Cairns & The Great Barrier Reef: The City & Underwater Wonders
The start of our Australia's East Coast Road Trip
After an epic 4×4 journey from Darwin through the Northern Territory, we’ve finally hit the East Coast! Welcome to Cairns, the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and the heart of tropical North Queensland. If you think the rainforest is wild, wait until you see what’s happening underwater!
Rain, Romanticism and Free Campsites
Our approach to Cairns started in a little town called Babinda. We found a beautiful free campsite on WikiCamps nestled right in the tropical rainforest. It was raining cats and dogs, but as we always say: “It’s romantic, right?” Even in the rain, the Cassowary Coast is stunning. We didn’t spot a prehistoric Cassowary bird just yet, but we did find plenty of Australian Brush Turkeys!
Stop 1: Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef
We booked our Great Barrier Reef trip with East Coast Tours and hopped on the Ocean Freedom boat to explore the Upolu Reef.
The Marine Life: Within one minute of jumping into the water at the “Wonder Wall,” a white-tip reef shark swam by! Soon after, we spotted black-tip reef sharks, a 2-meter giant Moray eel, and Blue Tangs (better known as Dory).
Family Milestone: This was 5-year-old Jens’ very first snorkeling experience! Imagine telling your friends at school that you learned to snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef.
Finding Nemo: At our second spot, we found him! Nemo was chilling in the exact same type of anemone as in the movie. We also saw Blue Spotted Ribbon Tail Rays and giant Green Sea Turtles.
Stop 2: Cairns City Safari & The Giant Free Pool
On Sunday, we explored Cairns above water. The town was founded in 1876 as a mining and sugar cane port, and you can still see that history in buildings like the St. Joseph’s Convent.
The Esplanade Lagoon: Since you can’t swim in the ocean here (thanks to crocodiles and jellyfish!), the city built a massive, 4,800-square-meter saltwater lagoon. It is the biggest free pool we’ve ever seen, complete with a sandy beach and fountains.
Dutch Travel Tip: Go on a Sunday! Parking in the city center is free, and who doesn’t love a bargain?
Stop 3: Green Island – An Underwater Aquarium
Our second tour from Cairns took us to Green Island, a tiny coral cay just 45 minutes from Cairns. It’s only 600m long, but it’s a protected sanctuary filled with birds and rainforest and is in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef.
The Snorkel: This was one of the best sessions of our lives. We swam with a giant Cowtail Stingray and even spotted a beautiful (but very poisonous) Lionfish!
History Lesson: Fun fact: Green Island wasn’t named after its color, but after Charles Green, the astronomer on Captain Cook’s ship.
Practical Tips for Cairns (2026)
Best Time to Visit: To see the Reef at its clearest, visit during the Dry Season (May to October). The stinger (jellyfish) risk is also lower during these months.
Getting Around: Use Uber to get to the Marlin Marina; it’s quick and easy from most campsites.
Distance to Darwin: It’s a massive 2,850 km (approx. 30 hours of driving) trip. We took our time exploring the Savannah Way on our way here!
Wildlife Warning: In the water, be “Crocwise” and “Stinger-wise.” On land, keep an eye out for the Cassowary—they are beautiful but can be grumpy!
Watch our adventure
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