I 100% recommend doing the skyrail. I did it there and back and WOW such amazing views. You get if at two stops between the start and finish and you get the most amazing views of the rainforest and the waterfall. I also fully recommend getting of at karunda and exploring the town, it was so beautiful.

Amazing experience gliding over World Heritage rainforest with stunning views of Barron Falls and the canopy. The mid-stations with boardwalks and ranger talks make it more than just a ride—it’s educational and memorable. Diamond View gondolas are worth it for the glass floor. It can get warm in the cabins and busy at peak times, but overall it’s a must-do when visiting Cairns.

We took the railway up & the skyrail down. Excellent experience - a definite highlight of the holiday. Staff were friendly and efficient. Spectacular views. Great gift shop. The stops were great to make it a full experience and provide great views of the falls. It works very well, being able to get on and off, with staff talking you through the process each time, and keeping it running smoothly.

Take the train up and Skyrail down. Book in advance. Hop off the Skyrail on the way back to see the waterfall from the other side ( better view). 8am to 1pm was more than enough to see everything. They will say you must be there 30 minutes before train’s departure, but look 10-15 is plenty.

Another great trip while in Cairns, scenic rail to the Karunda village,aboriginal experience,cruise down river on army ducks, then the amazing trip down on the skyrail. Highly recommend this day trip. It's a long day but we'll worth it.

An experience well worth the cost and time… Left from the base terminal at the earliest (8:30 am) time available…} Possibly the best time to go - to beat the crowds, especially during peak season (School Holidays in July)… Stopped at each location along the considerable ride and worth each one…. To smell and hear the rain-forest is worth it. The staff were so accommodating and attempted were possible to seat people for the best possible experience… Give yourself at least 1/2 a day to experience both the Skyrail and Kuranda.

Enjoyed it. Good views of the rainforest canopy and the Barron Gorge etc. Great view of Cairns northern beaches as you come over the escarpment.

Absolutely great place for kids and families. Beautiful play spaces and gardens right in centre of suburbia. Grandson loves it!

It's a really lovely place for young children to play and learn. Quite accessible but at the time of visiting the water play systems weren't working, the kids still enjoyed themselves however.

This is the best play ground I’ve ever come across the kids love it. Cairns city council and the botanical gardens have done a great job. Just don’t forget your insect repellent.

If you love nature and the environment check out Centenary Lakes. This area is a real asset to Cairns. Keep any little ones away from the water though, just in case there is a croc hiding nearby.

Good playground for all ages ! Plenty to explore and was covered nicely by the trees, water to play with, different climbing areas and lots to do and see ! The kids had great fun building the huts too ! Would be great if the sensory garden area was looked after. Nothing there but some half dead mint and nothing signage wise to give us some clues as to what else could be there.

Amazing and peaceful playground for kids

FUN IN NATURE! I love taking my kids here. Such a unique design that really incorporates the beautiful environment around it. Located close to the Centenary Lakes, wheelchair accessible and toilets close by. The kids will have a ball here and they can even go and check out the ducks after :) Beautiful place for a picnic!

There are 4 hikes of various lengths, all have sections of steep stairs, but the path meanders along. Many people do loops on the red track for exercise.

We did the red arrow and blue arrow hikes. The red arrow was paved and had defined steps which is good if you’re going to jog along it. The blue arrow trail is more technical and took us about 3 hours to complete. Recommend having good hiking boots to do it as it was muddy/slippery in a number of places and a lot of the trail involved walking over/on tree roots. Don’t start it too late in the day as it gets darker earlier when under the tree canopy. The photos are from the lookout at the top of the blue arrow trail.

Consisting of many trail walks and treks with different color representing different difficulty levels, must tell you, Mouth Whitfield Conservation Park is Damn Beautiful. We would definitely list it under one of the best and Must Dos.

