Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Croc Alert!
Dangerous crocodiles inhabit Cairns waterways. Do not swim in, or stand
on the bank of, any river or stream.
Tips
from the city to Palm Cove all night until dawn on Friday and Saturday nights,
stopping at all beaches in between. Most other buses run from early morning
until almost midnight.
By Car Avis
(
&
07/4051 5911),
Budget
(
&
07/4051 9222),
Hertz
(
&
07/
4051 6399), and
Thrifty
(
&
07/4051 8099) all have offices in Cairns city and
at the airport. One long-established local outfit,
Sugarland Car Rentals,
has
reasonable rates and offices in Cairns (
&
07/4052 1300) and Palm Cove (
&
07/
4059 1087).
Britz Australia
(
&
1800/331 454 in Australia),
Budget Camper-
van Rentals
(
&
07/4032 2065), and
Maui Rentals
(
&
1300/363 800 in Aus-
tralia, or 07/4032 2065) rent motor homes. Britz and most major rental-car
companies rent four-wheel-drive vehicles.
By Taxi
Call
Black & White Taxis
at
&
13 10 08.
DAY TRIPS TO THE REEF
Cairns passengers can board the most luxurious vessel visiting the Reef, the
Quicksilver Cruises
wave-piercer catamaran (
&
07/4087 2100;
www.
quicksilver-cruises.com), which departs from the Reef Fleet Terminal at 8am
and at Palm Cove Jetty on Cairns's northern beaches at 8:35am. It arrives at
Port Douglas at 9:30am and leaves for the Reef at 10am. All of these trips run
daily except Christmas. For the whole day from Cairns or Palm Cove, passen-
gers pay A$175 (US$114) for adults, A$90 (US$59) for kids 4 to 14. A free
pickup from your hotel is included in the price.
If you prefer to visit the Reef straight from Cairns, large-scale operator
Great
Adventures
(
&
1800/079 080
in Australia, or 07/4044 9944; www.great
adventures.com.au) does daily cruises in fast, air-conditioned catamarans to a
three-level pontoon on the Outer Reef. The pontoon has a children's swimming
area, a semisubmersible, and an underwater observatory. You get at least 3 hours
on the Reef. The cost for the day is A$152 (US$99) for adults, A$79 (US$51)
for children 4 to 14, and A$388 (US$252) for a family. Hotel transfers are avail-
able from Cairns and the northern beaches for an extra cost. The boat departs
the Great Adventures terminal at the new Reef Fleet Terminal at 10:30am.
You have an option to depart Cairns with Great Adventures at 8:30am and
spend 2 hours on Green Island en route. This gives you time to walk nature
trails, rent snorkel gear and watersports equipment, or laze on the beach before
continuing to the Outer Reef. This cruise costs an extra A$16 (US$10) per adult
and A$8 (US$5.20) per child.
Sunlover Cruises
(
&
1800/810 512
in Australia, or 07/4050 1333; www.
sunlover.com.au) has a choice of Outer Reef trips aboard its large, fast catama-
rans. One trip stops at Fitzroy Island for a guided rainforest walk before head-
ing on to Moore Reef on the Outer Reef. Transfers from city and northern
beaches hotels are included. The day costs A$159 (US$103) for adults, A$80
(US$52) for children 4 to 14, and A$398 (US$258) for a family. This trip
includes a glass-bottom boat ride and semisubmersible viewing.
Another Sunlover trip departs Cairns and picks up passengers at Palm Cove
before heading to Arlington Reef. In total, you spend about 4 hours on the Reef.
