Things You Should Know About Cairns

by Brooke | January 16th, 2011   Tweet

Getting to Cairns is often the final destination for many travelers that fly to Australia. Cairns would be considered the tropical beach destination with great access to some of the best parts of the Great Barrier Reef just off the coast. You can catch a cheap flight to Cairns from most major cities and not break the bank, but the idea of taking a road trip up the east coast sounds a lost more fun to me.

When planning a trip to Cairns, it is always helping to keep the following list of things in mind. Oh, and don’t forget to read these fun and funny things you should know about Australia, too!

Cairns is amazing at early or late winter, and you’ll find that August is typically the busy season for this part of Australia. The weather is warm, but not too warm, but once the summer kicks in, the weather turns hot and humid. Yes, the summer brings the wet season to the tropical north, and besides providing sometimes cyclones and heavy rain, it is just plain muggy. You will sweat.

The Cairns Reef Fleet terminal offers a number of options for getting there on daily reef cruises. You can buy your tickets, and rent an underwater camera, all from the same building. If you’re looking for something longer and more adventurous, there are reef scuba diving getaways that go for days. Check out the Australia tours page for some ideas.

However, I highly recommend renting a car so you can explore the areas around Cairns on your own. These include Port Douglas, Granite Gorge, the Atherton Tablelands and the like (read more in Day Trips from Cairns). Australia bus tours in situations like that just won’t provide the same flexibility and adventure.

When the rainy season starts, jellyfish make their ways into the waters around tropical Queensland, many of which will just cause a bit of a sting. However, there is a tiny stinger, called the Box Jellyfish, that can inhabit the waters and is potentially fatal. When you go to a beach around Cairns during this time of year, do make sure to swim within the stinger nets and follow any safety instructions that may be posted. Box Jellyfish stings are not very common at all.

If you need help deciding where to stay, you can quickly have a look at the following posts for guidance:

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Things to Do in Australia - South Australia

South Australia is perhaps best known for being the wine capitol of Australia, home to the famous Flinders Chase National Park and the Barossa Valley wine country. South Australia offers extraordinary wildlife including platypus and little penguins and the chance to swim with dolphins, sea lions or even great white sharks.

Adelaide is the capitol of South Australia. This vibrant city sits between the Adelaide Hills and the Gulf St. Vincent. It is adorned with pristine beaches, numerous water sports and activities, national parks and is surrounded by parkland; a perfect place to relax and enjoy the day.

Here are some of the most popular features of Adelaide:

Glenelg is an historic and very popular beachside community. It offers many restaurants, cafes and shopping.

South Australian Museum was founded in 1856. It is home to the largest collection of indigenous Australian artifacts in the world. Open daily and entry is free!

National Wine Center of Australia promotes awareness of over 10,000 Australian wines. There is an extensive list of wines available for tasting, and one can brush up on their wine knowledge by chatting with a hologram of famous Australian winemakers. Open year round, except for national holidays.

Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife reserve approximately 25 miles outside of Adelaide. It was created as a reserve for endangered Australian wildlife in 1969. Today it is home to over 100 species of native birds and mammals. It is a great place to visit for an opportunity to get up close with Australian wildlife in a protected environment. Open daily with free admission!

Some other noteworthy attractions in Adelaide include the Art Gallery of South Australia (renowned for the extensive collection of Australian art), the Adelaide Zoo, Adelaide Botanic Gardens and the seaside suburb of West Beach.

Kangaroo Island is located 13km off the coast of South Australia and is a must for any wilderness destination traveler. With the mix of small towns and wilderness, an abundance of wildlife thrives on the island. One can find koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, platypus', seals, sea lions, penguins and about 250 species of birds.

A third of Kangaroo Island is protected by National Parks. The largest of the parks is Flinders Chase National Park, covering 17 percent of the island. In addition to the variety of wildlife, it offers the attractions of Weir's Cove, Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch. For visitors there are picnic tables and campsites making this a great family destination.

Barossa Valley is Australia's most famous wine region. Located just one hour from Adelaide, it makes a great long day trip or if you wish to stay longer, there are many lodging options available for all levels of comfort. The Valley has been producing wine for over 160 years and today there are more than 100 wineries crushing grapes and many of them offer guided tours and tastings year round. In addition to wine, a variety of specialty foods are produced in Barossa Valley including award winning cheeses, dried fruit and delicious pate and can be found at some of the many country markets in the area.

Eyre Peninsula is a great place to visit if you enjoy beach vacations without the crowds. This area offers over 2,000km of coastline, great fishing, and diving; you can even dive with great white sharks! There is a variety of beachfront accommodations and spectacular seafood to satisfy your big appetite after a day at the beach or out to sea.

Look for our series of articles on the five other states of Australia including Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, Queensland and Western Australia, and its mainland territory, Northern Territory.

Contact a Professional Travel Agent today to book your dream vacation to Australia!

Look for our series of articles on the five other states of Australia including Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, Queensland and Western Australia, and its mainland territory, Northern Territory.

Contact a Professional Travel Agent today to book your dream vacation to Australia!

Trisha has been working with the Travel Team for over 10 years. She has traveled extensively across the world and has been booking travel to Australia for 8 years.
The Travel Team
2 Nickerson Street Suite 102
Seattle WA 98109
206-301-0443
http://www.travelteam.com/

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Top 5 Things to Do in Port Adelaide, South Australia

Port Adelaide, is one of the exciting places to be in South Australia. It is located west of Adelaide, and is home to one of the most successful Football clubs in Australia. It is now currently going through a billion dollar urban development project, which will make it the largest development in South Australia. Port Adelaide is home to many unique historical and natural attractions in South Australia due to the town being situated near natural wetlands, the beach, river and port.

There are many things to do and see in Port Adelaide, but here are the top 5 things to do in Port Adelaide.

1. Cruising down the Port River. The Port River is one of the most scenic rivers in South Australia. It is home to Port river dolphins which habitat in the river where you can see them frolicking near ships playfully. There are many cruise operators on the river which you can spend a lazy afternoon relaxing and dining on the cruise ships. All cruises depart from the wharf promenade, Lighthouse Square, Commercial Road.

2. National Railway Museum. See antique collections of locomotives, passenger carriages and freight carriages that existed decades ago. This is Australia's top railway museum.

3. South Australian Maritime Museum. Look and observe the history of Port Adelaide and see how it has become today. There is many friendly staff there who can explain all the personal history of Port Adelaide down to ghost stories.

4. The Seahorse Farm. This is a place where you can find the most extensive collection of seahorses and sea dragons ever in South Australia. See how they live and survive.

5. Fishermen's Wharf Markets. This is a place where you can buy everything from antiques, books, grocery, meat, fishes and much more in a beautiful indoor and outdoor market. You can spend the whole day there just shopping and haggling. 

Tito King is an Author living in Sydney, Australia. He is interested in reading and creating websites. His latest website is about clear strap bras and finding the best Prima Donna Bras on the web today.

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