Top 20 Best Things to Do in Cairns
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Top 20 Best Things to Do in Cairns

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Trip.Best is a collection of travel rankings that takes into account the travel choices and genuine preferences of hundres of millions of Trip.com users. It is updated monthly based on real data.
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  • Great Barrier Reeftop_1
    󰺂7.3
    623
    Cairns>100 km from downtown
    trip best small logoFeatured in 2025 Global 50 - Cool Water Escapes
    Highlights:
    󱓊Helicopter view of Heart Reef
    󱨜Native-led local cultural experiences
    󱨠Saved by 462 users󱨠282 positive reviews
    4.6/5
    悄悄地熊来了悄悄地熊来了

    It's a bit pricey, but it's totally worth it! The snorkeling environment is fantastic, with a large area. Wearing a life jacket, you can explore freely. It's fantastic! There are lots of really big fish! I can't stress this enough! Be sure to take seasickness pills before boarding the boat! Be sure to take seasickness pills before boarding the boat! Be sure to take seasickness pills before boarding the boat!

  • Sunlover Reef Cruisestop_2
    󰺂7.2
    1576
    Cairns.Cairns City1 km from downtown
    trip best small logoNo. 1 of Family-friendly Attractions in Cairns
    Highlights:
    󱨜Cruise the spectacular Great Barrier Reef
    Snorkel, Dive, and Explore Underwater Wonders
    󱨠Saved by 118 users󱨠77% positive reviews
    4.5/5
    昆布姑娘昆布姑娘

    I felt a little dizzy on the way there, but didn't throw up. I wasn't dizzy at all on the way back. The onboard service was excellent, and the free lunch was delicious, plentiful, and wholesome. There were plenty of activities to see, and they were all very nice. After disembarking, the entire crew came down to see us off, which was very touching. What an excellent team! A thoughtful trip.

  • Cairns Aquariumtop_3
    󰺂6.2
    319
    Cairns.Cairns City381m from downtown
    trip best small logoNo. 2 of Family-friendly Attractions in Cairns
    Highlights:
    󰋄10m coral reef tank & 66ft tunnel
    Shark & ray feeding show
    󱨠Saved by 164 users󱨠161 positive reviews
    4.5/5
    Anonymous userAnonymous user

    If you have enough time, you can take your children to the aquarium. If you are going there on purpose, it is not necessary. You should also spend time in the classic places such as the Great Barrier Reef and Kuranda. Overall, it is comfortable and leisurely, and children like it.

  • Reef Magic
    4
    󰺂6.2
    1728
    Cairns.Cairns City1 km from downtown
    Highlights:
    View colorful coral from the Outer Reef platform
    󰀆Enjoy marine entertainment and experience Maldivian charm
    󱨠87% positive reviews
    4.6/5
    Anonymous userAnonymous user

    It takes 1.5 hours by boat from the pier to reach the offshore floating platform. Many recreational activities are carried out on the floating platform, and a buffet lunch is provided. There is no time limit for snorkeling, and you can fully and freely enjoy the beautiful underwater scenery.

  • Big Cat Green Island Reef Cruises
    5
    󰺂5.3
    631
    Cairns.Cairns City1.1 km from downtown
    Highlights:
    󱓊Snorkel & dive the Great Barrier Reef
    󱓊45-minute trip to Green Island
    4.7/5
    juki235juki235

    The Big Cat Green Island Great Barrier Reef Tour is a very worthwhile way to visit the Great Barrier Reef. You will take a glass-bottomed cruise ship to various islands of the Great Barrier Reef. You can go diving and watch the beautiful coral world under the Great Barrier Reef through the glass-bottomed boat. It is very relaxing and enjoyable and worth experiencing.

  • Moore Reef
    6
    󰺂5.3
    1576
    Cairns47.5 km from downtown
    Highlights:
    󱨜Explore the spectacle of vast coral reefs
    Panoramic view of the coral reef by helicopter
    󱨠37% positive reviews
    4.2/5
    XY_ShirleyXY_Shirley

    The Great Barrier Reef is divided into the Inner Barrier Reef and the Outer Barrier Reef. The difference is that the Inner Barrier Reef is closer to Cairns and more people go there. However, the coral and sea scenery is far inferior to the Outer Barrier Reef. The Outer Barrier Reef is farther away from Cairns. The Moore Reef is the Outer Barrier Reef closest to Cairns. The sea water is very crystal clear, blue and clear with high visibility. The colorful coral reefs are located on the fine white sand bed on the seabed. Whether you are sitting in a helicopter overlooking the entire Great Barrier Reef or diving into the seabed to watch various tropical fish shuttle between the corals, it is a great wonder and beautiful.

