A complete backpackers guide to Cairns and Great Barrier Reef

Queensland's northernmost region, Cairns & Great Barrier Reef is a bevy of World Heritage listed wonder that lies 1600km north of Queensland’s capital, Brisbane – where it’s summer all year round and there’s no such thing as sweater weather.

To one side you’ll find the famed Great Barrier Reef, rich with marine life, bright clear waters and daydream inspiration. On the other is the Wet Tropics Rainforest, full of vibrant green hues, incredible waterfalls, heart-racing adventures and scenic road trips.

Stay

Attracting nearly a million international visitors annually, Cairns has accommodation to suit all types of travellers, with dozens of buzzing backpackers hostels for those on a budget. Here are some favourites. 

Cairns Central YHA

Sitting pretty in the heart of the city you’ll find Cairns Central YHA. When you’re done exploring the shops, vibing restaurants, cafes and nightlife located right on its doorstep, escape to the backpacker’s tropical outdoor courtyard and swimming pool, encased by lush greenery. Choose between air-conditioned twin, double, family and multi share rooms with both shared bathrooms and ensuites available.

Gilligans

Iconic backpacker destination Gilligans is more than a place to stay. With four storeys of traditional dormitory style accommodation and hotel rooms, along with a restaurant, three bars, Rusty’s Fruit Market, a nightclub and sprawling resort pool all under one roof, you’ll have to remember to step out and explore the rest of our tropical north during your stay. And when you do head out, there's a travel agency right here at the hostel to help book your tours and activities, like day trips to the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree. 

There's something happening at Gilligans every night of the week - and come Sunday the best place to be is at the pool party with DJs, cocktails, cabanas and good times.

Bounce Cairns Hostel

Not far from Gilligans, The Esplanade and the marina, Lonely Planet described Bounce (previously known as The Northern Greenhouse) as “a cut above the other backpackers” in Cairns, which more closely resembles apartment living than shared living. There's a mixture of budget conscious dorm rooms all the way up to family friendly apartments, most with a balcony or terrace to gaze out at the tropics from, drink in hand. Enjoy free buffet breakfasts and happy hours while you're here. 

Global Backpackers Cairns

Global Backpackers offers beds from just $22 per night – leaving you even more room to save for the must-dos. This mainstay of the Cairns backpacking scene is opposite Cairns Lagoon, a short walk from the cafes, restaurants and nightlife, and boasts a communal rooftop deck where you can kick back and soak up the tropical vibes.

The onsite Global tour desk can help with booking scuba diving courses, white water rafting, skydiving and liveaboard boats for all the water activities you’ve been dreaming of.

Eat

Hostel fare is certainly cheap and cheerful, but if you’re wanting to stretch your tastebuds a little, here’s a few local favourites to get you started.

Prawn Star

Get your fill of fresh seafood pulled straight from the trawler on board Prawn Star, a vintage vessel moored in Cairns Marlin Marina. Bring a group and tuck into platters, prawns, oysters, crayfish and more - washed down with $7 beers.

The Grand Hotel Cairns

Home to the biggest parma in Cairns (all 2kg of it), The Grand Hotel has been serving up quality local hospitality in their historic building since 1926. Known for their crocodile memorabilia and hand-crafted wooden crocodile bar top, it’s worth a visit and enough to feed an entire group if you split the parma - but there's plenty of pub classics to fill your belly.

Ganbaranba Noodle Colosseum

Peek behind the Japanese curtain on Spence Street and you’ll find the best ramen in Cairns. Brimming with signature Japanese dishes, you’ve got to come early as the secret’s out and the lines start from 5pm. While you wait, decide whether you want your noodles hard or soft, as the waiters will ask your preference. Bonus: their signature iced tea is on tap with endless top-ups of the homemade brew.

Cairns Night Markets

Each day when the sun is painting colours across the sky, the Cairns Night Markets come alive. This mainstay has recognised a demand for locally made goods since 1991, when the creators went about sourcing inspiration from overseas open air markets. With tasty dinner options, handmade artefacts and over seventy stalls, there’s something to satisfy every appetite.

Staying in and making your own food in the hostel? Supermarkets Coles and Woolworths are within easy walking distance and you can stock up on fresh local goods at Rusty's (open Friday - Sunday).

Drink

Firstly, for a good morning roast seek out the ultimate coffee guide to Cairns. For something stronger, this tropical city delivers everything from rooftop bars to laneway speakeasies, tiki bars and breweries.  

For lively spots that are firmly on the backpacker radar, read on. 

The Woolshed

You know a bar is good when it can draw a crowd every day of the week. Up here, that bar is The Woolshed, which actively encourages people to let their hair down and dance on tables.

Each evening takes a different theme including Tropical Tuesday, Wet T-shirt Wednesday, Ladies Night on Thursdays, and an infamous Sunday Session which invariably ends up with dancing on tables. Upstairs a mezzanine level means you can get a bird’s-eye view of the dance floor and an outdoor areas offer a break from all the noise within.

