holiday in cairns

[benken25]

The wife and I are planning a weeks holiday in cairns in the June/ July school holidays. thought I would ask the ahb community if there are any good beer places? Did a Google search and found the blue sky brewery bar is at the airport so we might check it out when we land h34r:. Are there any other bars/ restaurants or activities that are worth checking out?
cheers Ben

 

[indica86]

http://www.bavarianbeerhouse.net/beers.html

Nothing here except this place ^^^
I have not been there yet.

 

[thedragon]

We get up to Far North Queensland each year to escape the southern winter. We love it.

There are, however, no great beer places that we've come across. There's lots of beer, but no great beer venues.

Have a good trip.

 

[benken25]

http://www.bavarianbeerhouse.net/beers.html

Nothing here except this place ^^^
I have not been there yet.

that place sounds alright the selection of beers looks good.

 

[thedragon]

Restaurant wise, there's plenty of places to eat in cairns along the esplanade. Most offer 10 - 20% discount if you're seated early (before 6 or 7pm I think).

The Rattle and hum backpackers bar does decent pizza and from memory has $10 jugs of mega swill between 5 and 7.

Getting out to the reef can be very expensive (about $300 each), but day trips out to green and fitzroy Islands are quite affordable and great for families. Boats leave from the ferry terminal. You can buy tickets from the terminal, your hotel, or most backpackers (backpackers sometimes have discount tickets). You can snorkel at little reefs just off both of islands - no doubt not close to being as good as on the outer reef, but if your not a serious diver and want to have a look at some nice coral and fishies, it does the trick... And is about 1/5 of the price. Snorkel / mask hire is about $5. You can also take your own lunch out to the island with you to further reduce cost.

The lagoon at cairns is good for the kids if you're looking for a lazy day. Get yourself a spot on the lawn, take a rug to sit on, sneak over to rattle and hum for a cheeky beer... too easy.

Mossman gorge: great for a rainforest walk. The boardwalk was done up a few years ago

If you've got a car, get up to cape tribulation. Awesome. If you can, stay the night, or two.

Cairns has a lot of backpackers, and is often seen as a place to go to get to other places (Palm cove, port Douglas, Cape trib, reef, kirranda). But it's also a good destination itself.

Have fun. It's a great part of Australia.

 

[gilmoreous]

I haven't been here but they make their own beers,

http://www.greenantcantina.com/beer/

 

[barls]

http://www.bavarianbeerhouse.net/beers.html

Nothing here except this place ^^^
I have not been there yet.

this must be reasonably new i dont remember it being there 5 years ago

 

[mattbrewer]

I haven't been here but they make their own beers,

http://www.greenantcantina.com/beer/

Green Ant Catina does not make its own beer. It buys it from an old U-brew mob who make it out of syrup. Probably the worst be ever made. They also supply some beer to the Bavarian beer cafe, Iron Bar in Port Douglas and a few other places. Be careful if you see a 'locally made' beer on tap or bottles around Cairns.

Blue Sky stills makes a few different beers. Fairly standard lagers, but still local.

I can't recommend any place in particular but some restaurants may surprise you. The local home-brewers may be meeting while you are up - send a PM closer to the date just in case.

 

[Bribie G]

You could get a job in Carins while you are there.

 

[Dan Dan]

I knew a couple of sardines. They went on holidays, and ended up in cans...

Still a favourite.

 

[pk.sax]

The Bavarian cafe, hands down best venue, no friggin dark hole that is. Nice food too.

I found the snorkelling in the reef off Cape trig is both cheaper and much nicer than that from where they take you on the Cats from Cairns ferry terminal. The cape trib guys took us there on a fast boat so none in the family got sick (massive bonus).

Non-beer. Get up to mareeba and take a left turn to wards Yungaburra rather than go into town, mt uncle distillery is on the way in that road and you can get some very nice grog there. Their rum is very very nice. And expensive. And very nice.

Palm cove had some restaurants that keep decent imported beers in the fridge (leffe blonde etc). Rest is pretty lacklustre really. Best bet for beer is the first choice in the middle of town or the dan Murphy in stratfield as you head over to the beaches.

 

[indica86]

It buys it from an old U-brew mob who make it out of syrup. Probably the worst be ever made.

Thanks for the heads up Matt, I got briefly excited when I saw that post.

 

[Bribie G]

It's been many years since I was in that area, but found at the time that reef cruises out of Port Douglas were far cheaper than out of Cairns.

PD is worth a visit if you can overlook the fact that it was largely demolished in the 1990s and replaced with new concrete buildings, the setting is quite nice and it's a picturesque drive from Cairns up the Capt. Cook Hwy.

Edit: and of course the cable car up to Kuranda is always worth a few dollars. Cable up, train back.

 

[Edak]

I lived in Cairns for a year and my favourite drinking hole was called 'Apres'. Every night was a party and we made friends with all staff and every tourist that ever went in. It's now called Paddywhacks (http://paddywhacks.com.au/bar/) so is under new ownership but they still have a better range of beer than anywhere else around and both my and my wifes names are on the beer hall of fame plaque (on the wall). OK bar snacks but I wouldn't eat there generally. I would go next door for an amazing italian meal at 'la fettuccina', home-made pasta and a lasagne I would die for. It's been a few years now but I bet they'd still be quite good.

My advice, stay off the main drag unless you want to pay tourist prices!

Also, for the best ribs/meat I have ever had in my life (and I have travelled to many places) I went to the 'waterbar & grill steakhouse' on the pier/marina.

Everything is a short walk when you are in Cairns town because it's small. If you aren't staying right in town then don't walk through any of the "M" suburbs late at night.

 

[Edak]

In terms of activities, you must have a car, as outside of Cairns township there is a lot do see. As you are going to be there in June you must go swimming in Port Douglas, fine sand, shallow warm waters, lovely and relaxing. Snorkelling on the reef is better with a private tour rather than with one of the big boats. As mentioned above Kuranda is a great place to go for a day/afternoon. If it were just you and the Mrs then there are some lovely falls to go swimming too. Plenty of bush to go see also.

 

[manticle]

Take out a second mortgage if you wish to do anything in Port Douglas that requires payment like buy pizza or eat lunch.

 

[mje1980]

Haha we took the kids to pt Douglas last year for a week. Not cheap, but it's a wonderful place. I loved it. The climate is perfectly matched to xxxx gold. Loved it when I was there.

 

[pk.sax]

Spew.

Although after 4 days in the bush a xxxx gold tastes like nectar of a virgin. I found PD and Cairns town very touristy. There are a few good places, like that Balinese place behind the hospital and also a Thai place in redlynch close to the iga. Go past port Douglas to the daintree and beaches and cape trib and pack your own beer. There is also a nice little cafe/bar at Thornton beach (past the ferry), the who ran the place - Neal I think, also enjoys his food and drink. Up there in the wilderness that's a great spot to stop at.

In town, nothing beats getting fresh food from rusty's and cooking it up if you are so inclined.

PS: I can't comment on the seafood and meat restaurants, being vego, but same to same the fare up there is overpriced and ok tasting at best.

 

[pk.sax]

Take out a second mortgage if you wish to do anything in Port Douglas that requires payment like buy pizza or eat lunch.

Heh, Brunswick dollars go quick up there eh.

 

[indica86]

PS: I can't comment on the seafood and meat restaurants, being vego, but same to same the fare up there is overpriced and ok tasting at best.

There are some lovely and well priced asian eateries around. a Korean one in a side street in town, a few Viet ones - one on Sheridan st that looks like a fish n chip shop - and one across the road from the library.