4 1/2 days in Cairns and The Tropical North
Written: Aug 28 '05 (Updated Nov 23 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Tropical paradise in winter
Cons: Tropical summer humidity
The Bottom Line: I have found the perfect winter getaway in the southern hemisphere
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| hollynz's Full Review: Cairns |
Many people give Cairns a wide berth when holidaying in the tropical north. The over all attitude is that Cairns is a dull place full to the brim with rowdy young backpacker types, tour hacks and the fact that it is set on a tidal harbour basin seems to be the last straw. Most holidaymakers only use Cairns for its airport. They arrive and then head to the beaches of Port Douglas, Northern Beaches or one of the resort islands. I decided to give Cairns a go purely for that reason, I wnaanted to see what was so wrong with the place.
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Okay, we have just landed in Cairns and we have 4 1/2 days to explore and see as much as we can so where do we start?
First of all we need a car.
We checked out the city map that we had been given at check-in, got our bearings and decided that a walk into town was on the cards. The weather was good, sunny and not too hot so off we went.
Walking gave us the opportunity to get a bit of a sense of our surroundings. A lot of the houses were what is referred to as Queenslanders. These are standard wooden houses but the odd thing about them is that they seem to be on stilts. I am not 100% sure why this style has been used but maybe it’s something to do with keeping the houses cool in the heat or to keep the snakes out or some such thing.
As we walked we got to see and hear all the different bird-life. There were all sorts of weird and wonderful birds pecking away on people’s lawns and in the trees but the biggest buzz was listening to the deafening call of the kookaburras. There were 3 kookaburras calling, all in different trees and the sound was indeed unique. These guys had a bit of a battle happening for awhile but eventually the raucous calling died down.
The gardens were all overflowing with tropical flowers and lush trees and vines. Most of the time we had to walk on the grass as there didn't seem to be any footpaths on the route we took. We eventually made it to town and found Sheridan Street where we had noted quite a few Car Rental Companies were based.
Being a Sunday proved to be a bit of a hassle for renting a car, they were as rare as hen’s teeth that day. We ended up renting a small car for $55 a day from Mini Car Rentals.
Once we had our car we went off to explore the waterfront area, otherwise known as The Esplanade.
People were chilling out under the shady trees listening to the free entertainment provided by a four piece band. Others were sunbathing or swimming in the large pool and the atmosphere was relaxed and enjoyable.
Because the waterfront of Cairns is a tidal mudflat it is a popular place for birds and birdwatchers, at low tide. As we wandered along the walking path on the waterfront I was having fun spotting all the exotic (to me anyway) birds such as pelicans, ibis and storks. There is a viewing area along the path with plaques identifying all the different birds that frequent the mudflats.
The waterfront area stretches seemingly forever and seems to provide something for everyone. I saw at least two children’s playgrounds, an exercise area with workout benches and steppers and things, picnic tables, some with gas barbecues if you needed to do any cooking, lots of seating and trees and grass and of course the huge pool.
The pool was being well used by children and adults alike. As the waters around Cairns are unsafe for swimming because of such things as box jellyfish and maybe even crocodiles, who knows, this pool is, no doubt, used all year round.
Across the road is a busy shopping and restaurant area. Walking along here you will get everything from food, drink, souvenirs and also be able to book tours and trips at last minute prices. Great if you have already decided what tours you are keen to do, I am sure you could save quite a few dollars by taking the discounted trips on offer.
We wandered along here and then we noted The Night Markets. These are open every night from 4.30pm to 11pm. The markets were a mixture of cheap and cheerful, cheap and tacky and downright expensive. Some of the art and native Aboriginal paintings and woodwork seemed quite costly but the usual array of t-shirts, postcards, beachwear were cheap and plentiful and then there was the macabre collection of things made out of kangaroo hide and crocodile skin … ick.
Tired and weary after all the excitement it was time to grab the map and make our way back home to our unit, on the way we thought we would stop at a supermarket and pick up a few supplies but alas, it was not to be. All the shops were shut tight by now so take heed, if you are in Cairns on a Sunday afternoon; make sure to get all your supplies bought before 6:30pm.
*Heading north*
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Have car ... will travel seemed to be the motto of our trip so of we went to explore the area just north of Cairns known as The Northern Beaches. When researching on the net I kept seeing people recommending to stay out of Cairns itself and head to the Northern Beaches area or even Port Douglas, about one hour drive north. I thought we would go and check it out for ourselves and see what all the buzz was about.
