Australia’s Queensland Coast, Great Barrier Reef, and Daintree Rainforest

Trip overview

We visited Far North Queensland in the last five days of a 19-day trip up Australia’s east coast with Intrepid Travel in December 2024. This leg of the trip began in Cairns, the largest city in the area. With a population of just over 150,000, this is not a large city by any means, but feels somewhat bigger than the numbers would suggest due to the amount of tourism centered here.

We spent time in Cairns at the beginning and end of the trip. The city has plenty of budget-friendly hotels that might be a bit dated in their interiors, plus new (or recently renovated) luxury hotels, still offered at relatively reasonable prices. Allow time for walking along the waterfront and people-watching. Due to the lack of a swimmable beach (because of crocodiles), the local government has enhanced the area with a lovely set of pools, boardwalks, and play areas for kids. Admire specimens of local and exotic plants at the Cairns Botanic Gardens.

Don’t miss the Cairns Aquarium, which features an extensive range of exhibits including rare and endangered species. Twilight and nighttime tours with expert guides showcase the animals’ daily rhythms and offer special insight into nocturnal species.

We returned several times for dinner at the night market, which offers affordable and delicious meals from a variety of world cuisines.

Northwest of Cairns is the charming village of Kuranda, where you can visit Birdworld and see the elusive cassowary, then have lunch in a café overlooking the rainforest. On the way to Kuranda, visit the Tolga Bat Hospital to learn about their rehabilitation efforts for sick and injured animals and the vital role they play in the local ecosystem. Kuranda is accessible by road, but the scenic railway and the rainforest cableway allow you to get up close and personal with the forest. Pause at Barron Falls to marvel at the majestic power of nature.

Just outside the Daintree Rainforest is Mossman Gorge National Park. Allow time for the Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk, in which an indigenous guide will give a tour of the rainforest as a place of residence and source of sustenance (starting with a “welcome to country” smoking ceremony).

A car ferry takes you across the Daintree River into the rainforest proper. Here you’ll find accommodations located on the beachfront and simultaneously in the heart of the forest. Allow at least two full days: one for a snorkel/dive trip out on the Great Barrier Reef (with the whitest sandbars and brightest aqua waters you’ll find anywhere in the world) and another for a guided hike with wildlife-spotting in the forest. Food options are sprinkled throughout the area, with a small concentration in Cape Tribulation. Don’t miss a stop at the Daintree Ice Cream Co., where the offerings are made on site from local and exotic specialty fruits such as mangosteen, marang, and sapote.

On the way back to Cairns, we stopped in Palm Cove, a sun-drenched seaside town with an assortment of restaurants where you can pass a delightful afternoon (or longer, if you have time).

Our tour concluded in Cairns, where we headed out on a snorkel/dive boat for two nights’ stay on the Great Barrier Reef. By staying on a liveaboard, you can visit a variety of locations on the outer reef, where tourist impacts are less evident. I would be happy to provide a recommendation for a company that will provide a good experience, since these options can be a bit hit-or-miss. Another option is to transfer to an island hotel that offers boat trips as well as snorkeling and diving right from the hotel grounds, such as Lizard Island Resort (accessible from Cairns via charter flight or ferry).

While I certainly could help you create a self-guided itinerary that covers this same ground, I would strongly recommend going with a tour provider such as Intrepid (and would be happy to help you evaluate the options depending on your travel style and budget). We appreciate the balance Intrepid strikes in making a trip both affordable and comfortable. Most of all, we appreciated having an experienced, capable, and knowledgeable guide. This itinerary visits some very remote areas, and driving conditions were challenging at times. It was wonderful to sit back and relax and know that we were safe in good hands instead of having to stress about figuring out directions in a place where you’re unlikely to have cell reception.

Keep in mind that the seasons are reversed from North America, and traveling in the U.S./Canadian winter, you’ll find the maximum heat of summer in Far North Queensland. It can be sweltering at times, but can be a welcome relief from the cold—and refreshment is never too far away in the form of a rain shower, an ocean swim, or a chilled beverage!

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