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When is the best time to visit Cairns?
Dreaming of sunnier climes? The sunshine state has the answer.
Cairns
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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.
When is the best time to visit Cairns?
April to September is the best time to visit 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. Plus, you’ll only pay a fraction of the peak season price.
Why is April to September the best time to visit Cairns?
Located in the tropical north, Cairns enjoys hot, humid summers and mild winters with temperatures rarely dipping below 24℃ during the daytime.
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 in June/July.
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.
If you're heading to Cairns to kick-start a Queensland road trip, travelling during the dry winter season will also mean there's less of a chance to encounter flooded roads - especially if you're travelling off the beaten track - that can put a real damper on your trip.
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.
Ride the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway to Kuranda
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Go snorkelling at the Great Barrier Reef
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Explore the Daintree Rainforest with a river cruise
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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.
Now that you know when to go, here are Cairns travel deals to save on your trip:
Luxury Escapes
Up to 49% off 3-nights luxurious getaway w/ wine + flights
Available for travel until 31 March 2022 to Cairns. Package includes return airfare, stay at Hilton Cairns, room upgrade, breakfast, $100 food and drinks credit, bottle of wine and more. Valid for 2 persons. T&Cs apply.
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Klook
Up to 23% off Australia flight experiences
Available on select travel dates on hot air balloon flights, scenic flights, aerobatic flights and more. Destinations include Melbourne, Hunter Valley, Byron Bay, Sydney, Whitsundays, Gold Coast and more. T&Cs apply.
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Klook
Australia skydiving experiences from $279
Available on select travel dates. Destinations include Sydney, Sunshine Coast, Cairns, Yarra Valley, Perth, Melbourne, Uluru and more. T&Cs apply.
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Skyscanner
Australia-wide flights from $65 return
Available on select flights in 2021 to Sydney, Hobart, Gold Coast, Canberra, Newcastle and more. Sample fare is Adelaide-Melbourne with Jetstar. Other airlines include Virgin Australia and Qantas. T&Cs apply.
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Hotels.com
Up to 40% off Australia resort getaways
Available on select stay dates until December 2021. Destinations include Cairns and Port Douglas. T&Cs apply.
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Skyscanner Car Hire
Cairns car hire from $32
Valid for travel on select dates in 2021 with Avis, Budget, Sixt, Europcar and more. Destinations close from Cairns include Palm Cove, Mareeba and more. T&Cs apply.
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eDreams
Australia hotels from $37 per night
Available on select travel dates to Melbourne, Brisbane, Cairns, Gold Coast, Darwin, Perth and more. Sample fare is for a stay in Sydney. T&Cs apply.
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TourRadar
Up to 25% off Australia and Oceania tours
Available on select travel dates until 2022 to Adelaide, Hobart, Sydney, Wellington, Fiji and more. T&Cs apply.
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Hertz
FLASH SALE
Get up to 20% off 3+ day rentals
Available on rentals from 1 February - 15 December 2021 across Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Cairns, Adelaide, Darwin, Hobart and more. T&Cs apply.
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Coupon code ends
Kayak
FLASH SALE
Australia flights from $35 each way with Jetstar
Available on select flights from February - September 2021 to Launceston, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Cairns, Sydney, Uluru and more. Sample fare is Adelaide-Melbourne. T&Cs apply.
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Deal ends
Trip.com
Extra $50 off Queensland getaways
Plus get up to 19% off stays from 6 January - 30 June 2021 when you spend a minimum of $250. Destinations include Brisbane, Cairns, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Whitsundays, Townsville and more. Exclusive for Trip.com members. Membership is free. T&Cs apply.
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Coupon code ends
Virgin Australia
FLASH SALE
Australia flights from $79 each way
Available on select flights from February - September 2021 to Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Townsville, Perth, Hobart, Adelaide and more. Sample fare is Sydney-Ballina and Launceston-Melbourne. T&Cs apply.
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Deal ends
Contiki
Up to 15% off Australia tours
Available for travel until 15 April 2021 to Brisbane, Gold Coast, Darwin, Uluru, Cairns, Sydney and more. T&Cs apply.
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Deal ends
Trip.com
Qantas flights from $111 each way
Available on select travel dates until December 2021 to Adelaide, Hobart, Cairns, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra and more. Sample fare is Sydney-Melbourne. T&Cs apply.
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Deal ends
Looking4Parking
Up to 15% off with code
Available on select rental dates across Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra and more. T&Cs apply.
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Coupon code ends
Skyscanner
FLASH SALE
Jetstar sale: Australia-wide flights from $35 each way
Available on select flights from February - September 2021 to Launceston, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Cairns, Sydney, Uluru and more. Sample fare is Adelaide-Melbourne. T&Cs apply.
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Deal ends
Homestay
Australia-wide homestays from $4 per night
Available on select stay dates in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Brisbane and more. T&Cs apply.
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HomeAway
Cairns stays from $35 per night
Available on select stay dates in 2021. Sample stay is in Caravonica. T&Cs apply.