The Northern Beaches region spans 26 kilometers of coastline starting with Machans Beach at the southern end and ending with Ellis Beach at the northern end. As there is no road that runs along the beachfront, each beach is accessed from a side road off the highway; this has given each community a separate feel and flavor. We called into Trinity Beach, Kewarra Beach, Clifton Beach and Palm Cove to try to get a feel for the area.
Out of the beaches we visited, Trinity Beach and Palm Cove seemed to be the holiday haunts and Kewarra Beach and Clifton Beach were more residential. Kewarra Beach seemed quite exclusive with houses right on the beach front, limiting the public access to the foreshore.
Palm Cove has everything to cater for the visitor but is very small, but of course, this is what gives it the relaxed and laid back feel. The beach front was well maintained with an attractive road made of paving stones and plenty of natural shade from the mature trees that lined the street and beachfront. The buildings were all across the road from the beach and the resorts and holiday apartments looked quite upmarket. There was limited shopping and a few restaurants to choose from but it looked like a pleasant holiday destination..
I found Trinity Beach the most appealing as it didn't have the touristy feel that Palm Cove had and seemed more like a community with holiday apartments and the odd resort here and there. There didn't seem to be the shopping and or restaurants here though, if that is what you are after.
The beaches at every place we visited were gorgeous, all covered in creamy sand and dotted with palms and trees. The beach seemed to go forever and I guess with 26 kilometers of it, it did! Be aware that swimming is seasonal this far north though due to jellyfish which can deliver a fatal sting to humans. The Aussies call them Stingers so watch out for the warning signs on the beaches and if someone says not to swim because of stingers … take heed!
* Further north to the Daintree and Cape Tribulation*
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Following the well worn tourist trail we packed up the car one morning for our adventure into the rainforests and crocodile country of Tropical North Queensland. I wanted to see me a big saltie and glimpse me a Cassowary Bird.
We drove north for about 2 ˝ hours, enjoying the scenic drive along the coast to Port Douglas before the scenery turned a bit rural and fields of sugar cane became the norm. We arrived at the Daintree River just before noon, we wanted to take a river cruise before heading further north and as luck would have it, the first place we passed offering cruises said the next departure time was Noon. We chanced our arm and went to see if they had any spots left and we were in luck, a few minutes later we were boarding a flat bottomed boat to go croc spotting.
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*Bruce Belchers Daintree River Cruises *
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The one hour cruise took us downstream to an island, we cruised around the island before turning back to the dock. In this time we learned all about the crocodiles, what their annual cycles are, their feeding patterns and general behavior. We spotted quite a few crocs of various sizes from a little baby of 7 months old, he was only about 12 inches long and had to hide amongst the driftwood on the mud-bank, otherwise he would be eaten by one of the bigger crocs. As we were cruising along Bruce would point out birds and butterflies and even tree pythons. Telling us all he knew about each breed and species, the man was a wealth of knowledge.
Tragically, just the night before a 60 year old man had been (or it was suspected he had been) killed by one of these Salt Water Crocodiles. His wife raised the alarm saying that her husband had been pulled from a kayak by a massive saltie and that was the last she had seen of him. Of course a search was mounted and no trace of the man had been found, they had shot a big saltie they suspected may have been responsible but there was no sign the dead croc had eaten the man when they checked it out.
This was just one of many saltie attacks that I know of, these guys are real mean and real serious so don’t ignore those Crocodile Warning Signs when you see them or you may find yourself in big trouble.
Bruce was telling us he was a bit bewildered by the croc attack as it was the wrong time of year for them to be hunting big prey and that they are still warming themselves after the winter and should be a bit sluggish and sleepy.
As he was talking about the attack we rounded a corner and there on the bank was a massive monster of a croc, he was the big male and ruled this particular territory. He was h-u-g-e and I can see why people don’t stand a chance when caught by one of these beasts, they are so strong and powerful and absolutely muscle bound monsters. It was a bit sobering to see the big boy and to learn that they have been found living up to 100 kilometers inland in these salt water rivers, they also cruise the sea along the river mouths so with them and bull sharks, it is not such a good idea to jump in the water unless you have good local knowledge about where it is safe to swim beforehand.
www.daintreerivercruise.com.au
Ph/Fax (07) 4098 7717
Adults : $20
Students/Seniors: $18
Children (5-15) : $10
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From here it was off to the Daintree River Ferry, the only way across the river. It cost $16 for the return trip for car and passengers, the ferry crosses all day, non-stop till midnight. Each trip takes about 15 minutes so it ticks along very nicely.
