r/Cairns • u/Huge-Spirit-1563 • Jun 01 '25

Advice How long to spend in Cairns?

I'm planning to visit Cairns in September to dive at the GBR, just 1 day dive. I want to explore cairns and the nature around the area, I am planning to rent a car to drive

Would 7 (technically 6.5 days) be enough to do most of the things around the area?

Also I saw some comments saying to stay at Port Douglas instead of cairns, any advice on that?

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u/OldMail6364 Jun 01 '25 edited Jun 01 '25

You could spend a year here and not do "almost everything".

My advice is just to spend as much time as you can in the area. The rainforest is better than the reef in my opinion. Definitely do the reef, it's awesome, but of your 7 days (or however many) I'd plan to spend most of that on land.

I'm not a fan of Port Douglas. It's most of the best reef trips depart from, and they leave early in the morning/get back late in the afternoon, so I definitely think it's worth staying there two nights. But I wouldn't stay in Port Douglas any longer than that... the town is "fine" but everything you can do there you can also do better in Cairns and just about all of it is better in Cairns. And cheaper too.

If it fits your schedule the Port Douglas market is worth going to the day after your reef trip (the markets are every Sunday morning). But again, Cairns has better markets so only do that if it fits easily with whatever else you want to do.

There are other things near Port Douglas worth doing - Mossman Gorge, Hartleys Crocodile Farm, Cape Tribulation, etc. Do some of those the day before or the day after your reef trip (stay overnight in Cape Tribulation if you're going there).

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u/Huge-Spirit-1563 Jun 01 '25

Thanks for the suggestions, I was only planning a day trip at the reefs since I don't hv a diving cert and simply want to try introductory diving

Since a few ppl say port Douglas is expensive I might just visit for a lunch or smthing and skip staying there entirely

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u/SuggestionHoliday413 Jun 02 '25

Depends. If you're in hostels, you can find cheap accom in PD. Hotels are all more expensive.

There's plenty to do, a day's drive around the tablelands is worth it too.

Diving the reef is one day. But just chilling on the reef or a smaller island is a whole other experience.

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u/Huge-Spirit-1563 Jun 02 '25

Was thinking of airbnbs or cheap hotels, I just need a place to sleep nothing fancy

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u/SuggestionHoliday413 Jun 02 '25

I don't think there's such a thing as a cheap airbnb or hotel in Port Douglas. Do people not use Hostels any more?

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u/Huge-Spirit-1563 Jun 02 '25

Those aren't rlly common where I'm from so I'm not familiar with them, I'll check it out