Nice wilderness and good place for hiking, there are 4 trails at the moment (19/06/18) ranging from the easiest Red to Yellow then Blue and finally Green so you can choose which ones you want to do The Red and Yellow trails can be done quite easily as long as you have a general level of fitness - no bushwalking/hiking experience needed (as advised by the visitors centre) as the terrain is quite good (mainly concrete paths with some dirt paths but easy to walk along as well as some steps/stairs on both trails) The Blue (excluding the small section of the Blue trail which connects the Red and Yellow trails) and Green trails are more complex with some quite narrow paths and a bit of climbing Really nice views of both the city and the airport (there is a lookout at the end of the Red trail which looks over the airport)

I haven't done the green arrow but the red, yellow and blue arrows are well signed. Always get a park easily. Red is steep and quick (20mins return) yellow isn't as steep and feels longer (35mins return) and blue is probably the easiest but the longest of the 3. To do all 3 takes no longer that 2.5hrs

It was fantastic. I enjoyed spending my weekend up the mountain with nature and my God. I experienced love of God in the nature.

Ran the Blue arrow. What a gruelling task to do it clockwise as the first half is like climbing a cliff face, but the Eastern side is absolutely stunning. Plenty of mud around due to the recent rain, and lots of exposed tree roots and rocks so sturdy footwear is advised.

I love this circuit for a good walkout. Over the years our amazing Cairns City Council has upgraded the Yellow arrow to easily join the Red arrow and makes it a good hours workout. Generally the track is in good condition but please be mindful that the tarmac walkways (see photos) can be a little slippery in wet weather. The track is popular with walkers and runners so please be on the listen out for foot traffic.

One of the conservation parks 4 official tracks. The red arrow is a short but steep loop. It’s very well maintained, wide and fully bituminised with many, many well built stairs. It’s mainly used for exercise and is very busy most of the time. You’ll be taken through a variety of vegetation from rainforest, although not high quality on the western side, to more open sclerophyll and exotic species including a bamboo on the east. If you’re looking forward to views after all the steps you’ll be sorely disappointed, over the years the vegetation has grown and you now only get very ordinary broken views through the vegetation. If you want a good view you’ll need to walk up another short but steep connecting track to the summit of the yellow arrow where you’ll get almost 180’ views over the airport and trinity Bay. For an exercise only perspective, it’s a magic place, 5stars. For a scenic walk, 3stars is being generous.

One of many great lookouts dotted around Cairns, what I like about this one is that it’s within the city limits no hire car or tour buses required. You can easily walk there from the city central or ride or take the local public bus transportation to the botanical gardens. Fitness and gradient wise is low to medium, if you’re not the one to push further this lookout is good enough and takes less than 1.5 hours in a loop.

No view, the lookout is overgrown with trees and can't see anything. The Red Arrow trail is a decent short circuit, paved and well maintained, although lots of stairs. The view at the top is non-existent, although we did see small kangaroos on the way down.

Great tracks just for a walk or run. Lots of steep stairs to lift your heart rate. Great views at top. Red track connect to blue and yellow

Loved this little oasis. We’re lucky enough to have a swim in the waterhole. Beautiful space and worth the visit.

I have been living in Cairns for months now and ran up this track so many times. The lookout towards the airport is my favorite location in Cairns. I recommend to hike either red or yellow arrow track up and the other one down. Will take approximately 45 minutes.

Beautiful gardens. Great place to go for a walk and enjoy the sights it has to offer. You can stroll around at your own leisure. Lots of amazing plants and flowers to take a photo of. You can even sit in the grass areas and enjoy a picnic.

The Cairns Botanical Gardens are a must-visit for anyone who enjoys botanical gardens or is spending time in the area with kids. The variety and beauty of the plants on display are simply stunning, and the gardens are so well maintained that every path feels like a new discovery. We especially enjoyed the scenic boardwalk and the lookout over the lake—it’s peaceful and offers a lovely view of the surrounding nature. The nature playground was a hit with the kids, and there were plenty of great spots to grab a bite or relax with a picnic. A perfect blend of natural beauty and family-friendly amenities!

Tropical rainforest style botanical gardens with gorgeous rustic paths running alongside rivers winding their way through the gardens. A space of tranquility and calm, you will be sure to leave this place feeling calm, rested, and rejuvenated.

Very nice lots of exotic plants - We spent three hours here. It was very pleasant- cool in the rainforest shade out of the hot sun. Nice lakes to walk beside where we saw several turtles, 9 inch fish. Scrub turkeys, some other birds and ducks.

