Cairns Itinerary: How to Spend 5 Days in the Tropical North

Day 1: Island Day - Fitzroy, Green or Frankland Islands

The first epic day of adventure in this 5 day Cairns itinerary is a trip to one of the tropical islands off Cairns.

There are a few great ones to choose from and the right pick for you will depend on what you're looking to do. My recommendation is to pick either Fitzroy Island, Green Island or the Frankland Islands as they are the easiest to get to on a day trip from Cairns (options below).

Luckily, there are full-day tours covering your ferry transport and snorkelling gear to each of these islands, so the choice is yours.

Note: Trips to Fitzroy Island and Green Island depart from the Cairns Reef Fleet Terminal (Cairns Harbour) while Frankland Islands will include a bus pickup from your accommodation to take you to the ferry down the Mulgrave River.

Cairns Island Tours To Book

There are dozens of tours you can book to the islands. Unfortunately, there are no day trips available visiting multiple islands. So if you only have 5 days, I recommend choosing one of the below.

• Fitzroy Island Day Trip
• Green Island Day Trip
• Frankland Island Day Trip - use code OLLY5 for this one to get $5 off your ticket

Spending a day at one of the islands is a must for any Cairns itinerary and will often be the highlight for many! If I had to pick one, I'd recommend Frankland Island, as it is by far the best island for snorkelling and has the healthiest coral reef.

Tip: if you have a little more time, you can stay at Fitzroy Island (Fitzroy Island Resort) and on Green Island (Green Island Resort). I've stayed on both and Fitzroy is my personal favourite. Read my review about what to expect.

Day 2: Great Barrier Reef Scenic Flight & Beaches

The second day on this epic 5-day Cairns itinerary involves a morning Great Barrier Reef flight, followed by a relaxing day at the best beaches in Cairns.

I've chosen the reef flight as seeing the Great Barrier Reef from above is truly one of the best travel experiences you can have in the Far North. This is the largest living organism on earth and to really appreciate its scale and grandois, you have to see it from above!

Luckily, a reef flight from Cairns is quite easy, includes hotel pickup and a 30-minute experience is actually quite cheap!

Alternative: It's possible to combine a full-day GBR cruise with a 10-minute helicopter flight directly from the reef pontoon. This Get High package is cheaper than a 30-minute flight from Cairns City. Read my helicopter guide for more information or book directly below.

Cairns Beaches

Since the reef flight won't take up a whole day's worth of activities, you've still got day two on your Cairns itinerary to chill out and unwind. I recommend heading to one of the sandy beaches below:

• Palm Cove - is among the best places for restaurants, bars resorts and is famous for its iconic tropical palm trees
• Trinity Beach - a local's beach and scenic hidden gem and the perfect place to unwind
• Ellis Beach - very beautiful beach with an awesome beachside bar/bistro (get the nachos)

Day 3: Kuranda Day Trip (Rainforest)

You've seen the beaches, you've snorkelled on the islands and you've even seen the Great Barrier Reef from the sky! Now it's time to explore the tropical rainforests. The truth is, there are so many great rainforest spots to explore around Cairns, with dozens of epic hiking trails and waterfalls.

However, one of the most convenient trips from Cairns is a day trip up to Kuranda.

Kuranda is a small hippy-market village located in the rainforest just above Cairns. While you can drive here in about 30-40 minutes, the best way to get here is to combine two more Cairns highlight attractions/activities; the Rainforest Skyrail Experience and the Kuranda Scenic Rail.

The Skyrail is an epic canopy cable car experience that takes you up and over the oldest rainforest on earth with great views of the overhead canopy.

There are also a couple of great stops, including the megalithic Barron Falls, before arriving at Kuranda. It departs from Smithfield and if you book the combined ticket above, you'll also get hotel pick-up and drop-off.

Once you arrive at Kuranda, there's a lot to do and see. Here are a few of my top recommendations:

• Barron River Cruise (spot freshwater crocodiles and wildlife)
• Kuranda Butterfly Sanctuary
• Kuranda Markets

On the return trip, you'll take the Kuranda Scenic Rail, an epic scenic rainforest train ride down the Barron Gorge back to Cairns. This departs from the terminal in Kuranda, making it a convenient itinerary option for spending your day in the rainforest above Cairns.

Day 4: Day Out on the Great Barrier Reef

The next plan on day four of my Cairns itinerary is embarking on a trip out to the outer reef! While there isn't much land to explore out here as you can on the islands, the outer reef is where you'll experience the best and healthiest corals for snorkelling and diving.

As you might expect, there are loads of boats offering day trips out to the outer Great Barrier Reef.

However, in my opinion, the best trip is run by Down Under Cruise & Dive. This is one of the newest and most flash vessels in the harbour, getting you out to the reef in record time (more time in the water).

The reef trip includes guided snorkelling or diving at two reef locations, as well as all your gear and food for the day.

The outer reef trip will take a whole day out of your 5-day Cairns itinerary. Consequently, you'll arrive back in the Reef Terminal in Cairns harbour at around 5 PM, which most in FNQ would call beer-o'clock!

Day 5: Waterfall Day Trip in the Daintree Rainforest

Kuranda is great, and a must-visit spot that you'll find on most travel plans to Cairns. However, if you want to delve deeper into the rainforest, then you certainly won't want to miss the majestic waterfalls in the Tablelands and the Wooroonooran National Park.

As I touched on earlier, there are dozens of rainforest waterfalls in the region. If you've got your own car, then check out my Cairns waterfall guide and plan a day waterfall hopping independently.

For those without a car, you can book a Tablelands waterfall tour which is quite affordable and visits some of the most scenic falls and best stops in the Tabelelands including:

• Curtain Fig Tree
• Dinner Falls
• Millaa Milaa
• Josephine Falls

Once you arrive back in Cairns, take the time to relax and unwind.

This has been a hectic Cairns itinerary with plenty of things squeezed into 5 days, so you've earned the beers and cocktails at one of the many great bars and clubs in town.

More Options to Add to Your Cairns Itinerary

Alright, I'm going to be honest. I've written this 5-day Cairns itinerary because it's the most common time frame for people visiting the region.

But if I'm being real with you, you're going to want to spend at least a week here, if not more to really make the most of your trip! I've spent several months exploring this region, hiked over 30 trails, been on over 15 boat trips, and visited over 30 waterfalls– and there are still lots of places that I haven't visited!

With that said, the above recommendations will have you covered for the best highlights including the islands, the Great Barrier Reef, the beaches, Kuranda and the rainforest. That said, if you've got more time, then add a couple of these below to your Cairns itinerary.

• Atherton Tablelands Hot Air Balloon
• Whitewater Rafting on the Barron River
• Spend a night on Fitzroy Island
• Overnight stay on the GBR pontoon
• Road trip to Port Douglas
• Road Trip to the Daintree
• Visit Cape Tribulation
• Spot saltwater crocodiles (Daintree River Cruise)
• Go hiking
• Explore the Tablelands
• Visit Rusty's Markets - buy some tropical fruits!