The Cairns Port is one of Australia’s busiest cruise destinations with both major international cruise ships and domestic cruise vessels operating out of the city.

Cairns is the gateway to Tropical North Queensland where two World Heritage areas meet – the Great Barrier Reef and the ancient Wet Tropics rainforest.

Passengers disembark at the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal in the heart of the city and can head straight to the shops or be picked up for one of the 2500 tours exploring the reef, rainforest and Indigenous culture of Tropical North Queensland.

The waterfront city has a stunning seaside boardwalk linking the Terminal with the Esplanade Lagoon, public leisure areas, restaurants, bars and hotels.

Boats depart from the Cairns Marlin Marina, just a five-minute walk from the Cruise Liner Terminal, for the outer Great Barrier Reef and its islands where you can snorkel and dive.

The beaches north of Cairns include Palm Cove, a 30-minute drive from the city where resorts, cafes and restaurants overlook the palm-fringed beach.

Experience one of the world’s oldest rainforests with the iconic Skyrail Rainforest Cableway at Kuranda, the Village in the Rainforest, or venture further north past Port Douglas to explore the Daintree and Cape Tribulation.

Visit a wildlife park to feed wallabies and see a cassowary up close, sip coffee at a Port Douglas café, walk through Mossman Gorge with an Indigenous Guide and cruise the Daintree River spotting crocodiles.

Take a tour exploring waterfalls, drift down a rainforest river, discover a food trail or go white water rafting for an exciting shore adventure.

Cairns Airport is just a 10-minute drive from the city centre and has direct flights to regional Queensland cities, all major Australian cities, Singapore, Tokyo, Osaka, Auckland, Christchurch, Port Moresby, Bali, Hong Kong and Shanghai.