shadow122333

Hi there! We are looking at staying in the Cairns or Cairns area with our 11 year old son Jan 12-15/06. Not sure where is the best location to stay for easy access to activities/tours preferably without renting a car. We will be staying 3 or 4 nights. Are we wanting Trinity Beach area or a specific area right in Cairns??? We enjoy being able to just walk out the door of the hotel and shop/browse/tour etc when not on a guided tour. Also - any recommendations of day tours to rainforest and reef????
Thanks very much!

myaustralia

Hi
For the rainforest tour, I would highly recommend Pete Baxendell with Daintree-Specialised-Tours. He does private charters into the Daintree Rainforest (or any other area).
Trek North has a good regular day tour into the Daintree NP.
If you want to stay in Port Douglas, I would recommend the Wavelength for the Reef trip if you want snorkelling only. If you prefer the option of a glass bottom boat the Quicksilver would be your option.
I am not very familiar with boats out of Cairns, but I am sure Pat will refer you to the right ones.

pat_woolford

Hi shadow - agree with myaustralia re Pete Baxendell's trip(s), have a look at his website: www.daintree-specialised-tours.com Trek North takes a few more people (max. 12) and has knowledgeable guides - www.treknorth.com.au - tour CT1. Just about all trips pick up at accommodation in Cairns area, which of course includes Trinity Beach, Palm Cove as well as Cairns city. It will be hot and humid in January and unfortunately beaches (except for small netted) areas will be unswimmable due to box jelly fish and possibly crocodiles (both these are not a problem on reef), so maybe Cairns would be a better spot than the beaches. For safe swimming Cairns has a large stinger-proof swimming lagoon right on its Esplanade, of course all accommodations have pools. There's much more opportunity for shopping etc from Cairns than Trinity, pretty beach but very quiet at night.

Lets know what type of reef trip you're after, ie, snorkelling, scuba or option of introductory scuba, manmade pontoon or natural sand cay, semi-submersible, yacht, catamaran, etc and will make some suggestions.

ionaoz

I agree with the previous posters about the tours, excellent operators. I also agree that without a car you may find trinity a bit too quiet, it is our favorite beach and does have a netted enclosure during stinger season but it's not a place for browsing or shopping, more for relaxing and swimming.
Have you considered Port Douglas, it's only an hour north of Cairns and lots of accommodation options, all the tours pick up in Port, nice shopping, browsing and the fantastic beach has a swimming enclosure.
I doubt that any of the northern beaches can offer what you are looking for and while we love Cairns and the new swimming lagoon on the esplanade its still not like the beach. If you stay in Cairns then around the Esplanade or close proximity to it is the go, avoid Sheridan Street or anything too far back from the waterfront. If you prefer an apartment then Breakfree have a couple right on the Esplanade, one directly above the nightmarkets. There are a number of very well located hotels depending on your price range. If you would like some specific suggestions then lets know.

pat_woolford

Oh dear, I wasn't suggesting Sheridan St, Cairns, its full of motels fronting onto a busy highway. As ionaz says, there's plenty of far better situated accommodation closer to the harbour and within easy walking distance of restaurants, shops, movies (if the 11 yo gets bored) and easy access to reef . Outrigger on Esplanade is also a good spot, with a rather interesting renovated bar just behind in what was the old Court House.