Pure luxury: The exclusive resort of Bedarra Island is south of Cairns, off the coast of Mission Beach. Popular with celebrities & honeymooners, Bedarra has less than 100 guests at any time & is a child-free environment. Image Bedarra Island Resort

 

Action: The Cairns region's islands and beaches are not just about lazing around, there are a number of exciting activities like sea kayaking off Fitzroy Island with Raging Thunder, to enjoy. Image by Tourism Queensland.

 

Family fun: Trinity Beach is a family holiday spot with reasonable accommodation, heaps of activities for the kids & a convenient bus route to Cairns City. Trinity Beach has a special laid back style. Image by Tourism Queensland.

 

 

As one of Australia’s most popular destinations, the Cairns region offers visitors two major drawcards … tropical islands and pristine beaches. From Mission Beach north to Cape York, the coast is dotted with white sandy beaches and coral cays in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef. There are resort options and eco-friendly options, five-star luxury and cheap family holidays all available in the Cairns region.

Cairns beaches
With a spectacular backdrop of rainforest-clad mountains, Cairns beaches are a picturesque destination. Whether you want to pitch your tent where you can watch the sun rise over the Coral Sea, sip champagne from a spa at the water’s edge or take a dip at a deserted beach, there’s a stretch of sand perfect for you.

Cairns beaches stretch for 26km, from residential Machans and Holloways beaches just north of the Barron River, to secluded Ellis Beach.

Yorkeys Knob is home to a marina, golf course and Yorkeys Knob Boating Club and has a range of accommodation options close to the beach.

Trinity Beach has become a well-known self-drive holiday destination with particular appeal for families, and has a range of cheap holiday apartments near or on the beach, a hotel, restaurants and sporting facilities.

Kewarra Beach and Clifton Beach are ideal for visitors seeking a quieter pace with a resort at Kewarra and apartments at Clifton.

One of the major Cairns tourist attractions is the luxury resort beach of Palm Cove. With five-star resorts, holiday accommodation and a golf course, this is some of the most expensive real estate in the Cairns region.

>> See Palm Cove for more information

About five minutes’ drive north from Palm Cove is the popular Ellis Beach, renowned for its wide sandy beach lined with shady trees, the Ellis Beach Bar and Grill and surf lifesaving club facilities.

From Ellis Beach, the Captain Cook Highway offers breathtaking views as it winds along a coastal range north to Port Douglas and Mossman. The expanse of sand at spectacular Four Mile Beach will appeal to walkers and beachcombers enjoying the natural beauty of Port Douglas.

>> See Port Douglas & Mossman for more information

Cairns beaches to the south offer visitors a laid-back, more secluded holiday option with great camping grounds at Bramston Beach, Ella Bay and Kurrimine Beach. Etty Bay is patrolled by lifeguards and most of the Cairns beaches have boat ramps.

Mission Beach offers the best of both worlds; it is secluded but still has a range of accommodation, restaurants and shopping. Halfway between Cairns and Townsville, Mission Beach offers 14km of sandy beaches backed by rainforest. The Family Group of islands – including Dunk and Bedarra islands – are just off the coast.

>> See Mission Beach for more information

The beaches in this region stretch from Bingil Bay south to Tully Heads including Clump Point, Wongalinga Beach, South Mission Beach and Hull Heads. Caravan parks, apartments, resorts, motels and B&Bs are some of the varied accommodation options at these Cairns beaches.

When enjoying Cairns beaches, be aware that dangerous jellyfish or “marine stingers” migrate to the Tropical North Queensland coast between November and May. Stings - particularly those of the box jellyfish (Chironex fleckerii) - can lead to heart failure and possible death if left untreated.

Small Irukandji jellyfish also can be potentially deadly with symptoms including muscle cramps, vomiting and hypertension. During stinger season, most Cairns beaches are equipped with stinger resistant enclosures and life guard services, enabling beachgoers to safely swim inside the nets.

CAIRNS ISLANDS

Off the coast of Cairns are a number of spectacular tropical islands … the jewels of the Great Barrier Reef. Green Island and Fitzroy Island, the islands closest to the city of Cairns, are visited daily by the tour boats leaving from the Reef Fleet Terminal on the Cairns Esplanade. The basic trips are relatively cheap, although it does cost more to stay on Green Island overnight; currently Fitzroy Island is undergoing renovation.

