Barramundi

The joys of RV-ing can be incomparably enjoyable or incomparably obnoxious if one does not prepare for it. RV-ing, or traveling by campervans, is probably the old-new thing to pick up when going on long family vacations. With the economic recession going on, more families are opting long-term vacations that spend for a quarter of what they had usually spent on in the past few years. RV-ing saves you a big chunk on flight tickets and accommodations. The other bane aside from money matters, is family interest. Most modern kids view vacations as a way for parents to seperate them from their TV, PC or gaming systems. While we have the interest of getting them out of the house (aside from during school times), to avoid them from blowing up because of having been seperated from ... read more

The restaurants of Cairns can also be something to be bragged about. Thanks to its accessibility to the sea (via the Great Barrier Reef, which is a great ecological magnet) Cairns is able to cater to a large audience of varied seafood palates. From your standard fish, to sea cucumbers and what not, thanks to the sheer volume of produce; Cairns was able to evolve its cuisine that revolved around the use of the sea. Being a center point of culture, Cairns used this fact to attract top-rated chefs to make their livelihood here. Over 180 of these restaurants exist predominantly around Cairns, and with each restaurant; there is always something new to offer. Indonesian, Thai, Indian, Japanese, Korean...a whole slew of these flavors and more exist within the borders of the city. Urban food ... read more

Hang gliding is a popular sport that is a staple in Cairns. It is wherein the pilot takes off using a lighter-than-body, unmotorized aircraft called a hang glider. The lightness of the aircraft can be attributed to the fact that the glider is made of an alloy from aluminum, or from a composite-framed fabric wing. Controls are determined via a body weight shift from the pilot (the only passenger anyway), much unlike other aircraft that have a steering-delivery system. Cairns provides an awesome venue for hang gliding via Rex Point Lookout, which is found between Cairns and Port Douglas on Captain Cook Highway. Weekends are the best days to visit the site as a whole mass of gliders flying overhead make the best scenery from miles around. Though a very dangerous type of hobby or ... read more

The Atherton Tablelands is considered THE agricultural center when it comes to Cairns. Gourmet traveling, farming and dairies are all culminated in this one place. The Tablelands has started out as a forest, but with the discovery of tin and gold in the area, settlers pushed through and slowly developed the area. From farms, it went to dairies; from forests, it became communities. This happened a few centuries ago, but the efforts of modernization continue to linger even still among the lands. The Atherton Tablelands can be found West off of Cairns. Cairns is also the hub of modern and aboriginal art. Art galleries abound, showcasing and presenting the different styles and works of both local aboriginal, and international artists. And the pinnacle of tourism in Cairns? The free tourist attractions that also part of the ... read more

The beaches of Cairns are not something to be trifled with. Aside from the majestic Great Barrier Reef and the impressionable World Heritage-listed site, the Wet Tropics of Queensland; the beaches are well-renowned here, both local and international. In fact, it can be considered as one of the underestimated, yet best-kept secret by the locals. The beaches all boast of white sands and clear, blue placid waters. Relaxation is the theme of the beaches up north. Accomodation is all around plentiful in the area, from the small and medium-sized islands to the connecting, central beaches. From resorts to hotels, apartments, campgrounds and motorhome and caravan parks (see Campervan hire Cairns for inexpensive options), there exists a wide variety of places to stay in. Some of the noted beaches include Palm Cove, Ellis Bea... read more

Aside from the Great Barrier Reef, one of the more spectacular attractions that Cairns has to offer can be found nearby; the Daintree Rainforest. Unlike the Great Barrier Reef, which lines up a whole 2000 plus-something square kilometers; the Daintree Rainforest is quite smaller, approximately only 1200 square kilometers. But don't be fooled, because the Daintree Rainforest is probably the largest hunk of tropical rainforest in all over of Australia. Take a campervan and go on a nature trip to do your body and soul some good. This forest holds the highest number of rare plants and animals, both diverse and unique in their own rights. Even through modern times, it is still battling the advances of modernization and global wa... read more

Probably one of, if not the greatest, main attraction of Cairns and of the regions nearby would be the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Listed as a World Heritage site, it boasts a whooping 2300km length that runs across the northeast coast across Queensland down to its tip in Bundaberg. No Australian vacation is complete without taking a dip into this marvelous wonder of nature. The entire reef is considered a National Marine Park, and is protected by law. The reef has been mapped to protect visitors from hidden dangers, like dangerous times of the year when blooms of jellyfishes appear. Or maybe when the currents in that particular area become strong and can be considered dangerous for park goers. Visitors, when going to the reef, will have to pay a fee called a "reef tax". ... read more

The city of Cairns has always been said to be more a tight-knit community than most other towns and cities around Australia. Residents and townspeople will always join in on activities that promote the spirit of Christmas cheer and good will towards men. You'd think, that for a hustly-bustly city like Cairns, Christmas would probably be just the same, right? Well, that is not entirely true. Families and their friends (who come from far away) usually spend more of their duration inside their home, enjoying their Christmas dinners. Traffic becomes entirely non-existent, and most, if not all, retail stores, general merchandise and SE to ME business shutdown for the holiday. The morning after, the entire day is spent outside, but not enough to engorge a regular day traffic. People find it a good time to ... read more

If you are one on a journey of gastronomic heights, Cairns can cater to some of most twisted whims. This city up above Down Under also knows how to combine exotic eating with fine dining. Independent food trips is fast becoming one of the hottest trends in food trips (no more of those stuffed restaurant and food-nook-and-cranny-houses you get brought into). So get your camper vans ready, go on a food trip (bring your family along to heighten the experience), and bring your tastebuds to a whole new reality of eating! Why not start off with the meat of the infamous crocos? Crocos, or bush tuckers as they like to call it, are quite tender and juicy as opposed to the reputed stringy meat that some might think. The taste, is arguably more pork than ... read more

A lesser known fact about Cairns is that it is also hosting some of the best fishing spots for salt water fly fishing. Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef is strategically situated in one of the world’s top fish nests and fishing nexus. Every imaginable fish has made the Great Barrier Reef a world marine mecca. A whole lot of tourists from across Australia and even, from different parts of the world come down under to partake in this fishy journey. Not only fly fishing, but to also snorkel, scuba and float through the crystal blue depths of the reef. The real experience in fishing is being able to defeat a fish that knows how to fight well. It depends on you to whether set it free, or to keep it for food or to ... read more