Dreaming of sunnier climes? The sunshine state has the answer.
Cairns is the destination of choice for beach worshippers, and if you’re one of them read on because we’ve sussed out the optimal time to visit when you won’t feel like a hot and sticky sardine on the sands.
Best time to visit Cairns
April to September.
Why?
April to September is the prime time to visit Cairns for the ideal balance of affordable accommodation, warm dry weather and thin crowds. By popping in after summer, you’ll completely miss the Christmas crowds and the high humidity while still being able to enjoy sunshine and warm days. In addition, you’ll only pay a fraction of the peak season price.
Overview
Located in the tropical north, Cairns enjoys hot humid summers and mild winters with temperatures that rarely dip below 24℃.
Cairns is a popular destination for Australian families as it’s the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and offers family friendly beaches. To avoid the crowds, you should steer clear of Cairns during the school holiday period.
Travelling closer to winter means you’ll enjoy pleasant, dry days that are still ideal for beachside bumming or for exploring neighbouring islands and the Daintree rainforest.
Weather and prices
Best time to visit Cairns, weather wise: April to September.
Cheapest time to visit Cairns: Search for flights and hotels in February or March when prices drop as it’s just after the peak holiday period.
Best time to visit Cairns for...
- Beaches: With a temperatures of 25-31℃ throughout the year, Cairns is good for beaches any time of the year, though it is best from June to October when it’s the driest.
- Snorkelling: Snorkelling is good all year round though, the wet season between December and May will likely find you the best deals.
- Diving: Similar to snorkelling, diving is good all year round with the best deals occurring from December to May, but the least chance it will rain while you're snorkelling is from June to November..
- Riding the Kuranda Scenic Railway: Ride the rails on this iconic railway during the cooler and drier months of winter for clear views sans the stuffed carriages. The Kuranda Scenic Railway operates every day except Christmas Day.
- Watersports: Available all year round, watersports such as jetskiing and parasailing are best enjoyed during dry warm months such as April and May or September and October.
Hot travel deals
Flight Centre - Domestic
Domestic flights from $54 each way
Valid for travel from August - September 2018. Sample fare is Gold Coast-Sydney.
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Flight Finder
Domestic flights from $62.95 each way
Valid for travel from 16 October - 17 December 2018 with Tigerair. Sample fare is Gold Coast-Sydney.
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TFE Hotels Collection
25% off stays across Australia and New Zealand
Valid for stays between 19 August 2018 - 22 August 2019 on all participating hotels across Australia and New Zealand. Offer excludes bookings for The Calile Hotel Brisbane. T&Cs apply.
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Rendezvous
25% off stays across Australia and New Zealand
Valid for stays between 19 August 2018 - 22 August 2019 on all participating hotels across Australia and New Zealand. Offer excludes bookings for The Calile Hotel Brisbane. T&Cs apply.
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Vibe
25% off stays across Australia and New Zealand
Valid for stays between 19 August 2018 - 22 August 2019 on all participating hotels across Australia and New Zealand. Offer excludes bookings for The Calile Hotel Brisbane. T&Cs apply.
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Travelodge Australia
25% off stays across Australia and New Zealand
Valid for stays between 19 August 2018 - 22 August 2019 on all participating hotels across Australia and New Zealand. Offer excludes bookings for The Calile Hotel Brisbane. T&Cs apply.
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Travelodge Australia
25% off stays across Australia and New Zealand
Valid for stays between 19 August 2018 - 22 August 2019 on all participating hotels across Australia and New Zealand. Offer excludes bookings for The Calile Hotel Brisbane. T&Cs apply.
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TFE Hotels
25% off stays across Australia and New Zealand
Valid for stays between 19 August 2018 - 22 August 2019 on all participating hotels across Australia and New Zealand. Offer excludes bookings for The Calile Hotel Brisbane. T&Cs apply.
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Adina
25% off stays across Australia and New Zealand
Valid for stays between 19 August 2018 - 22 August 2019 on all participating hotels across Australia and New Zealand. Offer excludes bookings for The Calile Hotel Brisbane. T&Cs apply.
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Looking4Parking
Up to 15% off airport parking in Australia
Valid for all dates for airport parking across Australia, including Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Perth, Gold Coast and Adelaide. Discount varies depending on availability and airport. T&Cs apply.
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Skiddoo
Australia-wide flights from $113 return
Valid for travel between August - October 2018 and February 2019. Sample fare is Melbourne-Hobart. Destinations include Gold Coast, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Cairns, Sydney, Darwin and more.
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Virgin Australia - Deals
Australia-wide flights from $89 each way
Valid for travel from 12 August - 20 September 2018, 17 October - 12 December 2018 and 30 January - 27 June 2019. Sample fare is Ballina-Sydney.
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My Queensland
Cairns: 6-nights resort accommodation + flights from $1,440
Valid for travel between 1 November - 23 December 2018, 12-28 January and 14 February - 31 March 2019. Package includes 3 nights accommodation at Green Island Resort and 3 nights accommodation at Rydges Esplanade Resort Cairns, daily breakfast, return airfare, return airport transfers, kids stay free plus $1,000 bonus value and more. T&Cs apply.
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I Want That Flight
Australia-wide flights from $95 return
Valid on select flights from August - November 2018 with Tigerair. Sample fare is Melbourne-Hobart. Other destinations include Brisbane, Adelaide, Sydney, Gold Coast and Perth.
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G Adventures
20% off Australia and New Zealand tours
Valid for travel from 21 August - 27 November 2018. Destinations include Wellington, Cairns, Melbourne, Auckland, Adelaide, Darwin, Alice Springs, Brisbane, Sydney, Queenstown and more.
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Gift It Now
Up to 20% off experiences
Valid on select experiences and activities like skydiving, scenic helicopter flight, kayaking, whale watching and more. Destinations include Sydney, Byron, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Darwin and Perth. T&Cs apply.
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Adrenaline
Up to 67% off + extra $15 with code
Valid sitewide on experiences $79 or more across Australia including skydiving, driving, go karting, sailing, hot air ballooning, diving, bridge climbing and more. T&Cs apply.
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