich, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Su 07:00 - 21:00 Features: takeaway · subway.com.au
Restaurant · Thai food restaurant · finnfinncairns.com
Pizza, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 16:00-21:30 · 16 Shields Street · 3blackbears.com.au
Balinese, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Fr 12:00-14:00,18:00-24:00; Sa,Su 18:00-24:00 · bayvillage.com.au
Coffee Shop, Breakfast, Sandwich, Coffee, Restaurant · Opening hours: Su-Sa 07:00-15:00 · 72 Grafton Street · caffiend.com.au
Japanese, Ramen, Restaurant · Opening hours: Tu-Sa 11:30-14:30,17:00-22:30 · 20 Lake Street, 4870 · fourcinq.com.au
Mexican, Restaurant · Opening hours: We-Su 16:00-00:00 · 183 Bunda Street · greenantcantina.com
Cake, Coffee Shop, Ice Cream, Cafe · Opening hours: Su-Th 10:00-17:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-19:00 Features: outdoor seating · 2 Marina Point Road, 4870 · moozgelato.com.au
Sushi, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Fr 09:45-19:00 · 129 Sheridan Street, 4870 · facebook.com
Bistro, Restaurant · Opening hours: 12:00-20:30 Features: outdoor seating · 181 Woodward Street, 4870 · edgehillbowls.com.au
Italian, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 06:30-22:00 · perrottasatg.com
Vietnamese, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 10:00-22:00 · 78 Abbott Street · phovietvietnamesenoodlebar.com.au
Caribbean, Restaurant · Opening hours: Tu-Su 11:00-20:00 · therotishack.au
Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Su 07:00-16:30 Features: outdoor seating · Collins Avenue, 4870 · cafebotanic.com.au
Thai, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 11:00-15:00,17:00-20:30 · 74 Shields Street
Pasta, Italian Pizza, Italian, Fast Food · Pasta/Italian Pizza fast food · lushpizza.com.au
Juice, Cafe · Features: takeaway
Donut, Coffee Shop, Fast Food · Features: takeaway
AçAí, Fast Food · Features: takeaway
Breakfast, Local, Cafe · Opening hours: PH,Mo-Su 06:00-14:00 · Grafton Street
Kebab, Fast Food · Opening hours: Tu 11:30-21:00; We-Mo 11:30-23:00
Chinese, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 17:00-21:00
Indian, Restaurant · Features: vegan options · Pease Street, 4870 · spicybiteedgehill.com.au
Bubble Tea, Japanese, Restaurant · Bubble Tea/Japanese restaurant · onigiri-cafe-omu.square.site
Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream · Frozen Yogurt ice cream · yomg.com.au
French, Restaurant · French restaurant · 20 Lake Street, 4870 · cestbon-cairns.com.au
Asian, Restaurant · Asian restaurant · crystalbrookcollection.com
Food Court · Opening hours: Mo-Su,PH 16:30-23:00 Features: step-free access · nightmarkets.com.au
Bagel, Cafe · Features: vegan options
Korean, Restaurant · Korean restaurant
Fish And Chips, Fast Food · Fish And Chips fast food
Regional, Restaurant · Regional restaurant
Noodle, Restaurant · Noodle restaurant
Italian Pizza, Italian, Restaurant · Italian Pizza/Italian restaurant
Ice Cream · Features: outdoor seating · Shields Street
Fast Food · fast food
Burger, Fast Food · Opening hours: 24/7 Features: takeaway · hungryjacks.com.au
Chicken, Fast Food · Features: takeaway · redrooster.com.au
Sandwich, Breakfast, Tea, Cake, Local, Coffee Shop, Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Sa 06:58-14:37 · 196 Mulgrave Road · mamacoco.com.au
Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 06:30-09:30,17:30-21:00+ Features: vegan options, step-free access · bushfirecairns.com
Pizza, Fast Food · Features: takeaway · 101 Brinsmead Road, 4870 · pizzacapers.com.au
Coffee Shop, Restaurant · Opening hours: 07:00-20:00 · 87 Lake Street, 4870 · hidescoffeecafe.com.au
Japanese, Restaurant · Opening hours: Fr-Mo 12:00-14:00, Th-Mo 17:30-22:00 · 92 Lake Street, 4870 · wawawa.com.au
167 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →
