Overwhelmed by Cairns
 

We have a week in the Cairns area and are overwhelmed by the sightseeing options. We definitely will go out to the Reef and do some diving for a couple of days. Can anyone suggest reputable dive companies in the area? And what other attractions in the area are the top choices?

All advice and ideas welcome!

We're booked with Nimrod for a 4nt liveaboard dive trip www.explorerventures.com they have several other lengths of trips from 3-7 days. They have an 800 US phone so easy to talk with.

Nimrod is a good choice for a liveaboard, for day trip dives Tusa Dive out of Cairns has long-standing reputation. If you book consecutive days they won't take you to the same areas more than once. Tusa also runs the liveaboard "Spirit of Freedom" for 3/4 and 7 nights trips. Pro-Dive, another established dive company has 3day/2 night liveaboards and Reef Encounter does 2 days/1night.

There's just so many attractions in the area its hard to give top choices without knowing what appeals to you. If you do a search here, you'll discover lots, one area which is rarely, if ever, mentioned is Wooroonooran National Park, just south of Cairns. Its a hardly-visited, beautiful World Heritage rainforest with Queensland's two highest mountains, Bellenden Ker and Bartle Frere, numerous rivers, waterfalls and swimming holes. www.wooroonooran-safaris.com.au

Definitely visit Port Douglas and Palm Cove. If you have time you could drive to Paronella Park, we enjoyed it as it's quite different. Check out their website. Maybe not a 'must see' but interesting.
Kay

You should not miss out on the Daintree NP north of Port Douglas. It is a wonderful area with beautiful beaches and rainforest. There are several tours leaving from Cairns. You can go with a regular tour (Trek North, BTS Tours) or with a private charter (eg. Pete Baxendell with Heritage & Interpretive Tours), depending on what your preferences are.
Port Douglas is very nice too, but only go there if you have time. If you are more into the touristy things, the Skyrail and the Scenic Train to Kuranda (maybe with Tjapukai - Aboriginal Theatre) is quite nice.
Dive companies: From Cairns, I would go with Tusa, from Port Douglas, there is Poseidon, Haba or Calypso - all offering day trips.

Hope this will help

If you base yourself w/ Pat and Mike at Lilybank B&B you will have both excellent accomodations and the benefit of in house tour planners as evidenced by their many insightful comments on this site.

A/D

Thanks everyone for your suggestions -- particularly on the diving. we think we may do the Trek North tour. Would stay with Pat and Mike if I wasn't already staying with my cousin in Cairns.

Thanks again
Peter & MIchelle