Cairns is usually seen as the end of the line for the east coast and the first port of call to explore the far north and breathtaking Great Barrier Reef. The laid back city atmosphere welcomes a lot of tourism and Cairns itself is a great stepping stone into the surrounding area. HAPPYCAR is here to help you find the best car hire Cairns has to offer so you can take full advantage of this stylish city and the surrounding area. A direct car hire Cairns Airport is also available. through our online comparison portal, we check the prices of international and local providers so that you don’t have to check each website to provide you with the best deals to make your money go further on a rental car that fits your specific vacation needs.
General Information
Cairns sports islands, rainforests and reefs at its doorstep. It was originally composed of mudflats and mangroves, but it has quickly become a popular international tourist destination with large resorts, a handful of crystal-clear beaches and high-profile developments with a dazzling saltwater lagoon. Cairns is only 30 miles away from the UNESCO World Heritage Site the Great Barrier Reef, the iconic natural behemoth that is so definitive of Australia.
To Do
Cairns is an adventurer’s haven, whether it is deep sea diving or skydiving, excursions close to the ocean or mountains or rainforests, Cairns has something for everybody. The relaxing, tropical ambiance shining from the Foreshore Promenade is infectious, and it is easy to take a relaxing walk or swim around the Esplanade. There is a huge variety of tours on offer for the Great Barrier Reef, something each traveler must do when visiting Cairns. You can go snorkeling, learn to dive or see the reef from the comfort of a glass-bottomed boat. You can also visit Michaelmas Cay, home to thousands of nesting seabirds, colorful corals and giant clams.
Attractions
Cairns features a number of natural attractions that ideally need to be enjoyed with a Cairns car rental when visiting the city. Only 2.5 miles north of Cairns are the Flecker Botanical Gardens, 38 hectares of tropical oasis with some of the rarest plants in the world. Next to the gardens are the Centenary Lakes, a rainforest parkland with mangroves and crocodiles. Of course, the most prominent attraction in the area is the Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral formation in the world and home to a spectacular array of marine life.
Eating
Food in Cairns ranges from cheap eats to fancy delicacies, but few places hawk emu, crocodile and kangaroo meat quite like Cairns. Of course you will find a wide selection of seafood, located mainly on the Esplanade, along with Italian, Chinese, Lebanese, and an unusually large number of Japanese restaurants. On Shields Street you can also find more contemporary eats featuring Australian fusion food, Indian, Thai, Malaysian and European. The nightlife in Cairns is vibrant and filled with pilgrims destined for the reef, so there is plenty of opportunity for late nights and a large selection of pubs and bars.
Excursions
Cairns is surrounded by rainforest and can be used as a gateway to destinations such as Kuranda and the Daintree. Daintree National Park is a rainforest 3 hours north of Cairns and makes for a relaxing getaway. Guided tours, bushwalking and riverboats are all possible. The UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Kuranda Rainforest is the world’s oldest tropical rainforest and, with just a 2 hour drive north, a Cairns car hire can open up to you the largest range of animals and plants in the world. The Atherton Tablelands, nestled in the highlands of Cairns, is Queensland at its most green and features a host of wildlife excursions and tourist highlights to enjoy around Cairns. Cairns is uniquely placed next to the coral sea, but Darwin is to the North and less than a day's drive along the stunning coast can see you at Brisbane, a gentle and laid-back city that is perfect to continue your Australian adventure. You can make your Australian vacation dreams a reality when you book your next car hire through HAPPYCAR!