Cairns
Cairns is a pretty famous place, you know. Situated in the Far Northern Queensland of Australia, Cairns is home to over 120,000 residents.
It was named after William Wellington Cairns, who was one of the past governors of Queensland.
Originally developed to house and supply miners on their way to northern goldfields, Cairns more recently became a port town and a railroad junction.
To give you an idea of location, Cairns is just over 2400 kilometers from Sydney and about 1700 kilometers
from Brisbane.
It is much warmer than Australia's more southern cities and the tropical climate lures many tourists northward.
As if that weren't enough, it is about an hour by boat from the Great Barrier Reef and about 130 kilometers from the Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation. There are also quite a few theme parks in the area, but they certainly do not beat nor do they exceed the novelty of the natural attractions.
The two biggest industries in Cairns and the surrounding region is tourism and sugarcane. Accordingly,
the accommodations in Cairns are many and happen to be quite a bit more economical than Port Douglas. People
come to Cairns for its unique flavor and to experience the beautiful Daintree Rainforest and the phenomenal Great Barrier Reef.
Tourism has allowed the downtown to develop tremendously. There are many shops to visit and you will find high-end boutiques, internet cafes,
and numerous places to book a tour out to the Reef. It is a wonderful launching place to experience the reef and rainforest.
If you tire of travel and you'd like to relax, we do suggest that you take a jaunt down to the esplanade
of Cairns, replete with a swimming lagoon and a recreation area. Surely you will appreciate the tranquil surroundings
right in Cairn's backyard. With tourism comes shops and, inland, you will find high-end boutiques, Internet cafes galore,
and also numerous places to book a tour out to the reef.
Cairns can get pretty busy. If you are looking for a place to relax for a bit, we say, check out Trinity Beach.
Port Douglas is a small, trendy town that is a perfect place to stay if you want to experience the Great
Barrier Reef and Tropical North Queensland. Traditionally known for its upper class hotels and fine dining, a lot
of people just push Port Douglas aside because it might be too expensive. But we say try it out.
We think Port Douglas is a lot better place to stay than Cairns, if you want to experience the Daintree
Rain Forest and the magical Great Barrier Reef. You can purchase reef excursions at your hotel and leave right
rom Port Douglas.