Once across we were almost immediately surrounded in rainforest. The further north you go the narrower the road seems to get and the thicker the rainforest gets until you are driving down what appears to be a thin strip amongst a thick towering wall of trees. It is dark and shady and cool and I was hoping to see a Cassowary bird at any given moment. These birds are very rare now and are only found in the Tropical North Queensland area. Fully grown they stand at 2 metres tall so if an adult were around, I was sure that I was going to spot it.
We stopped off at Jundalba Boardwalk where we had a picnic lunch. We were enjoying the sounds of the rainforest when I heard a booming sort of call deep in the bush. I couldn’t detect where it was coming from but I am sure it was a Cassowary bird. The raucous sqwarks of some cockatoos overhead caught my attention and then, a small brown and white pig stopped by to check us out.
As the pig wandered towards the next table the young boy thought it was a dog and wanted to go after it to pat it. His parents had quite a battle on their hands trying to convince him it was a pig, not a dog, but the boy didn’t believe a word of it. He raced off to pat the dog and the pig darted off into the forest.
After eating we took one of the walks through the bush choosing the Short Trail. This 1.1 kilometre trail took us through some interesting bush but I didn’t hear the booming call or see any wildlife at all on our walk.
From here it was off to Cape Tribulation, the furtherest north we could take the rental car. The tar seal stops at this point and for most rental companies, this is the cut-off point.
The drive was spectacular in places and when we got to the end,, we pulled into the car park and went for a walk along the beach.
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Captain Cook gave the cape its unflattering name after getting his ship stuck on the reef and having a tough time getting the ship off the reef. The ship was badly damaged and he had to spend a few months further up the coast at what is now known as Cooktown, where the crew repaired the damage before he could set sail and continue his journey.
I suspect not much has changed here since the days Captain Cook first sighted this bay. The 16,965-ha Cape Tribulation National Park appears just as pristine as ever with the only sign of habitation a small wooden viewing platform in the bush and the roof of a building way in the distant hillside.
The rest is beach, trees, sand and rainforest.
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On the way back we pulled up at The Café on the Sea. This café has to have the best location ever, set amongst the palms and trees along the foreshore, the café serves travelers and overnight guests with a full menu or snack menu or just coffee if that is what you prefer. We had a delicious Flat White coffee and I was surprised that the price was the same as you expect to pay in town, no mark-ups here!
We wandered along the beach a bit before jumping in the car and making the long drive back to Cairns.
*South of Cairns*
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We went as far south as Mission Beach which is about 2 hours drive from Cairns city.
The drive south was more rural than scenic and the endless fields of sugar cane interspersed with banana plantations became a wee bit monotonous and uninspiring after a while. We eventually came to the turnoff to Mission Beach and all of a sudden we were back in gorgeous rainforest with signs warning motorists to slow down because this was a Cassowary Bird habitat. I was back on bird watching duties once more but once again, it was all in vain.
We ended in the small township of Mission Beach. There were lots of visitors cruising the streets and shops and dining at the outdoor cafes. The weather was good, the feeling was relaxed and this town won me over. We spent a bit of time checking out all the Real Estates windows, perusing all the For Sale options, I think we were both quite taken with this area, if only it were closer to Cairns it would be the perfect spot to live … or for a holiday home anyway.
Just off the gorgeous beach (yes, another one) was Dunk Island, the famous resort island. There is a ferry to Dunk Island , a return ticket costs $22 per person.
We did a rainforest walk before heading back to Cairns, in the hope of getting a glimpse of the ever elusive Cassowary. Reading all the signs along the way there was viewing advice, what to look for and recent signs of the birds. One sign to look for was their huge dung pile, big piles of seeds was the thing to keep an eye open for and though we saw many, most were obviously old and had been washed out in the rain. The walk itself was actually quite spectacular with a boardwalk meandering through the rainforest, crossing a river and as we got to the end of the trail, just before the car park, was a huge pile of fresh dung and a big footprint … man oh man, it was probably there when we pulled up in the car and entered the trail at the other end …. grrrr!
*The Wrap*
I have barely touched on what is available to do here but as a bit of an orientation tour to the region, I hope this review has helped give you a bit of an overview of the region known as The Tropical North.
SHOULD I STAY IN CAIRNS?
Absolutely.
I found Cairns to be quite central to everywhere and the vibe was good. There is plenty available to do here and of course the dreaded backpackers were present but no more so than many other places. If you want to lie around on a beach all day and work on your tan then head to one of the beach areas but if you just want to get out and about and see the area, Cairns is as good a place as any.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Jun - Aug
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Epinions.com ID:
hollynz
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Member: Christine
Location: New Zealand
Reviews written: 142
Trusted by: 190 members
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~ In memory of Barbara ~
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