Cairns and Tropical North Queensland

Tropical North Queensland Blog Posts

Described as where the rainforest meets the sea, Tropical North Queensland is the go-to destination for everything from outdoor adventures to the reef and some of the best tropical resorts with sprawling lagoon pools.

It’s an awesome destination for almost everyone as it has such a variety on offer – lots of relaxing resorts, plenty of camping, adventures like diving, snorkelling and mountian bike riding, food regions to explore and bushwalks for all abilities.

So regardless of if you are flying solo, travelling with a friend or partner with the same or different interests or are on a family trip you can find a great mix of activities to suit your interests.

Things to see & do in Tropical North Queensland

Accommodation Guides to Tropical North Queensland


Popular Tours

Tours open on Viator Website (owned by Tripadvisor)


Regions & Places to visit in Tropical North Queensland

Port Douglas

Palm Cove

Mission Beach & Cassowary Coast

Cairns Travel Guide

Fitzroy Island Cairns Queensland

Find the Best Resorts in Cairns, Palm Cove & Port Douglas

Affordable and Budget Accommodation in Cairns

There is some great cheap and budget accommodation in Cairns so it is possible…

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Adults only Accommodation in TNQ including Port Douglas & Palm Cove

Nothing is bliss quite like adults-only accommodation and it’s a great option for a…

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Swim out rooms Port Douglas 

***Feature Image Sheraton Port Douglas courtesy of Agoda*** Long considered the resort capital of…

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Resorts in Port Douglas with a Swim up Bar

A swim-up bar is the best, most novelty way to feel like you are…

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Resorts with swim out rooms australia

If you haven’t heard of them before a swim out room is a hotel…

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The best hotel pools in Cairns & Far North Queensland

If you are looking for the best hotel pools in Cairns & Far North…

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Cairns & Tropical North Queensland Travel Guide

Called both Tropical or Far North Queensland, this area of Australia is for both adventure travellers and resort lovers, with both equally catered for – making it also the perfect destination for someone who likes a bit of both!

The name Tropical North Queensland is basically a tourism rebrand of what we all used to call Far North Queensland.

It is full of really special places and experiences and is commonly described as where the rainforest meets the reef.

How to get to Tropical North Queensland

Unless you are on a road trip, the primary way to get to Cairns and Tropical North Queensland is by flying into the Cairns Airport (CNS). You can also travel to Cairns by train on the ‘Spirit of Queensland’ train which travels between Brisbane and Cairns with stops along the way.

Weather & Climate

When is the best time to visit Tropical North Queensland?

The best time to visit Tropical North Queensland may depend on why you are visiting and what activities you are interested in doing. As a general guide, the best chance of low rainfall based on the u003ca href=u0022http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_031011.shtmlu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eBureau of Meteorology data history for Cairnsu003c/au003e is June to October, which is also the cooler months of the year. This is popular time with visitors looking to escape cold winter weather in the southern states.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eIf you don’t cope well with hot weather, June to August has the coolest average temperatures. While the warmer months bring different benefits like impressive pounding waterfalls and the chance to explore the rainforest and spot wildlife with far fewer people around.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eTropical North Queensland is a popular destination year round for a resort holiday, with plenty of resorts with great pools to lounge around and cool down in the warmer months.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eDivers may like to time their visit with seasonal activities like coral spawning or turtle breeding and I found this u003ca href=u0022https://cairnsdiveadventures.com.au/diving-tours-cairns/dive-seasons-in-cairns-month-by-month-guide/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003etimetable of diving information by monthu003c/au003e shared by Cairns Dive Adventure/Cairns Tour Advice and Booking Centre.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eLike all destinations there is always a chance of unseasonable weather, and being a tropical destination sometimes that could mean torrential rain, so its always good to pack prepared for the unexpected. Luckily in Far North Queensland its usually warm to a southerner even when its raining!

Weather & Climate FAQ’s

Is Far North Queensland tropical?

Yes according to the u003ca href=u0022http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/maps/averages/climate-classification/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eBureau of Meteorology (BOM)u003c/au003e the majority of Far North Queensland is classified as tropical (Köppen Classification System) and home to the UNESCO ‘Wet Tropics of Queensland Area’. The further most section is ‘Equatorial’, the southern coast ‘sub tropical’ and the southern inland section (plus a few outliers) are ‘grassland’. u003cbru003eu003cbru003eUsing the BOM’s alternative systems of classification, nearly the entirety of the area is classified as the same ‘hot humid summer temperature zone’ or ‘summer dominant rainfall zone’. As you head further south and/or inland in Australia the annual rainfall starts to gradually decline and the ecosystems change. u003cbru003eu003cbru003eFar North Queensland generally encompasses the area from Cassowary Coast local government area north to the Torres Straight Islands and inland to the Gulf of Carpentaria (excluding the southern sections adjacent to the Gulf). Far North Queensland now tends to be referred to as Tropical North Queensland from a tourism perspective.