Roadster

My husband and I are making last minute plans for our trip to Australia and need some advice on where to stay outside of Cairns. We are interested in seeing the Daintree Forest, Cape Tribulation area , do a one day Reef Dive and maybe go whitewater rafting one day. We have four nights and would like to stay somewhere that is not in the touristy areas and close enough to the Cairns airport to catch a 7:00 AM flight out. I am thinking about either 3 nights in the Daintree area and 1 night back in Cairns near the airport, or staying near Mossman Gorge for all 4 nights if the airport is not that far. Some of the B & B's in the Daintree and Mossman Gorge area look very nice, reasonable and close to everything, but it is hard to choose. Any suggestions? We would like to spend no more that $125 per night. Thanks!

ivenotbeeneverywhere

May I suggest that you do half and half - that is 2 nights in the Daintree and 2 in Cairns. For the best value for money and a great place to stay look on the website of www.daintreewild.com.au which has accommodation in a little zoo in the Daintree where you have access to the animals at all times when you are there and can have breakfast with them as well. I have stayed there and would recommend it above all else. When I was there we had breakfast with their pet black cockatoo, the kangaroos and their joeys, and best of all for me - the little sugar gliders which I fed with honey. Its within your budget and they have a lovely pool outside the rooms as well. You will just love it.
Then in Cairns why not stay at Pat Woolford's B&B which is one of the closest to the airport and which you can check out on www.lilybank.com.au If you want to make bookings then do that through Pat who will tell you the best ones to take and the special places to go. She knows the Daintree Wild Zoo and accommodation as well and if you follow her suggestions and bookings you cannot go wrong.

susncrg

If you're keen on nature, I highly recommend a tour with Jonathan Munro, a naturalist who takes people around the Cairns, Daintree and Tablelands to see tree kangaroos, cassowaries and other great stuff. He may be out of your price range for a private tour, but he may have a group going that you can join.

We went with him a few years ago and had a great time. If you google his name with naturalist and rain forest, you'll probably find his website ( I don't remember it). Have a great time.

AlanJG

There are other options for tours, Wait-a-while for a group tour or for a customised tour: Ellen Terrel out of Daintree & Alan Gillanders out of Yungaburra.

olivetta

If you have 4 nights, you will be very busy in completing all that you want to do. Mossman Gorge is very beautiful, but it is about 2 hours drive north of Cairns. When you arrive, you need time to swim and time to walk through the rainforest or take one of the aboriginal-guided tours about the area. These are available at the entry to the Mosman Gorge National Park. You can walk by yourself but it is useful to have an interpreter. Further north again is the Daintree River and you would need to spend some time on a crocodile cruise there. Suggest that Mossman & Daintree can be accomplished in one day if you stay for a couple of nights in Port Douglas. On the road between Pt Douglas and Cairns is Hartleys Crocodile Farm and that is worth a visit. You can go by boat into the ponds where the crocs are and also see the farming of baby crocodiles.
At the main highway intersection with the road to Pt Douglas township is a wildlife sanctuary and you can have breakfast with the birds. Some guided walks which are great.
I suggest that you use your Cairns stay to access the Great Barrier Reef and go snorkelling. Fish are gorgeous. There is also Kuranda train and the Atherton Tablelands / Barron Falls above Cairns where there may be rafting??? - someone may know for sure. Catch Kuranda train from Cairns station. Lots of lunch places at Kuranda.
Alternatively, you could spend an extra night in Port Douglas area and go via Quicksilver boat(or one of many others) to the outer reef and just have one full day in Cairns.
Cairns hotels tend to be cheaper than elsewhere. Look up accommodation websites such as hotelclub.com for good deals. Make sure that it isn't school holidays here -- prices go up!
There is a very good youth hostel in Pt Douglas if you want that sort of accommodation.

crellston

In Mossman Gorge we stayed at Mossman gorge B&B. A great place to stay, the rooms are nice and spacious and the host extremely helpful & friendly

http://www.bnbnq.com.au/mossgorge/index.html#About

In Cairns we stayed with Pat and Mick at Lilybank B&B and would totally agree with ivebeen...'s comments. Great location for the airport (no aircraft noise) and a really comfortable place to stay with excellent and varied breakfasts. If you need to know anything about the area, Pat is the person to ask.

In Cape Trib we stayed at Crocodylus village a basic hostel where the rooms are effectively nylon netting stretched over a wooden frame! Basic, but you do get the real rainforest experience!!

http://www.hihostels.com/dba/hostel003056.en.htm
Photos of our time in the area
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog...ai/1/tpod.html

Entries 31 cover Oz