Weekend Getaways from Cairns: Cape Tribulation, Atherton Tablelands and the Islands

Cairns is one of Australia's most spectacularly positioned cities for regional day trips and weekend escapes, with four World Heritage environments within 2-3 hours including the Great Barrier Reef, the Daintree Rainforest, the Wet Tropics and the Atherton Tablelands. The Atherton Tablelands, 1 hour west via the Gillies Highway, is a high-altitude volcanic plateau with waterfalls, crater lakes, coffee and tropical fruit farms and a lush green landscape that contrasts with the coastal lowlands. Lake Eacham and Lake Barrine in the Tablelands are clear volcanic crater lakes surrounded by rainforest with walking tracks and freshwater swimming. Cape Tribulation in the Daintree, 2 hours north via the Daintree Ferry, is where the rainforest meets the reef and is one of Australia's most iconic wilderness destinations with accessible walking tracks through ancient tropical rainforest to deserted beaches. The Mossman Gorge, 75 km north, is a spectacular swimming and walking site in the Daintree National Park. Fitzroy Island and Green Island, both accessible by fast catamaran from the Cairns marina, provide easy Great Barrier Reef access for snorkelling and beach days.