Cairns and Far North Queensland is the ultimate tropical destination. The Great Barrier Reef, Daintree Rainforests, palm-lined beaches, granite gorges, tumbling waterfalls, ancient tree ferns, coral cays, islands, rivers, streams, volcanic lakes and savannah plains are just some of the many features of this diverse, naturally stunning part of Australia.

No where else on earth will you find two natural World Heritage listed sites, side by side. You can choose from over 200 different day tours, which cater to all tastes and budgets. From adrenaline pumping action to pampered beachfront spa treatments, fine dining to bush tucker, Aboriginal performances to contemporary theatre, parkland playgrounds to romantic retreats, mountain hiking to deep sea diving and everything in between, Cairns has certainly got you covered.

Not surprisingly, given the quality of its natural attractions, Cairns is also home to some of Australia’s leading and most environmentally friendly, award winning experiences. Two top examples are Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and the Quicksilver Group.

Skyrail is a 7.5km rainforest cableway operating over and through World Heritage Rainforest in the Barron Gorge National Park, 15-minutes from Cairns. Guests enjoy birds’ eye views from the comfortable six-person cabins before exploring the forest floor at two rainforest mid-stations. Skyrail was the inaugural winner of the Qantas Australian Tourism Award for Excellence in Sustainable Tourism and has claimed this honour for three consecutive years at the state level.

Quicksilver Cruises provide day tours to the Great Barrier Reef from Port Douglas. They have also won honours at the national tourism awards, being named Australia’s best Major Tour and Transport Operator. Quicksilver Group Managing Director Tony Baker said, “We’re overwhelmed and extremely proud to be acknowledged with these awards. As I’ve said previously, this success belongs with our fantastic teams at the front line and behind the scenes who make sure we really do provide the best reef experiences every day for our visitors. The Major Tour and Transport Operator Award represents excellence in all areas of our business operations and I congratulate all of our staff for this ongoing commitment.”

Most tour operators operate a transfer service across Cairns, the northern beaches and Port Douglas, so it is easy to participate in the wealth of experiences on offer without driving / hiring a car.

The region’s tourism attractions and experiences are as diverse as the landscape itself and include: river cruises, fishing charters, island day trips, reef trips, liveaboard reef trips, snorkelling, scuba diving, kayaking, white water rafting, drift snorkelling, nature parks, animal reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, horse riding, ATVs, cableways, scenic trains, cultural parks, indigenous tours, bush tucker, hot air-ballooning, scenic flights, helicopter charters, glass bottom boats, jet skis, parasailing, sky diving, bungy jumping, hiking, camping and pretty much anything else you can think of!

If you don’t like being a ‘tourist’ on a pre-arranged tour, you also have the option to explore this amazing destination yourself. Most of the national parks have camping facilities and walking trails, although pre-booking is highly recommended. For keen hikers, check out the network of Misty Mountain Trails or for self-drivers, take the Great Green Way to see some of the unique little ‘off the beaten’ track communities of north-eastern Australia.

If you want to experience and explore nature’s paradise, getting an insight into how the world once was, then Far North Queensland is the destination for you.