7 of the best day trips from Cairns

You don’t have to venture far from Cairns to find a verdant hinterland packed full of food trails and waterfalls for chasing. Simply head to the hills.

Atop a plateau of the Great Barrier Reef sits the Atherton Tableland's rolling hills, cascading waterfalls, quaint villages and producers waiting to fill your belly. Kick off with a hot air balloon ride to watch the sun rise over the Mareeba Valley, then once you're back on solid ground explore the waterfall circuit - Millaa Millaa Falls is a crowd favourite, but you'll find many tranquil spots to take a dip or simply take in the views. 

When hunger strikes, you're never far from a feed. Stock up at roadside fruit stalls, pop into cheesemakers, chocolate shops and coffee plantations. You can even sample local spirits or stop for devonshire tea at Lake Barrine. 

Day trip 2: Soar above the rainforest

Eclectic is one way to describe the rainforest village of Kuranda - but there's so much to discover here. The markets are well worth the day trip from Cairns itself: between the original and heritage markets you’ll find everything from handmade jewellery and fashion to homemade fudge and a tearoom along the way.

Not much of a shopper? There's a butterfly sanctuary, koala gardens, ATV tours, riverboat cruises and cultural experiences to keep you entertained. 

But it's how you get to Kuranda that makes it truly special. Sure you could go by car, but most first time visitors choose to start their journey at the Smithfield Terminal of the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. On board, you’ll swap tarmac for the treetops as you glide over 7.5kms in Barron Gorge National Park to Kuranda’s great heights.

Save at least 1.5 hours to ascend over the rainforest canopy in a gondola cabin, which has panoramic views out to the Coral Sea. You can break up the journey with short walks and guided tours of the two mid-stations, which include a Skyrail exclusive lookout over Barron Gorge and Falls.

Spice up your return route and take the Kuranda Scenic Railway back down to Cairns. From the comfort of a leather booth inside a heritage timber carriage, you’ll pass through dense rainforest, steep ravines and picturesque waterfalls. It’s one of best rail journeys to take in Queensland.

Day trip 3: Relax in Palm Cove

If your kind of day trip from Cairns involves lunches as long as the walks on the beach, point your GPS towards Palm Cove.

Its golden beach and palm tree-lined esplanade might dominate your Instagram feed, but this seaside pocket is dubbed the day spa capital of our tropical north - and it's well worth sampling the famous offerings. From indulgent cleansing of mind and body at Alamanda to ash clay body wraps inspired by ancient Indigenous techniques at Peppers Beach Club and Spa, you can really sink into holiday mode.

Follow it up by plonking yourself at chef Nick Holloway’s award-winning Nu Nu restaurant for a divine degustation-style lunch or dinner. You’ll soon see why this is one of the most memorable dining experiences in Queensland. 

If it's hard to pull yourself away from this slice of paradise, simply stick around for a night or two.

Day trip 4: Set sail and sip beer in Port Douglas

Rich with resorts, beautiful beaches, wildlife experiences and a bustling dining scene, Port Douglas needs very little introduction.

Getting there in a day trip from Cairns is easy. Simply stalk the coastline along the seriously scenic Great Barrier Reef Drive - you'll stop for more than a few photo opportunities en route. Once you're in town, sink your feet into the famous Four Mile Beach sand, then take the short walk for more views at nearby Flagstaff Hill Lighthouse.

When you’re visiting one of the jump-off points for the Great Barrier Reef, it pays to join a tour to see it. Eco-legends Sailaway will sail you to coral cay Low Isles in an afternoon sunset tour that departs at 1pm. There's plenty of time to explore the fringing reefs by snorkel or the comfort of a glass-bottom boat, then take in the sunset on your journey home.

Upon returning to dry land, head next door to Hemingway’s Brewery for sundowners and share plates by the waterside.

Day trip 5: Hop over to Fitzroy Island

900 tropical islands are nestled amongst the reef, and if you want to set your sights on one as a day trip from Cairns, Fitzroy Island is one of the most accessible. It's just a 45-minute zip across the water with Fitzroy Flyer.

Here, stunning beaches, a fringing reef and coral gardens beg to be explored. Get amongst the action quickly with a 25 minute glass bottom boat ride, followed by a 50-minute snorkel. Wander the walking track to more secluded Nudey Beach (but keep your kit on), pay a visit to the Turtle Rehabilitation Centre, or make use of the kayaks, SUPs and watersports available.  

The island is also home to a resort, campground and two restaurants for when hunger strikes. 

If you decide a day trip just isn’t long enough, double it with this 48 hour guide.

Day trip 6: Slow down in Mission Beach

In search of the tropical north's quieter side? Make tracks to a place where crowds, a bit like traffic lights, just don’t exist.

Mission Beach is a two-hour drive south of Cairns, but feels a whole world away. This picturesque coastal strip is made up of four beachside villages – Bingil Bay, North Mission, Wongaling Beach and South Mission – linked by 14kms of golden sands. It's also a great place to spot cassowaries in the wild.

Pop into a local cafe, then spend your morning one of two ways – lounging at one of the palm fringed beaches that make Mission Beach so special, or taking the leg-burning 4km circuit to the summit of Bicton Hill.

Mid-afternoon, hop on a water taxi to swap the mainland for Dunk Island, marooning yourself over there for a few hours to explore at your leisure - swimming, snorkelling, bushwalking and fishing. Sunset Bar Dunk Island is also open Friday, Saturday and Sunday with live music every Saturday.

Day trip 7: Ancient history and nature in the Daintree 

Time travel is easy in our tropical north. You just need to take a walk through the Daintree Rainforest, the oldest continually surviving rainforest in the world, to understand what the landscape would have looked like 180 million years ago.

Start your day trip from Cairns with a guided Dreamtime Walk tour with a Kuku Yalanji traditional owner from the Mossman Gorge Centre. The tours start with a traditional smoke cleansing ceremony before exploring culturally significant sites where you’ll learn ancient traditions, bush medicine and forest-survival tricks like making a handy lathery shampoo by pummeling leaves on a stone. Be sure to leave time to dip into the cool waters here.

You’ll need to put the Daintree River between you and your next destination, the Daintree Discovery Centre. Here you can experience the rainforest at every level starting from the forest floor to the top of the 23m canopy tower.

Before making your way back to Cairns, drop in for a sweet treat that will change the way you look at normal ice cream forever at the Daintree Ice Cream Company. Owner Dave and his team have created a bespoke range of flavours from exotic tropical fruit grown in their very own orchard. Think black sapote, soursop and coconut to name a few.

If you'd rather have a local steer your day in the Daintree, check out these tours.