Down Under Bar

A typical Aussie pub, Down Under Bar has it all: 11 pool tables, cheap eats available until midnight, and karaoke night every Thursday. When it’s not filled with backpackers revelling till the early hours, it’s the drinking place of choice for bucks and hens parties, which gives you an idea of the fun that happens at Down Under.

Salt House

This waterfront modern Australian restaurant is a step up in style (and budget) than other party spots or the bars at Gilligans, but you can't go past lounging on a daybed with ocean views. You'll find it really pumping on Mondays - or "hospo night" where DJs spin the decks from 8pm. 

Three Wolves

If you’re wanting to have a little splurge and do one cocktail night, Three Wolves is not to be missed. With awesome drinks, a cool atmosphere and a great selection of whiskeys, it’s easy to spend an entire night here.

Play

Depending on how much time you’ve got in Cairns and Great Barrier Reef, try to divide your time between reef, rainforest and waterfalls. Got extra time for more adventure? Check out these day trips from Cairns for more on what you can do from your Cairns base.

Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef

It goes without saying that you must visit the Great Barrier Reef while you're here. Even though it requires a little dent in your wallet, it's an experience you'll remember forever - and there are budget-friendly tour options too. 

For some serious time in the sun, Sunlover departing from Cairns Marina offers 4 hours of reef contact time to explore during their tour. Their eco-certified tours depart daily and take you to their state-of-the art Moore Reef Marine Base where all ages can experience the magic of the reef with its abundance of colourful coral, fascinating fish, turtles and more.

Dive into that impossibly blue water with a mixture of snorkelling, glass-bottom boats, coral viewing tours, underwater observatory and seafood buffet lunch – your only expenses will be the ticket price for a day on the water.

Explore World Heritage listed rainforest

The Wet Tropics rainforest is both accessible and affordable. A few steps in and you’ll be surrounded by rainforest so primitive it outdates the Amazon by just a few (10 million) years, and ancient residents like the cassowary and velvet worm.

The rainforest starts as far south as Townsville and finishes as far north as Cooktown – there is literally 450km between both points. But perhaps the most famous section is known as the Daintree, which can be explored in day trips from Cairns that include wandering the jungle boardwalks of the Daintree Discovery Centre, cool dips in secluded swimming holes, visit where the rainforest and reef meet in Cape Tribulation, croc-spotting river cruises and even stops at local farms. 

Your hostel will be able to suggest great tours, or check out this list. 

Follow the waterfall circuit

Don’t forget to sneak in a day chasing waterfalls and swimming holes in the rainforest. With Queensland’s tallest mountain, Mount Bartle Frere, on Cairns’ doorstep, it’s no surprise the falls in throughout the region have that je ne sais quoi.

The only thing you need to decide is which fall? Do you go for proximity – with Crystal Creek Falls an approximate 15 minutes from the city. Or would rather cover more waterfall ground, with a day trip out to Babinda Boulders, Josephine Falls and the Waterfall Circuit for a taste of granite boulder waterslides and emerald green water. Here are some of the best to discover.

Seek out adventure

Not just resting on its good looks, Cairns is the epicentre of adventure - and here you can sign up for bungy jumping, white water rafting, canyoning, mountain biking and much more. 

Travelling on a strict budget? Seek out these free and cheap things to do in Cairns. 

Give back

Want to do some good for the planet and wildlife while you’re here? Sign up for Rainforestation’s Rainforest and Wildlife International Volunteer Program in Kuranda and you'll give back while getting up close and personal with the local culture and wildlife of the region.

Rainforestation houses the Koala and Wildlife Park, Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience and Rainforest Army Duck Tour. Your typical duties as a rainforest and wildlife volunteer will include preparing food for the native wildlife, cleaning, maintenance, upkeep and landscaping of the displays and gardens. The job also includes time volunteering at the wildlife sanctuary and the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary with these colourful and vibrant insects. If this sounds like your calling, get in touch with them via their website.

There’s also the Wet Tropics volunteer program, where volunteers help to protect and rehabilitate the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. Typical volunteer duties include contributing skills and labour and participating in projects ranging from field studies and tree planting to rescuing injured wildlife. Contact them via the wet tropics website.

Handy tips for backpacking in Cairns

It pays to listen to the locals to stay safe and have the best experience, no matter where you're travelling. While backpacking in Cairns please keep in mind:

• Always protect your skin with a quality sunscreen - our sun's no joke. Look for reef safe sunscreen brands and remember to re-apply after swimming. 
• Protective suits need to be worn while swimming in the ocean during stinger season. Your tour guides will supply these, but pay close attention to signage if visiting beaches on your own.
• If you see red and yellow signs around town, creeks and boardwalk areas, they’ll remind you that crocodiles also like to hang around in Cairns. Make sure you follow all signs and avoid creeks, estuaries or the banks of rivers - crocs are best spotted from a river cruise. 

Want to extend your stay?

If you have permission to work in Australia under a Working Holiday Visa, Cairns can offer quite a few employment opportunities to keep yourself afloat while you stay and explore a little longer.

Hospitality-focussed jobs are often in demand, while there are opportunities for trades and rural placements too. Get inspired to plan your working holiday in Queensland.