Great way to spend an afternoon in the beautiful botanical garden. Amazing bird sound as you wander through the gardens. Loved the variety of flowering plants

Beautiful spot. Friends of the Gardens run tours at 10am Mon to Fri and there's a bird tour Tuesdays at 7.30am! Look out for the Friends of the Garden visitors centre as well as the council run visitors centre - lots of awesome souvenirs in both, with Friends of the Garden very decently priced.

Cairns Botanic Gardens is a pleasant place to visit with a cozy little café and clean restrooms. It’s a peaceful spot with some nice walking paths and tropical plants. However, compared to botanic gardens in larger Australian cities, it’s relatively small and doesn’t feel as well-maintained. Worth a quick visit if you’re nearby, but not particularly impressive overall.

Really enjoyed the pasta – it was fresh, flavorful, and clearly made with care. The ambience was also a highlight, the setting is relaxed and inviting, perfect for a casual night out. The only downside was the service. While everything else impressed, our waiter came across as a bit rude, which slightly took away from the overall experience. That said, I’d still recommend it for the food and atmosphere – hopefully just a one-off with the service.

We went there before a show at the Tanks. I ordered the special which was Beef Cheek with beetroot purée - it was tender and delicious. My friends ordered pasta dishes which were very tasty and all beautifully presented. Great ambience and I would definitely eat there again.

My fiancé took me here for my birthday dinner. And it was so good we came back for breakfast the next day. Nico, the restaurant manager was an outstanding host. The pre-dinner cocktails were sensational. For food we got a mixture of the duck ragu pasta with gluten free penne, espresso Brie with gluten free pumpkin bread and rocket pizza on a gluten free base. My fiancé is gluten free and they were very accomodating for this. We felt very taken care of by the staff. Before we left we’d already decided we’d be back the next morning for breakfast. For breakfast, if you’ve got a large group, a booking might be a good idea. We were from out of town so didn’t realise how popular this place was. Now we can see why. The breakfast lived up the already exceptionally high dinner quality. I got the chilli and prawn linguine (before 10am, yes, how good?), fresh, light and plenty of prawns. My fiancé got the eggs benedict with pulled beef (a very welcome combo) as well as two extra fried eggs (she’s strange like that). No complaints on my end though as I got to finish off the parts she didn’t... holy smokes... the pulled beef... 10/10. Do yourself a favour and give it a try. Again, despite there almost not being a free seat in the whole place, Nico and the staff were an absolute delight. It was busy but not chaotic. Food and drinks were prompt. All 5’s. An excellent place if you’re from out of town visiting, do dinner and breakfast. And if you’re a local... well... I’m jealous. If/when we make it back, I’ll be doing the gluten-full options for dinner. The pizzas looked phenomenal. Highly highly recommend.

This place is incredible! I’ve had breakfast here before and it’s been amazing, but I’ve just visited for the happy hour (2-5pm) and it has blown me AWAY! Honestly. Amazing food, amazing drinks. The menu is so extensive for a happy hour! $14 cocktails, very reasonable food prices ($12 huge wood fired pizza) I can’t fault it. The service is attentive and friendly. Everything is truly top notch! I will be back again and again!

Such a cute space, we visited during happy hour and it was amazing value for the food. Everything was really good, the pizza such a highlight. Definitely recommend. Check out my food Instagram @erinxeats for more!

Could not fault. Excellent all round. Sneaky 🌶️ marg with my lunch burger. Wake-me-up latte. The biggest pancake stack I ever did see! Staff offered me a takeaway box for the remaining 50%. Thank you all for being so welcoming, pleasant & professional

I went there for breakfast and had the French toast, it was delicious! Amazing coffee and juices, and friendly service. I’ll definitely come back.

Visited here a few times early this year for coffees & pastries, they were awesome. Have come back to find the in house pastries are now very dry. Pies have little to no filling and quite small for $10 each, pastry is tough and chewy. Sausage roll again very dry and filled with more breadcrumb than beef. Coffee is still very good. Shame to see as they're a bakery that should be known for excellent quality baked goods, not their coffee. Staff were very friendly. Had better @ 36,000ft in the air.

