Recommendations around Cairns

[OrcaBoy87]

Hello fellow divers!

I will be making a trip to Cairns in July 2019, joining Mikeball's Lob. I would like to plan something before and after that Lob trip.

My tentative plans are to spend 2 days diving at SS Yongala, any reputable dive centre you guys can recommend? Any other dive sites worth visiting if I have another 2 days to spend? Am travelling alone so can be flexible.

Also, I may consider some land tours (1-2 days) such as Kuranda trainview and Barron waterfall. Would like to find out any other good recommendations?

Thanks alot!

 

[outofofficebrb]

Yongala Dive out of Alva Beach. It gives you the shortest boat ride out to the wreck and it is a good operation. Don’t go from Townsville; a lot of trips tend to get cancelled due to the long crossing (hours) coupled with weather.

 

[WetPup]

The only realistic option to dive the Yongala if you don't have time up your sleeve is to go out with Yongala Dive from Alva Beach. It's about a 6 hour drive south of Cairns. You can get a Greyhound bus to Ayr if you don't want to hire a car and the dive shop will pick you up from the Greyhound stop (it's about 20 mins drive from Ayr to Alva Beach). You can stay at the dive shop in Alva and they will drop you back into Ayr to meet the Greyhound back north. It's easier if you have your own car though.

The alternative is to try and do it out of Townsville, but it's rife with problems. They only run out to Yongala 2 days a week at best, it's often cancelled due to poor weather or lack of passenger numbers, and it's a horrible 3 hour trip each way. As opposed to a 45 minute trip out from Alva Beach.

You will spend the better part of a day just getting from Cairns to Alva Beach and then a better part of a day getting back again. It's kind of in the middle of nowhere, but definitely worth the effort if you have time. It is not a day trip from Cairns

Kuranda is gorgeous, and so are Barron Falls.

 

[OrcaBoy87]

Yongala Dive out of Alva Beach. It gives you the shortest boat ride out to the wreck and it is a good operation. Don’t go from Townsville; a lot of trips tend to get cancelled due to the long crossing (hours) coupled with weather.

The only realistic option to dive the Yongala if you don't have time up your sleeve is to go out with Yongala Dive from Alva Beach. It's about a 6 hour drive south of Cairns. You can get a Greyhound bus to Ayr if you don't want to hire a car and the dive shop will pick you up from the Greyhound stop (it's about 20 mins drive from Ayr to Alva Beach). You can stay at the dive shop in Alva and they will drop you back into Ayr to meet the Greyhound back north. It's easier if you have your own car though.

The alternative is to try and do it out of Townsville, but it's rife with problems. They only run out to Yongala 2 days a week at best, it's often cancelled due to poor weather or lack of passenger numbers, and it's a horrible 3 hour trip each way. As opposed to a 45 minute trip out from Alva Beach.

You will spend the better part of a day just getting from Cairns to Alva Beach and then a better part of a day getting back again. It's kind of in the middle of nowhere, but definitely worth the effort if you have time. It is not a day trip from Cairns

Kuranda is gorgeous, and so are Barron Falls.

Many thanks for the recommendations! Shall contact Yongala Dive at Alva Beach.

 

[Aquapro Dive Services]

Yongala is a must and as for Cairns land tours there are lots of variety.

Daintree rainforest (Cape Tribulation), Kuranda skyrail up and get train down, table land tours to Yungaburra and Atherton, plenty of beaches (Palm Cove or Port Douglas), Mossman Falls, just Google

 

[OrcaBoy87]

Yongala is a must and as for Cairns land tours there are lots of variety.

Daintree rainforest (Cape Tribulation), Kuranda skyrail up and get train down, table land tours to Yungaburra and Atherton, plenty of beaches (Palm Cove or Port Douglas), Mossman Falls, just Google

If I want to do Kuranda, Barron, and Daintree rainforest, roughly how many days do i need?

 

[WetPup]

Kuranda and Barron Falls are close to Cairns, so 1 day each.

Daintree I would say 2-3 days as there is a bit more travel involved. There are some good accommodation options in the lower Daintree area and Cape Tribulation.

 

[Eptel]

Daintree and Cape Tribulation are nice areas to visit. Check weather for rain etc when going there as some roads can be flooded. I stayed in Port Douglas and 1-day trip was enough to go Daintree/Cape Tribulation and back.

 

[Aquapro Dive Services]

If you allow a day for Kuranda doing the rail one way and cable car back then that stops next to Tjabukai Aboriginal park which is well worth a visit. So end the day with the dinner show there.

Barron falls you will see as part of the Kuranda trip and you get off the train at a viewing station. Won't be that impressive in July as its our winter so not flowing at full force.

Daintree 2 days and stay overnight at PKs jungle village. Plenty of tours cover this

I live in Cairns so feel free to PM me if you want more in depth info.

 

[OrcaBoy87]

Thanks everyone for the recommendations, very helpful in my planning. Right now the plan will be to start the trip with 7-day liveaboard Minke whale exploratory trip, then drive to Ayr to dive SS Yongala for 1 or 2 days, then drive back to Cairns, spend a day at Kuranda & Barron, and spend 1 or 2 days doing the Daintree & Cape Tribulation tour.

Great! Thanks mates! Counting down...