[Coral-List] Accomodation and diversions in Cairns - its not all that expensive

David Feary David.Feary at uts.edu.au
Wed Aug 17 17:04:52 EDT 2011


Hey everyone,

I have noted that several people were concerned that accommodation and diversions in Cairns were extremely expensive. Ironically, Cairns has a reputation for being a backpacker haven in Australia and I thought that I might share a few links with people who are interested in doing it “on the cheap”.
 
For Accommodation
Take a look at www.wotif.com, it is a great website for finding hotels
I found 43 places to stay in Cairns under $125 (AUD$), 24 under $75, and 5 places $20 or less. Of course some of these are backpackers and there will be several people per room, but hey, it is a place to stay for under $20. Why not coordinate and reserve a room with a few other attendees? Please note that wotif does not allow one to make reservations as far in advance as July 2012, but keep it in mind a few months from now.  For students looking to enjoy the nightlife, Gilligan’s is fun but loud http://www.gilligans.com.au/ - it ranges from $24/night for a shared dorm-130/night for a hotel room. Many of the other backpackers also have hotel rooms that are very reasonable. The point here is that if you want to stay somewhere cheap, there are options in Cairns.
 
For food
Cairns has so many great restaurants, but for a cheap feed, it is hard to go past Sinbad’s kebabs on the Esplanade. Last time I was there it was $6.50 for a big kebab (they have falafel for the vegetarians). Also, you can get fantastic seasonal fruits, great coffee, bread, etc. at a very reasonable price at Rusty’s market http://www.rustysmarkets.com.au/. There are a plethora of fish & chips places, etc. 
 
In terms of trips to the GBR.
Well, I think the cheapest option would be to bring your mask & snorkel and take the ferry to Green Island.  I’m not saying this is the best reef the GBR has to offer, but you could pack a picnic (from Rusty’ Market) and have a look around the GBR for $77.
 
Folks, my point here is that there are cheap options once you are in Cairns for food, accommodation, and day trips to the reef, rainforest, etc. 

David Feary
Chancellors Postdoctoral Fellow
School of the Environment
Bldg 4 Level 5 Room 5.47A
University of Technology, Sydney
PO Box 123, Broadway NSW 2007, Australia
Phone:  +61-2 -9514 4156
Fax:    +61-2-9514 4079

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