Things to do in Cairns & the Great Barrier Reef

Cairns is where most visitors start their trip to the Great Barrier Reef. Catamarans leave the marina every morning for the outer reef and for Green Island, a small coral cay with rainforest walks, a white-sand beach and snorkelling straight off the shore.

On land the town is easy-going and tropical, with a swimming lagoon on the Esplanade, and the coast road north towards Port Douglas runs between rainforest and sea, past wildlife parks where you can see saltwater crocodiles, cassowaries and koalas.