Also close to Cairns are Double Island and Scout Hat Island just off the coast of Palm Cove. These are both private islands, but Double Island is available for hire. It’s played host to a number of celebrities including Keanu Reeves. There are no day trips to Double Island or Scout Hat but private charter boats can fish in the area.

Another great day trip is a visit to the Frankland Islands which is a ideal for snorkelling and some fantastic diving. There is only one tour operator that heads to the Frankland Islands group and numbers are limited so this is a great alternative to an island reef trip.

North of Cairns and just off the coast of Port Douglas is the interesting day trip destination of Low Isles. Home to a lighthouse and a nesting site for seabirds, Low Isles offer great snorkelling and diving but as a marine national park, fishing is not allowed in the lagoon on the main island.

Further north off the coast of Cooktown is a luxurious resort on Lizard Island. The pristine surrounding reef and the fact that the bulk of the island is national park makes Lizard Island one of the finest escapes in the world. Children under the age of 12 are not catered for, ensuring that Lizard Island is as relaxing as an island holiday can get.

To the south of Cairns are a number of great rainforest island experiences with something for everyone from families to romantic escapes.

Just a short boat journey from Mission Beach are Dunk and Bedarra islands which both have resorts. Day trippers are welcome at family-friendly Dunk where there is a range of water sports, golf and rainforest walks. The rainforest on Dunk Island is a unique experience in the Great Barrier Reef area, matched only by Hinchinbrook Island further south.

Dunk is a popular spot for family holidays offering a range of activities to keep the entire family entertained including horse-riding, tennis, all watersports, squash, an artists’ colony and a children’s program with its own meal times and structured activities. There is a variety of accommodation available with configurations for families or more romantic beachfront spots.

Bedarra Island, on the other hand, is for the exclusive use of guests who can help themselves to French champagne from the 24-hour self-service bar. Children under 12 years are not catered for on Bedarra Island and as only 32 guests allowed at any one time, this is the spot for complete relaxation and exclusivity. Bedarra is a popular spot for celebrities from Australia and around the world. The accommodation villas are hidden from each other and have their own lounge rooms and balconies. The cuisine is particularly enticing and the five-star menus are changed daily with emphasis on locally produced tropical foods and seafood. There are great opportunities for diving, snorkelling, sailing and day trips to the outer Great Barrier Reef as well as in-house massage and romantic beach picnics.

Hinchinbrook Island, just 5km from Cardwell, is the largest national park island in the world and is uninhabited except for one low-key environmental resort. It attracts thousands of bushwalkers each year with bookings taken a year in advance for the world-class 32km Thorsborne Trail. The Hinchinbrook Island Wilderness Lodge caters to a limited number of guests and although children are welcome, there are no child-minding facilities or scheduled activities. The lodge is an eco-friendly operation with a rustic, natural feel but service is complete with excellent dining options. Likewise, guests are expected to make their own entertainment but if visitors are interested in pristine nature, tropical rainforest walks, empty beaches and great fishing, Hinchinbrook is the perfect spot.

A 60-minute scenic flight from Cairns will take you to Orpheus Island, 190km to the south. The resort offers its 42 guests a world without telephones, television, day trippers and children under 15. Orpheus Island is north of Townsville and just east of Ingham and can also be accessed by boat. There are also camping sites on the island which is a national marine park. Camping sites need to booked in advance and fees apply for camping permits.

>> For more information go to the Queensland Government’s Environmental Protection Agency website

The resort facilities are available only for guests but there are plenty of walks, pristine beaches and excellent fishing available on the island.

Resort facilities include small boats, snorkelling gear, fishing gear, tennis and canoes. For an extra charge guests can go diving, charter a seaplane or do an outer Great Barrier Reef trip.

No matter what you’re looking for, there’s an island in Cairns for every visitor and every budget.

>>See Cairns Island Activities or Cairns Beach Activities 

>>Check out Cairns Accommodation for accommodation options at Cairns Beaches and Cairns Islands.