So, Ive been married for around 3 years now and we have finally saved up the money for a honeymoon!!! The wife wants me to take her to Australia.... There's some resort/spa out in the Daintree rain-forest that she wants to go see. I figure we are going to stay there for a couple days then move over to Cairns, and spend about a week. I know we got some folk here from Queensland, any suggestions or cant miss things in the area?? Gonna probably be heading down there late september or early october time....

Gidday mate...The Daintree...the rainforest "capital" of Australia.

I lived in Cairns for three years and believe it to be the gateway to some of the most magnificent country in Australia. Easy drive North...a couple of hours tops...and you are at the Daintree River. Cross the river and you are on your way to the Daintree Forest and Resort. Don't expect to see white sand beaches and rolling waves...the Great Barrier Reef stops any surf. You can continue on to Cooktown via the Bloomfield Track...if you have a 4WD. Part way along is a little tin shanty (or there used to be) called the Lions Den Hotel. You can also visit Port Douglas, just North of Cairns. A lovely spot. I love the little Chapel near the river...the window behind the Altar looks straight out over the water...beautiful.

Mossman Gorge...also North of Cairns is a nice day trip as well...take your hiking boots. If you are looking for something different, there is the inland road North...the Peninsula Development Road. It is a long drive to the tip of Cape York...and a 4WD only road...but very interesting.

Closer to Cairns, and only an hours drive is Kuranda. Not very big, a bit touristy, but nice. You can get there by train, Skyway or road.

From Cairns or Port Douglas, you can take a trip out to the reef. These trips are not the cheapest, and take all day, but again, very interesting. A shorter trip is to Green Island just off Cairns, or Fitzroy Island. You can snorkel at either place, which is great fun.

There are a couple of crocodile farms/zoos within a short drive from Cairns...the crocs are very different to an alligator.

The best advice I can offer is to get online and do a search of attractions in Far North Queensland or Cairns. Also, check out the Queensland Tourist Bureau...they usually have info available.

If there are any specific questions you have mate...don't hesitate to ask. If I don't know the answer, I will do my best to find it for you.

Cheers, Vince

Vince, knew you would come through for me....
Actually I was just doing a bit of reading up and I came across an October "stinger season" and it might not be too wise to visit the beaches around then. I take that to mean Jellyfish right? How bad does that get?? Looking at staying in an Apartment on Trinity Beach (Gotta pamper my wife). Is that a decent Beach?

Hello Metz,
Vince is the expert he lives in that State,and only about 1,500km away.
But I'll put in my 2 bobs worth,
Stingers are box Jellyfish another is called the Irukandji,(similar?)
Don't forget the sharks, crocs, stone fish, sea snakes and a few other pets
The only water you can swim in near the coast is the resort pool.
Out on the reef you can dive and swim. Still some big fish about to look at.
And don't get left behind.
There is a movie about that, not sure of the name.
There are some expensive and exclusive places, look up Lizard Island.
Dunk Island, there are others,
some are for younger people not sure which,
Day trips are Green Island and Low Island.
But I think the outer reef trips are the go now.
There is alot to do in that part of the world.

Ferget the spa.
Go see Vince. That'll be about all the honeymoon fun ya'll can handle! And I hear he has a giant cooler that's always fulla beer!

Oz is crazy, maybe someday. So diff from here. Great surf but everything down there wants to kill ya, on water and land. Makes our nuttyest desert look tame.
And they got flying sharks, too, really really big ones!



Maybe I'll stay here where it's "safe".

Congrats on the honeymoon.

metz, I am sure you'll gonna have a great time down here.
late September and early October is our spring time, the weather is going to be great too..

Welcome DownUnder mate, and be patient with our border security,
they are taking their job very seriously.. well most of them are anyway..

You'll need to post lots of pictures and let us know how your visit goes!

Thanks Tiks...ya hit the nail right on the head mate...I forgot to mention the "stingers". You can swim in the sea during stinger season...but only in the mesh enclosures...and even they don't always guarantee safety.

The Box Jelly fish is one mean nasty bugger...and he don't need to be beside ya to do the deed...they have loooooong tentacles and the poison is a nerve toxin, and lethal. Quite a few have died from the stings. Vinegar is the only initial treatment...from there on its hospital and prayers.

Trinity Beach is pretty much the same as all the beaches around Cairns...they are all similar. Also, the water isn't always nice and cooling like you would expect...being in the tropics, it is often quite warm...but refreshing nonetheless. The two beaches we used to frequent were Palm Cove (next one along from Trinity) and Ellis Beach (next one again).

You should also go and have a look at the Crystal Cascades out the back of Redlynch. Nothing special, but nice cold fresh water that comes down the mountain in a series of pools...my kids loved it there. There is a freshwater creek at Redlynch that you cross over to get to the Crystal Cascades...don't swim in it...there are Bullrouts in it...otherwise known as freshwater Stonefish...nasties!!!

The only thing I haven't mentioned mate is the cost of living out here. Its not the most expensive in the world...but it can be up a bit compared to some places. I think the worst, in relation to the US, is the cost of petrol and air fares. I am paying $1.32 per litre (4.5 litres to the gallon) for petrol at the moment, and when you get off the beaten track the price can rise dramatically.

Cheers, Vince