Discovering Cairns
Known as the gateway to The Great Barrier Reef on Queensland Australia, Cairns is actually a lovely cosmopolitan city with a population of around 130,000 . The city has built a strong industry around tourism, in particular catering to international travelers rather than local Australians. The industry is in heavy demand by Japanese tourists (with several shops and signs being spelled in katakana) and the Asians who have gone to take one of the English courses Sydney offers for foreigners (which are way better than any summer school England hosts for exchange students by the way.) Cairns is surrounded by a dense rain forests and is the typical gateway place for destinations such as Kuranda and the Daintree.
Cairns provides a prospect that can accommodate almost any taste and any wallet. It is pretty easy to find a lot of accommodation to suit all budgets and there are plenty of drinking establishments (pubs, bars and the like) and restaurants that cater to different pallets. The atmosphere reflects a sense of relaxation and is quite laid back and unpretentious. Cairns certainly proposes a sort of life that is very different from the typical rush that most foreigners that go for the English or Spanish classes Sydney offers usually experience. Even while leaning towards the economic side of the spectrum, Cairns doesn't loose its cool. There are plenty of clubs and quaint coffee shops that are the true heart of the city's feel and its cosmopolitan flair.
Getting to Cairns
Plane
The primary international gateway into the whole region is located in the city. The Cairns International Airport also serves many domestic flights and is the choice for many tourists, especially Japanese. There is an hourly shuttle bus from the airport into town which is very affordable around the $7 mark. If you'd rather take a taxi bear in mind that it will set you back around $15.
Train
Cairns Station is right in the middle of things and from there you are at walking distance from both the waterfront (if you'd like to go directly for the soothing views) and most hotels and other accommodations. There are several railway services that can take you to Cairns. Make sure you check beforehand since in several places there are problems with the rails that can really bring down the speed and ease of the travel by train.
Car
Of course, if you have access to a car, the Bruce Highway connects Cairns to Brisbane through a 1700 kilometer stretch. The trip usually takes around 22 hours, so making it in one day is not recommended. If you like the sights you can take it slower and you'll be able to comfortably reach your destination in 2 or 3 days.
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