Cairns

Unashamedly a tourist town, Cairns is a great base of operations for those who have travelled across the world to see the Great Barrier Reef. But don’t write it off as a destination unworthy of a visit in its own right. There are few places where a modern city has been so expertly woven with tropical rainforest.

A gateway to northern Queensland, Cairns opens up a word of adventure to the adrenalin-seeking traveller. From water rafting the grade 4 rapids of the Tully River, to jungle surfing at Cape Tribulation -the most northern point of Australia, you’ll find plenty to test your bravery. The less adventurous, meanwhile can take scenic railways or cable cars to discover the rainforest from a unique perspective, or catch up on 40,000 years of local culture with the Tjapukai aboriginal cultural site.

Cairns enjoys a lively, transient community, sure to provide a lot of entertainment in their own right. But those visiting this chilled coastal city are as likely to spend as much time exploring the country around it as they do within it, and are sure to come home with some once-in-a-lifetime memories.