Havent been in over 2 years so thought Id check it out . Didnt disappoint! Great coffee and food . Its not just bread & pastries they have a brekkie menu and I tried the salmon avo on sourdough . Yum. Then next day I returned to try truffle mushrooms on toast with poached eggs added. Yummer.The fundamentals are very strong here once again . The Tao of casual but delicious cafe brunch dining has returned to this place

One of my favourite bakery cafes! The coffee, croissants and pastries are so delicious and staff are friendly. It’s a peaceful and relaxing cafe, a nice place to work on something too! This photo is rhubarb danish.

Food was great and decent coffee. Friendly staff. Very noisy atmosphere with a large table of old blokes talking very loudly which dominated the premises which made it difficult for others chatting. This made us rush through our breakfast. I get the feeling they are frequent customers which puts me off. If they are there next time I visit then I will go somewhere else.

EDIT: As most can see by reading the reviews, ownership would rather place blame on customers instead of accepting their product and service don’t meet the standards which their prices warrant. Aggressively mediocre food for high prices, staff may have never encountered another human being before. Burnt our 18$ toastie because of how inattentive their staff were then gave it to us flipped over so we wouldn’t see how burnt it was.

Excellent products, so fresh and fluffy. Friendly service and seemed like there was something for everyone.

My favourite hidden gem of a cafe! Had no idea how amazing they were, always such lovely staff there and gifted me a sweet treat one afternoon - I will never forget their kindness. I would spend all of my money here if I had the chance! Pistachio tarts phenomenal, and bread even more incredible. Best artisan bread all made in store, incredible guys!! Love the work, always stopping in when I’m nearby 🙌🏼🙌🏼

It was 2 days before my birthday. We saw this french place two weeks before and decided to book and go there. It was amazing. The service was great, we even had a real Frenchman serve us, young guy super nice and very attentive.We work for princess cruise lines so we travel all over the world and we eat everywhere,this place in Cairns is a real gem! I have been to France and the food here is very good and very French of course. Loved it and we will return😘🇫🇷

We had the absolute pleasure of having Chef Nicholas as the private chef for my mum’s 60th birthday, and he was nothing short of extraordinary. From the moment he arrived, his professionalism, warmth, and attention to detail were clear. Every dish was a work of art—beautifully presented, thoughtfully curated, and utterly delicious. He crafted a menu that felt both luxurious and personal, showcasing incredible skill while making sure every guest (including those with dietary needs) felt catered for. The flavours were unforgettable, and the whole evening ran seamlessly thanks to his calm, confident presence in the kitchen. Chef Nicholas turned a special celebration into a truly unforgettable experience, and we can’t recommend him highly enough. Thank you for making Mum’s 60th so memorable!

Absolutely loved C’est Bon! The atmosphere is charming with great music and a cosy vibe. Service was friendly, I ordered Le Soufflé Fromage as a starter, Le Cordon Bleu for the main, and La Mousse au Chocolat for dessert, everything was spectacular. Highly recommend!

Amazing meals for us all trying new things in our foody club dinners. Service was amazing and a great venue highly recommend. I had the duck pate which was beautiful and the fish cooked perfectly and all four us had great meals

We had dinner here on Monday, hands down this is now my favourite restaurant! Absolutely outstanding! From the moment we walked in, C’est Bon delivered an authentic French dining experience in the heart of Cairns. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, with just the right mix of elegance and charm. The food was exceptional – every dish was beautifully presented and bursting with flavour. The attention to detail in the sauces, the perfectly cooked mains, and the indulgent desserts made the whole evening unforgettable. Service was impeccable – attentive without being intrusive, sorry I didn’t get your names. You can tell they take real pride in what they do. Whether you’re looking for a romantic night out, a special occasion, or simply the best French cuisine in Cairns, C’est Bon is the place to go. Could have easily devoured 2 mains(Duck)so delicious 😂🫶🏾, I might next time.Can’t wait to return!

Nothing to criticize about the food, it was simply delicious. The service was good even when the guy was doing everything alone. The only thing that needed improvement was the cocktails. A nice place to have a good dinner.

Delicious food and great flavours the mains (barramundi, beef cheek & duck breast) we got are all so good. The beef tartare and cheese soufflé also really nice.