How to get the best out of a trip to Cairns

The Australian Butterfly Sanctuary in Cairns is the biggest in the country. Picture: Chris Scott Source: Supplied

Immerse yourself in the tropical surrounds of the Cairns Botanic Gardens. Source: Supplied

OUR readers tell us where to stay and eat and what to do in the tropical city of Cairns. Compiled by Chanel Parratt.

SEE

Australian Butterfly Sanctuary

As a local, one of my favourite places to visit is the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary in Kuranda. It's the biggest in the country. You get to wander through an enclosed greenhouse filled with many different species of butterfly, some even land on you. There's also a lab with larvae and a small museum. Take the Skyrail from Cairns up to Kuranda and make a day of it.

- Alicia

Muddy's playground

On the Esplanade, about 10 minutes' walk from the free lagoon pool is Muddy's playground, which has free family entertainment. There's a wonderful wet area that squirts water, tips buckets and generally adds a lot of excitement, especially on warm days. My children love coming here and the fish and chip shop onsite is fantastic.

- Elly

Cairns Harbour cruise

We did a Cairns Harbour cruise and found it a relaxing way to spend a couple of hours while learning a little bit about the natural environment surrounding the area. We weren't lucky enough to catch sight of a crocodile on the mud flats but still had a great time. The crew are very knowledgeable and gave us some good ideas on other things to do while we were there. The price was very reasonable too.

- Judy

Cairns Botanic Gardens

Boardwalks wind past the lush tropical rainforest plants at the Cairns Botanic Gardens. There's an onsite cafe to stop for a coffee and the Mount Whitfield National Park sits just behind the gardens. If you're feeling energetic there are a couple of really good walks through the park (red arrow is easy, blue arrow is hard) to get the heart pumping and keep you fit while you're on holidays.

- Jodi

EAT

Perrotta's at the Gallery

Creative heads in the kitchen deliver a beautifully crafted Mediterranean-style menu at Perrotta's. I'm often in Cairns for work and find myself here for at least one meal each time. For breakfast I can't go past their granola trifle with local buffalo yoghurt or the seasonal fruit salad with candied pistachios. At dinner, I love the grilled Tasmanian octopus, watermelon and avocado salad.

- Mikala

Salt House

A great place to watch the sunset and enjoy a cold drink is Salt House.

I like to go here for the ambience before moving on to have dinner somewhere else. There's a big deck, chilled music and great outdoor lounge area but the food, although good, is a bit pricey for what it is.

- Courtney

Water Bar & Grill Steakhouse

The pier is the place to go for the best restaurants in Cairns.

My pick is Water Bar & Grill Steakhouse for a big serve of their half rack of ribs.

Book a table to avoid a wait, especially on weekends.

- Todd

Fetta's Greek Taverna

If you're eating out with a group of friends, it doesn't get better than Fetta's Greek Taverna. The plate smashing, belly dancing, Greek music and wholesome food are fun.

- Ryan

STAY

Shangri-la Hotel Cairns

The location of the Shangri-la Hotel is fantastic right on the marina. We enjoyed views of the water and boats below and the pier, where all the buzzy restaurants and bars are, is just a few minutes' walk away. The hotel is modern, the staff friendly and the rooms fantastic.

- Adrian

Cairns Coconut Holiday Resort

If you're travelling with children the best place to stay is the Cairns Coconut Holiday Resort. The resort's facilities are the best I've seen a waterpark play area, playground, several pools, barbecue, volleyball nets, jumping pillows and more. It's a short drive to the city centre and there's a free courtesy bus. We stayed in one of the Sun Lagoon Condos, which had everything we needed for a one-week stay.

- Karen

Mantra Esplanade Cairns

The Mantra Esplanade is the perfect spot to stay while in Cairns. It's right on the Esplanade near plenty of shops and restaurants and it's lovely to do a morning walk beside the water.

We paid extra for an ocean view room and made the most of the balcony, soaking up the humidity with a glass of wine each afternoon. There's free secure parking onsite and a great kitchenette if you enjoy doing a little self-catering while you're away.

- Judy

SHOP

Night markets

The night markets are a lively place to grab a bite to eat or pick up souvenirs.

There are a lot of cheap massage places if you want to treat yourself after a big day of diving.

The markets are undercover so rain isn't a problem.

- Adrian

Rusty's Markets

I love the hustle and bustle of Rusty's Markets. There's a great variety of fresh, local produce.

It's much cheaper than the supermarkets, with lots of weird and wonderful tropical fruits and Asian vegetables.

Stop for a coconut water and some prawns or hunt down the guy who makes wonderful hand-cut chips right in front of you, they're delicious.

- Tara

"Like" Escape.com.au on Facebook

Follow @Escape_team on Twitter

View the original article here