🇦🇺 4 Days 3 Nights in Cairns: Ultimate Great Barrier Reef Getaway

Escaped the Sydney rain with my parents to explore the mountains, ocean, and corals of Cairns! Day 1️⃣: Palm Cove + Botanic Gardens + Esplanade 🌴 Landed at 10 AM → headed straight to Palm Cove. The sea breeze was so refreshing 🌊, and the views were stunning! Nu Nu Restaurant is surrounded by palm trees – super photogenic 📸. Then we visited the Cairns Botanic Gardens. Since my parents prefer light walking, we strolled gently before heading to the Esplanade. You’ll find the Reef Eye ferris wheel 🎡 and the famous lagoon pool here. The Night Market is just behind it – full of food options! 🍜 Day 2️⃣: Evolution Full Day Reef Cruise 🪸 After comparing several reef boats, we chose Evolution – highly recommended for coral quality! They offer a semi-submarine tour (great for non-swimmers!), though it was cancelled due to strong winds that day 😢 No turtles on this trip, but tons of beautiful fish 🐠. Tip: If you want to see turtles, try Sunlover instead! Day 3️⃣: Green Island Reef Cruise 🐢 Went to Green Island with Big Cat Cruises 🏝️. Took the glass-bottom boat + semi-submarine – perfect for my mom who couldn’t snorkel! The coral around Green Island isn’t the best ❌, but we saw plenty of turtles from the bridge! Ironically, I didn’t see any while snorkeling 😂 Day 4️⃣: Rusty’s Market + Port Douglas + Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures 🐊 Started early at Rusty’s Market – such a fun, lively fruit market 🍍🥭! Then drove to Port Douglas – feels more upscale than Cairns. There’s even a wedding chapel ⛪. We skipped Daintree Rainforest (my parents weren’t interested 🌳), and went to Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures instead – SO MANY CROCS! Also saw cassowaries and other wildlife. Highly recommended! Cairns is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef – a relaxed, friendly little city 🏝️🙌. While the views may not be as dramatic as the Whitsundays, the coral and snorkeling experience here are better! #Cairns #GreatBarrierReef #CairnsTravel #CairnsGuide #Snorkeling #TravelWithParents