  • Great Adventures
    7
    󰺂4.7
    1482
    Cairns.Cairns City1 km from downtown
    Highlights:
    󱨜See the coral of the Great Barrier Reef up close
    Admire the Underwater World on a Semi-Submarine Tour
    4.3/5
    珏子的妈妈珏子的妈妈

    This is the big boat from Cairns to Green Island. Before the boat departs, you can go to the service counter to get small cookies, coffee and tea. There are also seasickness medicine. The ordinary ginger slices are free. The good ones cost 3.5 Australian dollars. The tea and snacks are no longer distributed after the boat departs. There is air conditioning in the inner cabin. The view from the outer cabin is better. There are three floors in total. The wind is too strong on the top. It is impossible to stand. The boat is still a bit bumpy. After the boat departs, there will be waiters standing to watch and carry cleaning bags with them. I feel that the management work is still in place. It is best to add a windproof rope to the mobile phone for taking pictures. The hat must be fastened tightly.

  • Cairns Night Markets
    8
    󰺂4.5
    Cairns.Cairns City593m from downtown
    trip best small logoNo. 1 of Night Attractions in Cairns
    Highlights:
    󱓊Seafood buffet & coral souvenirs
    󱓊Experience tropical North Queensland lifestyle
    󱨠Saved by 144 users󱨠26% positive reviews
    4.8/5
    BbybellsBbybells

    a nice place to have a look around at night - I picked up a couple things - cheap!

  • Cairns Esplanade Lagoon
    9
    󰺂4.4
    Cairns.Cairns City786m from downtown
    trip best small logoNo. 2 of Night Attractions in Cairns
    Highlights:
    󱨜Beside the Esplanade in Cairns
    󱓊4-acre city oasis overlooking beach
    󱨠39% positive reviews
    4.5/5
    awu45awu45

    Before coming to Cairns, I had always wanted to take advantage of the tropical 🏝️ characteristics here and rent a cost-effective hotel or B&B with a swimming pool. In fact, after I came here, I found that there was a free public large swimming pool here. It is really a treasure place! This is in the center of Cairns, adjacent to the seaside. Not far away is the helicopter 🚁 helipad, behind is the Cairns Night Market, and there is a supermarket across the road. It is not far from the cruise terminal ⛵️. It is within walking distance of the Cairns Art Gallery 🎨 and the Aquarium 🐟. Generally, you can arrange to visit the above two indoor venues during the day and go to this lagoon swimming pool 🏊 in the evening. Although it is free, the water quality is still good. It is equipped with professional lifeguards and clean shower 🚿 changing rooms and toilets. There are also some areas for BBQ 🍖 on the side. Even if you live in a hotel or B&B in the city center that does not include a swimming pool and a yard, you can completely treat it as a back garden and stroll around. At night, go to the night market and have a feast. This life is absolutely wonderful! Tips: For those who are short on time, I recommend staying in a hotel or B&B in the city center. The package is here! Generally, the trips to SkyRail, Kuranda and Palm Bay are a bit farther, so it is recommended to sign up for a day trip for convenience!

  • Skydive Cairns
    10
    󰺂4.3
    2181
    Cairns.Cairns City984m from downtown
    Highlights:
    󰀆Rainforest & Great Barrier Reef
    󱓊65-second freefall from 15000 ft
    4.9/5
    juki235juki235

    Cairns Skydiving Company is a must-try activity when traveling to the Great Barrier Reef. While experiencing the thrill of skydiving, you can also overlook the beautiful scenery of the entire Great Barrier Reef and the Cairns coast from high altitude, which is really a feast for the eyes.

What Best Things to Do are there in Cairns?
These are all Best Things to Do in Cairns:Great Barrier Reef, Sunlover Reef Cruises, Cairns Aquarium, Reef Magic, Big Cat Green Island Reef Cruises
What are some highly-rated Best Things to Do in Cairns?
Some highly-rated Best Things to Do in Cairns include:Great Barrier Reef:4.6, Sunlover Reef Cruises:4.5, Cairns Aquarium:4.5, Reef Magic:4.6, Big Cat Green Island Reef Cruises:4.7
At what locations in Cairns can Best Things to Do in Cairns be found?
The Best Things to Do in Cairns are mainly located in:Great Barrier Reef:Cairns, Sunlover Reef Cruises:Cairns, Cairns Aquarium:Cairns, Reef Magic:Cairns, Big Cat Green Island Reef Cruises:Cairns
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