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DriveNow
Cairns campervan hires from $45 per day
Available on select rental dates. Sample rate is for a station wagon. T&Cs apply.
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Trip.com
Up to 50% off Australia getaways
Available on stays until 30 April 2021. Destinations include Sydney, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Cairns and more. T&Cs apply.
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Deal ends
RedBalloon
Australia: Romantic getaways from $150 + an extra 10% off with code
Available on select travel dates when you buy 2 or more vouchers. Destinations include Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Canberra, Cairns, Yarra Valley and more. T&Cs apply.
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Trip.com
Virgin Australia flights from $78 each way
Available on select travel dates until December 2021 to Gold Coast, Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart, Canberra, Cairns, Hamilton Island and more. Sample fare is Sydney-Melbourne. T&Cs apply.
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Deal ends
Adrenaline
Up to 65% off activities for kids
Available on select dates, including school holidays, for activities like sandboarding, whale watching, jet boat rides, indoor skydiving, cruises, swimming, go karting and much more. Destinations include Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney and more. T&Cs apply.
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Trip.com
Australia flights from $81 each way
Available on flights in January 2021 to Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Darwin, Canberra, Perth and more. Sample fare is Sydney-Ballina with FlyPelican. Other airlines include Virgin Australia from $96, Qantas from $133 and more. T&Cs apply.
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Deal ends
Motorhome Republic
Up to 25% off Awesome Campers rentals
Available on select rental dates across Australia, including Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns, Adelaide and more. T&Cs apply.
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Motorhome Republic
Up to 15% off Britz campervan rentals
Available on rentals until 25 March 2021 in Brisbane, Cairns, Perth and Sydney. T&Cs apply.
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Trip.com
Up to 28% off Australia-wide staycations
Available on select stay dates in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, Perth, Cairns and more. T&Cs apply.
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Deal ends
Priceline.com
Up to 30% off Budget car hires
Available on select rental dates across Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and more. T&Cs apply.
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Deal ends
RedBalloon
Up to 30% off Australia experiences + Extra 10% off with code
Available on select travel dates when you buy 2 or more experiences such as sightseeing cruises, hot air balloon flights, day tours and skydives. Destinations include Brisbane, Adelaide, Hunter Valley, Gold Coast, Sydney and more. T&Cs apply.
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Deal ends
Motorhome Republic
Up to 10% off Autosleepers rental
Available on rentals until 31 March 2021 in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Adelaide. T&Cs apply.
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Coupon code ends
Adrenaline
Up to 85% off land adventures
Valid on select dates and adventures like quad biking, sandboarding, bridge climbing, canyoning, horse riding, abseiling, soccer training and more. Destinations include Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney, Canberra, Cairns and more. T&Cs apply.
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Virgin Australia
Free flight change fees and cancellation fees
Available on flights until 30 June 2021 to Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth, Canberra, Adelaide, Hobart, Darwin, Broome, Cairns and more. T&Cs apply.
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Deal ends
Adrenaline
Up to 42% off Australia activities
Available on select activities best as birthday gifts like skydiving, hot air balloon flights, quad biking, off road v8 race buggies and scuba diving. Destinations include Sydney, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and more. T&Cs apply.
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Avis
Free upgrade on car hires
Sign up your email and receive the best car rental offers across Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Brisbane and more. T&Cs apply.
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Wotif
Up to 50% off Australia getaways
Available on stay until February 2021 in Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Cairns, Hobart, Sydney and more. T&Cs apply.
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Hotels.com
Up to 40% off Cairns stays
Available on select stays until December 2021. Sample stay is Rydges Esplanade Resort. T&Cs apply.
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OneTravel
Up to USD$30 off flight booking fees
Available on select travel dates to Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Adelaide, Canberra, Perth, Darwin and more. Applies to bookings up to 6 persons. T&Cs apply.
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Coupon code ends
OneTravel
Up to USD$20 off flight fees
Available on all dates on flights to Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Hobart, Canberra, Adelaide and more. T&Cs apply.
Last verified
Coupon code ends
OneTravel
Up to USD$10 off flight fees
Available on select travel dates to Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Adelaide, Canberra, Perth, Darwin and more. Maximum of 2 travelers. T&Cs apply.
Last verified
Coupon code ends
Adrenaline
Up to 50% off helicopter ride experiences
Available on select travel dates in Townsville, Whitsundays, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney, Cairns and more. T&Cs apply.
Last verified
Popular Cairns deals coupon codes
| Last checked | Code description | Code |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Jan 2021 | Get up to 20% off 3+ day rentals | 210**** |
| 20 Jan 2021 | Extra $50 off Queensland getaways | QLD**** |
| 21 Jan 2021 | Up to 15% off with code | PAP**** |
| 20 Jan 2021 | Australia: Romantic getaways from $150 + an extra 10% off with code | PLU**** |
| 15 Jan 2021 | Up to 15% off Britz campervan rentals | JAN**** |
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