Whether arriving to Cairns by plane or boat, holiday fun need not remain limited by a lack of transportation. Car hire services provide the freedom to come and go according to your schedule. Having access to personal transportation also extends the boundaries of exploration and sightseeing. Driving a vehicle offers the opportunity of going to a location and staying for as long as desired. Consider hiring a vehicle, which saves time and money for enjoying many more attractions in Cairns.
Even if planning to stay within the city, a vehicle comes in handy for enjoying a food tour of Cairns. Exceptional restaurants lie throughout the community and offer the chance for sampling some of the best food found in the country. Venture to the Red Ochre Grill for crocodile, emu and kangaroo. These dishes are part of the traditional Aboriginal diet. Seafood lovers also have plenty of options,
When it comes to fish, barramundi is one of the local favourites and worth a try. Rusty’s Market on Grafton Street provides an abundance of fresh produce that includes a nice variety of tropical fruit. Try fresh lycees, mangos or papayas. The venue also sells the Asian fruits known as mangosteens and rambutans. Indulge in cuisines from around the world. Cairns features restaurants specializing in everything from Chinese, Greek and Indian meals to Italian, Japanese and Thai.
Using car hire services also makes it possible to explore food options outside of Cairns. The Atherton Tablelands provide a fantastic opportunity for visiting local wineries and distilleries. Take a tour and sample locally created products. The Golden Drop Winery is a definite must see and the facility uses exotic fruits like mangos for making wine and spirits. The southern region of the Atherton Tablelands has a number of dairies. The Mungali Diary in particular received many awards and manufacture scrumptious organic products. The coffee plantations around the Mareeba region provide tours and tasting opportunities for coffee lovers.
The coast of Cairns offers numerous wonderful activities. Drive down to the coast and spend a relaxing day on the beach. While there are many different restaurants here serving freshly caught seafood, some prefer catching their meal. Catcha Crab tours at the Marlin Marina takes guests out on the water for the opportunity of catching fresh mud crab. The tour also includes cooking the catch right on the boat and enjoying the spoils of the day’s efforts. Angling tours are also popular and provide the chance for catching a number of native game fish.
Located off the coast of Cairns lies the world famous Great Barrier Reef. Over 600,000 years old and spanning 2,300 kilometres along the Queensland coast, the reef consists of billions of tiny living organisms called coral polyps. This reef serves as home to numerous marine life species. Take a glass bottom boat tour of the site. Many visitors explore the site while snorkelling. Underwater walking tours provide the unique option of seeing the reef up close while wearing specialised breathing equipment. Swimming and diving experience are not required. Scuba diving is another means of viewing the reef and the amazing underwater world. Underwater photography is also allowed for the visitors who want to capture their beautiful experience. Cairns diving schools offer instruction to anyone desiring to learn the prevalent water sport.
The culture and traditions of the Aboriginal people remain some of the more intriguing aspects of Australia. For the past two decades, the indigenous citizens happily share their ways with visitors. Located north of Cairns, near the base of the Kuranda Range, guests find one of the top attractions in the country. The Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Centre provides a look into the history and lifestyle of the people. Surrounded by beautiful scenery, the centre provides the story of the Aborigines through art, dance, music and storytelling. Guests also have the opportunity of enjoying a traditional meal.
The Rainforest is another popular attraction and having a vehicle allows visitors the chance to travel off the beaten path and take a trip to the Wooroonooran National Park to see the Ma:Mu Rainforest Canopy. The site has a 350-metre long walkway that runs along the tops of the trees. The destination also features a 37-metre observation tower and a 1,200-metre trail on the forest floor. Walk along a rainforest stream, catch a glimpse of platypus and cassowaries in this spectacular paradise location.
Beginning at the Atherton Tablelands and extending to Karumba lies the start of the famous Outback territory. Gulf Savannah covers 186,000 square kilometres of red soil and open spaces filled with history. During the early 1900s, gold fever brought prospectors and pioneers. Today few inhabit the area. The scenery here includes tree-covered grasslands, twisted rivers that run through gorges and picturesque waterfalls. Lawn Hill and Cobbold Gorge are some of the favourite locations. Visitors often tour the old gold rush towns, view Aboriginal rock art and explore fossil sites.
