Car Rental Cairns Airport

Largely due to its proximity to the world heritage Great Barrier Reef, Cairns is one of Australia’s most sought after vacation hot spots. Situated in far north Queensland, tropical escapees will revel in the melting pot of experiences famous to Australia’s northernmost metropolis, including a visit to the world’s oldest rainforest. 

Be sure to reserve a hire car in advance, having your own set of wheels enables you to explore Cairns' many attractions with complete flexibility. Sure, there are plenty of tour operators to choose from, but there’s nothing quite like being able to soak up the beauty of somewhere like Cairns than in your own time and comfort.

Adventures await in Cairns, all you need is a hire car 

If snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef isn't at the top of your to-do list when visiting Cairns, it won’t take long for you to be convinced. The Great Barrier Reef is easily Australia’s most acclaimed attraction, enticing holidaymakers from around the globe every year; all seeking the opportunity to swim amongst the world’s oldest coral reef system. 

Immortalised on the list of the world’s seven natural wonders, the Great Barrier Reef is home to a bounty of colourful marine life species dwelling amongst over 3,000 individual reefs spanning a size larger than the Great Wall of China. In fact, the Great Barrier Reef is so large, it’s the only living thing visible from space! 

If that doesn’t blow your mind, getting up close and personal with its vibrant inhabitants sure will. 

Visitors are spoiled for choice when it comes to guided operators, with a profusion of experiences on offer at various times of the day. Jump in a speedboat and fast track your journey to the reef in exhilarating style before stopping - seemingly in the middle of nowhere - to launch into the underwater metropolis that lies beneath. 

For those erring on the side of caution, be reassured in knowing you’re amongst a team of seasoned snorkelers, marine biologists, and experts on the reef, all of whom are there to ensure you make the most of the encounter in complete safety. Moreover, many of the tours offer a glass-bottom boat tour, allowing you to observe the marine life in complete tranquillity. 

Most guided tours leave from the Cairns Cruise Terminal, conveniently located a 12-minute drive south of Cairns Airport in Cairns central. Park your hire car and meander along the docks, where ample signage and tourist operators are situated to help you find your group. 

Pick up a hire car and journey to the world’s oldest rainforest

Cairns certainly has a reputation for ancient natural attractions, one of which is the famous Daintree Rainforest. Thriving for more than 180 million years, the Daintree plays host to a bounty of flora and fauna species, from the microscopic to the massive. Visitors are encouraged to pack their hire car with a picnic lunch before taking off along the Captain Cook Highway to visit this ancient playground.

Situated 124 kilometres north of Cairns, the Daintree is a scenic two-hour drive along the Cape York Peninsula, where dense, tropical flora scales the mountains on one side, whilst the stunning waters of the Coral Sea are seen from the other. 

On arrival, select from a range of things to see and do, including guided tours of Cape Tribulation, an historic site significant to European settlement in Australia; or a guided river cruise amongst the dense mangroves, where crocodiles and other Daintree locals are regularly observed. 

Finally, the Daintree offers a level of tranquillity best enjoyed at the Daintree Wellness Spa. Positioned at the Daintree Ecolodge, the spa offers guests healing treatments for the mind, body and soul, leaving you in a state of pure, unadulterated relaxation. 

Where better to uncover some of the best that Australia has to offer than Cairns? A hire car and a level of curiosity is all that’s needed to make the very best of this tropical playground.