Cairns sports guide: dive, hike, climb and stay fit

Cairns' fitness culture combines the tropical outdoor lifestyle with the world-class reef diving infrastructure and the mountain bike trails that the Atherton Tablelands and the Wet Tropics provide at a scale and quality that gives the city a genuine adventure sports reputation extending well beyond its tourism identity.

Mountain biking — Smithfield and the Bump Track — the Smithfield Cycling Complex (UCI-standard cross-country course used for major international events) and the iconic Bump Track descent from the Kuranda Range provide world-class mountain biking infrastructure within 20 minutes of the Cairns CBD. The Cairns Mountain Bike Club's Wednesday evening social rides are open to visitors.

Scuba diving — Great Barrier Reef — the PADI training infrastructure in Cairns (half a dozen full-service dive centres) provides the most efficient path from zero experience to open-water certification in Australia, with the outer reef dive sites at Flynn, Milln, and Thetford Reefs providing the coral garden environments that make the Great Barrier Reef the world's premier recreational diving destination.

Running — Esplanade and Centenary Lakes — the Cairns Esplanade path system and the Centenary Lakes in the botanic gardens provide the primary running infrastructure, with the Cairns Airport Adventure Festival (June) providing the signature endurance event that combines the Running Festival with mountain biking and ocean swimming events.

Kayaking — Trinity Inlet and the Daintree — the guided sea kayaking tours of Trinity Inlet (mangroves, crocodile habitat) and the Daintree River kayaking provide the paddle sport experiences that the region's river and coastal geography uniquely supports in the tropical north.

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