Go all-out with this luxury guide to Cairns

With sunsets like these, you can understand why happy hour is a key feature on the Cairns schedule. Soak in the last rays of sun and catch the sea breezes on the pier with a visit to Salt House for an aperitif. Perched over the sea, there’s no better spot to raise a glass and celebrate. And with a private dining room at your disposal, you can easily make a night of it.

Up the ante for dinner by reserving a table at Cairns’ highly acclaimed restaurant, Tamarind. Inconspicuously hidden away inside the Reef Hotel Casino – but world’s away from the blackjack tables – Tamarind is everything you’d expect from a hatted restaurant: constant and courteous service, crisp linen tablecloths and low lighting, and adventurous Asian-fusion dining options crafted from local produce. Truly spoil your party and have the work done for you with the set tasting menu and matched wines.

For a truly memorable meal, Dundee’s at the Cairns Aquarium is the perfect introduction to the coastal aquatic life of the area  –  the restaurant features a 70,000 litre saltwater marine aquarium, the largest tank within a restaurant in Australia. Guests dine on a menu of local produce served up by Executive Chef James Wort against the backdrop of the mesmerizing underwater spectacle. 

If, for you, the ultimate luxury is dining with the beach at your feet, head to NuNu. Set against a parade of palms in Cairns’ Northern Beaches, and with beachfront views spread out before you as you dine, this is one of the best restaurants in the Tropical North. Modern cuisine using locally sourced seasonal produce that sings quality and sophistication as soon as it hits the plate. Nunu’s owner and chef, Nick Holloway, is a pioneer of the Tropical North food scene, and Nunu is destination. Nunu is also open for breakfast seven days a week.

If you can be tempted out of town for lunch, you should head north to Oaks Kitchen and Garden. A 50 minute drive from Cairns city, this regional favourite offers a truly unique dining experience set in lush natural surrounds of Oak Beach. Chef Ben Wallace, formerly of Melbourne’s Longrain, is serving an impressive South East Asian menu. A truly luxurious treat is taking part in one of their ​Chef's Table Experiences, available for lunch every Friday and Saturday. Guests will enjoy a set tasting menu based around what’s in season in the chef’s own organic garden.

Other favourites for fine dining in Cairns include inner city French institution, C’est Bon, and water-side dining at Ochre, where dishes celebrate the pageantry and beauty of native and foraged ingredients.

Retreat

Luxury doesn’t always mean putting your feet up. Sometimes it means planting your toes firmly into the sand. If yoga is your ultimate indulgence, why not lose yourself in a private class at Hartig Yoga or fully immersive retreat in Mission Beach with Core Life Yoga.

One of the best ways to experience the spectacle and breathtaking natural beauty of Cairns is by air. Really get away from it all and spend a Sunday afternoon taking a helicopter ride with GBR Helicopters or Nautilus Aviation to a deserted sand cay in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef. Make memories as you sip Champagne and watch the sun sink below the sea on your own private island.

Hiring a private aerial chauffeur to whisk you out to the reef or over the rainforest canopy is one way to live the high life; another is to float among clouds as dawn breaks over the Atherton Tablelands on a private hot air balloon ride, complete with bubbly and breakfast on the beach when you return to solid ground.

From the sky to the sea, immerse yourself in the wonder that is the Great Barrier Reef by embarking on an intimate reef excursion, whether you want to captain your own luxury super yacht or let someone else take the helm on a charter boat.

Make your way portside and the Super Yacht Group will happily sail you out to the reef. For something slightly smaller but no less luxurious, climb aboard Cairns Charter Boat Company’s beautiful 61-foot vessel – the Warrior, and explore two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Cairns’ year-round balmy weather. Or hop aboard Passions of Paradise's luxe new 47-foot vessel Allure for a boutique, personalised charter; snorkelling, diving, island-hopping or fishing the Great Barrier Reef for anything from a day trip up to two weeks.

Or go deeper and explore the ocean depths and spend your nights floating under the stars with a liveaboard diving experience.

Then, when you’re back on land and ready to brush off the sand, treat yourself to a spa session at the many luxurious Palm Cove day spas. The only stress you’ll experience here will come from having to decide which treatment to indulge in. Peppers Beach Club and Spa, The Alamanda Spa, and Vie Day Spa are some of the best in Palm Cove.

Relax

A city perched next to the sea, it’s never too difficult to find a room with a jaw-dropping view in Cairns. Whether you choose to explore Cairns from an Esplanade-facing sub-penthouse at Vision, the boutique dwellings at 201 Lake Street, or any number of inner-city hotels you’ll be a stone's throw of high-end shopping destinations – and, they’re duty free.

When looking for luxury accommodation in the Tropical North, the Crystalbrook property group hotels and resorts are a sure bet for modern luxury: Bailey, Riley, and the newly opened Flynn. Each has its own distinct personality, but the venues are consistently playful, sophisticated and a freshly shaken martini is never far away.

Head to Riley on the Esplanade and spend the day unwinding by the pool and getting pampered at Eléme Day Spa, before finishing the day with a drink at chic rooftop bar, Rocco. And you’ll be indulging with a clear conscience; the hotel offers paperless check-in, recycled wooden room keys and doesn’t use plastic drinking bottles and straws in its restaurants.

With stunning views across the water and Cairns, the 5-star Sebel Harbour Lights complex will leave you impressed, whether you’re planning a special getaway for the whole family or just appreciate your space. The spacious apartments here come equipped with kitchenettes, living, private laundries and dining spaces.

If reclining poolside, cocktail in hand, is more to your taste there’s always Palm Cove – your very own playground of beach, sea and swaying palms. Cairns’ Northern Beaches are mecca for weddings and honeymoons and accommodate accordingly, with plenty of spas and beautiful suites. They’re also perfectly situated for easy day trips to the reef or rainforest.

Sink into your private plunge pool at the Alamanda, or make the most of private beach access and private rooftop spas at the Pullman Sea Temple Resort & Spa.

For luxury accommodation further north toward the Daintree and toward Port Douglas, head to Thala Beach Nature Reserve. Located on a private headland between Cairns and Port Douglas, and offering deluxe eco accommodation, this lush 145 acre property overlooking the Coral Sea immerses you in the wonder of its natural surroundings, with nature walks, star gazing nights, and talks from local experts on offer. To truly appreciate the location you should dine at Osprey’s Restaurant with dazzling panoramic views over the sea.

If total escape is your goal, you should explore the many luxury island resorts on the Great Barrier Reef. A short flight from Cairns, Bedarra, Fitzroy and Lizard Island offer the ultimate in secluded luxury accommodation on the reef.

Looking to swap the sea for the outback? Mt Mulligan Lodge is a boutique luxury outback lodge located on a private 28,000 hectare heritage site. Just a 35 minute helicopter ride from Cairns, and the ride is half the fun as you take in sweeping aerial views of the Daintree Rainforest, lush Atherton Tablelands and the rugged terrain that surrounds the majestic Mount Mulligan itself. Guests can also make the three hour drive by four wheel drive, but helicopter is recommended during the wet season.

Once you’ve landed, there are plenty of unique experiences on offer. Go cattle mustering, indulge in a seven course degustation under the stars with matched wines, or enjoy a quiet sundowner from the rustic Sunset Bar, as the setting sun lights up the escarpment. Then retire to your contemporary outback suite complete with a wood-burning fireplace, private deck and deep outdoor bathtub repurposed from a corrugated iron water tank.