Exploring Cairns – A beautiful sea side paradise filled with much attractions and wonder

Cairns is an absolutely spectacular city to vacation in regardless of age. This cosmopolitan Australian city is a popular tourist destination due to its outstanding natural beauty and modern attractions. Filled with beautiful beaches, lush gardens, tropical jungles, contemporary museums and charming art galleries, Cairns has something for everyone!

The most popular highlight of Cairns is the city’s awesome aquamarine beaches and golden sandy shores. Apart from relaxing on the beach and catching a tan, the area is ideal for water sports such as fishing, snorkeling and diving. Visitors are able to go on excursions to explore the magnificent Great Barrier Reef with its amazing marine life.

For animal lovers’, a visit to the interactive Cairns Tropical Zoo and the spectacular Cairns Rainforest Dome is recommended, whilst tourists can also go on one of Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures to learn more about crocodiles. For the more daring, a trip to the Undersea World will be exciting as visitors are given the opportunity to swim with sharks. Wildlife can also be explored within natural jungle areas by taking a trip to places such as the Lamb Range and Mount Lewis.

The beauty of trees, flowers and plant life can be appreciated at Cairn’s Botanical Gardens which is spread over 38 hectares of land. This garden is home to several native Australian plants that cannot be seen elsewhere. Next to the gardens, stands the picturesque sight of the Centenary Lakes which has many walkways to be explored.

Cairns city is also home to many museums that cover a wide range of topics. The Cairns Museum is an interesting place that exhibits information and unique displays on the history of Cairns and its culture. The Shipwreck Museum is an interesting attraction that features exhibits on the Great Barrier Reef.

Travellers looking to enjoy the touristy hustle and bustle of Cairns must definitely visit popular areas such as the Pier Marketplace, the Esplanade and Shields Street which is filled with numerous shops and attractions. The Pier Marketplace is a lovely marina shopping area that is home to the Ancient Earth Indigenous Art Gallery. Shields Street too has 2 art galleries, namely the Cairns Regional Gallery and the Peter Lik Gallery. The Esplanade is crowded with many eateries and is the venue for the colourful Night Market.   

Much of the main attractions in the city can be explored when staying at the Shangri La-Hotel The Marina Cairns, which is a distinguished and elegant Cairns luxury hotel. This warm and hospitable hotel offers contemporary and relaxing accommodation in Cairns right in the heart of this beautiful seaside destination.