This post will be, generally speaking, about Cairns. I’ll withhold two of the key activities I did for separate posts (the skydiving one posted previously).

Cairns is one of the main gateway towns to the Great Barrier Reef. It also sits on the border of the Daintree Rainforest. Water. Mountains. Rainforest. Good food. Laid back vibe. Cairns was awesome.

When we first arrived, I was a little disappointed to be in a larger city and away from the atmosphere of Port Douglas. Having spent some time there now, Cairns is definitely a place I would want to come back to. I feel like I barely tapped the surface. Many people had first or second hand stories about people that visited Cairns and just stayed. I heard that tale at least 5 times in fewer days.

It is also a great launching point for traveling to New Zealand and a lot of Southeast Asia. When will Chick-fil-A allow remote work?? … hmm…

That said, here are a few of the random things I really enjoyed in Cairns. These are probably the same things you would see on many people’s blogs, but I suppose that’s okay.

The Esplanade

The entire coast is basically a walking path along the coast. Again, you can’t swim at the beach here, but you can enjoy the views. There are also basketball courts, sand volleyball pits, playgrounds, skate parks, workout equipment, and many other things to keep the locals active.

The Lagoon

Since you can’t swim in the ocean, why not a man-made lagoon? This was a cool spot to get some sun and relax a little. It looks cool (and is open) at night too.

Pier Bar

When I read about Cairns, everything said the Pier Bar is lively if not rowdy. I went in the middle of the day and it was fairly calm… but immediately after grabbing a beer I was invited to join a few locals in a game of pool. I made it through a game. We lost. My partner scratched on the 8 ball. During that game, one of the guys managed to harass about 8 other people in the area, break a pool cue over his knee when he missed a shot, and shatter a beer glass that he knocked off a shelf. I can only imagine what the place is like at night.

Mi Piace Espresso

In Italian (which I happen to know fairly well) that means “I like espresso”. True! I stopped into Mi Piace for breakfast by myself one morning (Chinedu wasn’t feeling well). The breakfast was delicious and I found the service to be great. I continue to find that many people in Australia know of Atlanta from the show Real Housewives of Atlanta.

Another thing I liked at the cafe was their “gratitude wall”.

It was a good reminder to be grateful for something little every day.

Prawn Star

Cleverly named, cleverly located. If you like raw seafood, this is the spot for you.

Prawn Star is a restaurant that lives on a series of boats in the marina in Cairns. You enter the dock and then are directed to one of the boats where you find a table and are served. Its real informal and easy going and was a great experience. We met some nice ladies from the UK who were on a 6 week trip away from their families, and then a gentleman from Sydney who was visiting Cairns for the first time.

I started with the prawns which were awesome. I added a couple Great Northern Brewing beers to the mix too. When Chinedu arrived, we also got the Salmon Sashimi.

4ish days in Cairns (what I had) is not near long enough. I need to return.