Airports
Cairns Airport (CNS) 5.8 km to the centre
Cairns, QLD, AU — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 16 airlines (Qantas, Aero Condor Peru, Jetstar Airways, Virgin Australia…) · direct flights to 30 destinations incl. Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Hong Kong… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 16 airlines, 30 direct destinations
- Qantas QF (717, Dash 8-300, Dash 8-400, 737-800, A330-200, 767-300) · 14 routes: Alice Springs*, Brisbane, Darwin*, Gove*, Hamilton Island*, Horn Island*, Melbourne, Osaka*, Port Moresby*, Sydney, Tokyo*, Townsville*, Uluru*, Weipa*
- Aero Condor Peru Q6 (Dash 8-100) · 9 routes: Amberley, Aurukun, Coen, Kowanyama, Lockhart River, Mount Isa, Normanton, Pormpuraaw, Weipa
- Jetstar Airways JQ (A320, A330-200, A321) · 9 routes: Adelaide, Brisbane, Coolangatta, Darwin, Melbourne, Osaka, Perth, Sydney, Tokyo
- Virgin Australia VA (737-800, Embraer 190, A320, 737-700) · 4 routes: Auckland*, Brisbane*, Melbourne*, Sydney*
- Japan Airlines Domestic JL (A330-200, A330-300) · 3 routes: Brisbane*, Osaka*, Tokyo*
- Tiger Airways Australia TT (A320) · 3 routes: Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney
- Air Niugini PX (Dash 8-400) · 2 routes: Port Moresby, Tokua
- British Airways BA (A330-300) · 2 routes: Brisbane*, Hong Kong*
- Cathay Pacific CX (A330-300) · 2 routes: Brisbane, Hong Kong
- Finnair AY (A330-300) · 2 routes: Brisbane*, Hong Kong*
- Aero-Service BF (BE1) · 1 route: Groote Eylandt
- Air New Zealand NZ (A320) · 1 route: Auckland
- American Airlines AA (737) · 1 route: Brisbane*
- Emirates EK (717) · 1 route: Gove*
- United Airlines UA (737-800) · 1 route: Agana
- US Airways US (A320) · 1 route: Auckland*
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Mareeba Airport (MRG) 38 km to the centre
Mareeba, QLD, AU — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day.
Atherton Airport 44 km to the centre
Atherton, QLD, AU
Herberton Airport 67 km to the centre
QLD, AU
Dimbulah Airport 73 km to the centre
QLD, AU
Mont Albion Station Airstrip 80 km to the centre
Irvinebank, QLD, AU
Getting there by ferry
Reef Fleet Terminal
Ferry terminal · 3.3 km from the centre
Fitzroy Island
Ferry route · Fitzroy Island Flyer;Sunlover Cruises;Raging Thunder
Cairns - Green Island
Ferry route · Great Adventures;Big Cat Green Island
Where things are
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping
base map © OSM
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
Tourist season
October – March
The warmer, longer-day half of the southern-hemisphere year.
Shoulder season
April – May, September
Milder and quieter, with better value.
Worth avoiding
June – August
The southern winter — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Mareeba Airport (MRG); 5 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: CNS has direct flights to 30 destinations on 16 airlines (incl. Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Hong Kong…). By water: 1 ferry terminal within 20 km (nearest: Reef Fleet Terminal, 3.3 km); routes include Fitzroy Island, Cairns - Green Island.
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Cairns, Australia. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.
Local transit
Public transit · Schedules & GTFS data
Public transit · Schedules & GTFS data
Trains & rail
Rail operator
National rail
Coaches & shuttles
Intercity coach
Private aviation
On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.
Charter, management · Managed fleet · Sydney-based charter and management.
Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.
Charter, management · Large-cabin & VIP airliners · Geneva-based operator known for large-cabin and VIP airliner charters.
Tours & experiences
Walking Tour
Sightseeing
Boat Tour
Boat Tour
Sightseeing