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Cairns –
Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef
 The Land Down Under is certainly a fascinating place to visit. Known for its
natural beauty, amazing architecture and modern cities, a trip there would
certainly be a memorable experience and something you would treasure. One
point to remember when touring any of the places in Australia is the
difference in the weather patterns from countries in the northern
hemisphere.
Hence, if its winter up north, it is warm and bright down south. This makes
Australia a perfect getaway for tourists.
One of the interesting cities to visit in Australia is Cairns – the
Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. Cairns, located in Queensland,
north-east Australia and where you can enjoy the beauty and splendour of
this natural wonder, home to billions of maritime creatures.
Let’s go snorkelling
Study and view their habitat up close by going snorkelling or scuba diving.
The Great Barrier Reef is accessible via an hour’s boat ride from Cairns.
You will be able to view this magnificent wonderland through snorkelling,
scuba diving or using one of the boats which has a transparent bottom to
view the beautiful corals and marine animals.
Comprising about 3,000 individual reefs - The Great Barrier Reef is the
world’s largest reef. Covering a total area of 344,000 square kilometres
(133,000 square miles), the surrounding area has 900 islands and atolls that
formed part of this natural beauty.
The reef is also declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1981, an
attraction which should be preserved for the generations to come. The area
supports a diverse range of marine animals from whales, dolphins, various
species of fishes, turtles and of course the main attraction is the
beautiful colourful corals.
Beautiful corals
There are more than 400 species of corals and it provides a beautiful
colourful view like a whole city built underwater with the various corals
and thousands of different fishes swimming. Corals are an important breeding
area of fish and it is also a good indicator to sudden climate change
especially global warming.
The city of Cairns proper was named after William Wellington Cairns, a
former Governor-General. The city which was founded in 1875 initially
started as a gold mining town and you can see the remnants of the old mine.
Aside from the natural beauty of the Great Barrier Reef, there is another
natural splendour to Cairns namely its forests, or the Rainforest Nature
Park to be exact. Cairns, is located in the tropics and hence, you can also
find the natural beauty of a rainforest only a step away.
 Lovely
rainforest
The Rainforest Park is located on a 100 ha land within a World Heritage
Forest site. The park contains several attractions including Army Duck
Rainforest Tour, Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience and the ever
popular Koala & Wildife Park.
Australia is also home to more than 500,000 aborigines and hence, near
Cairns you will also find the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park.
Indulge yourself in their culture, their craft, music and their belief at
this park where you will get a better view and understanding of their rich
history.
The Kuranda Skyrail provides a bird’s eye view of the rainforest.
Spanning more than seven kilometres it gives visitors an opportunity to
understand the importance of rainforests.
Work on your tan at the beach in the Esplanade which offers a panoramic view
of the ocean. Equipped with a swimming lagoon and barbecue pits, it is
another popular destination where people can swim, work on their tan, laze
around, and go have a fun time.
Cairns is certainly one of the top five popular destination for tourists in
Australia and certainly it offers various types of accommodation from budget
to high-tail end for travellers wanting to visit its natural beauty and
splendour.
The city can be accessible by air through the Cairns International Airport,
or take the scenic route by driving or taking a train there. Don’t forget to
bring your sun-tan lotion and avoid going there during the monsoon season
between November and April.
Book Cairns Hotels here |
