Cairns & surrounding area

I'm going to be flying into Cairns in about a month on a Sunday
morning and flying out that Friday morning. I definitely want to
spend some time at the reef (probably out of Port Douglas). I do not
want to scuba dive--I'm scared, plus I don't want to spend any of my
limited time training. I love snorkeling, though. Can anyone
recommend a good company? I'm a strong swimmer and have gone
snorkeling before in Hawaii.

Also, I want to go to the Atherton Tablelands. Where should I
definitely go there?

Where else should I go once once I'm there? I like scenery, short
hikes, shopping (but for local things in small stores, not in large
malls), and local things. I tend to go sunrise to sunset and cram
things in, so the more ideas, the better!

Thanks!

Sarah

In article <1190078106.618705.319420@50g2000hsm.************. com>,
SarahUsenet@********** wrote:

> I'm going to be flying into Cairns in about a month on a Sunday
> morning and flying out that Friday morning. I definitely want to
> spend some time at the reef (probably out of Port Douglas). I do not
> want to scuba dive--I'm scared, plus I don't want to spend any of my
> limited time training. I love snorkeling, though. Can anyone
> recommend a good company? I'm a strong swimmer and have gone
> snorkeling before in Hawaii.
>
> Also, I want to go to the Atherton Tablelands. Where should I
> definitely go there?
>
> Where else should I go once once I'm there? I like scenery, short
> hikes, shopping (but for local things in small stores, not in large
> malls), and local things. I tend to go sunrise to sunset and cram
> things in, so the more ideas, the better!


A couple of recommendations:

1. Use insect repellant -- the "noseeums" come out in the morning and
late afternoon. And -- the welts last a couple of weeks!

2. Drink bottled water. We were there in 1992 and my wife came down with
giardia, from the tap water in Cairns and Port Douglas.

Hi Sarah!
i'm writing you from Italy, back from Australia beginning of August.
I cannot help you about the Atherton Tablelands, but I stayed 4 days in
Cairns (23-26 july), waiting for good weather, which didn't arrive :-(
Because of the very bad weather we could not go to the reef, but there are a
lot of companies who offer tours, most of them with a catamaran. There are
also companies who takes you on a platform at the reef, where you can
snorkeling if you like or do what you like. Port Douglas is a very pleasant
town, surely more nice than Cairns.
i hope you can snorkel, but if you cannot, you can visit the Daintree Forest
and Cape Tribulation (we made it with Cape trib Connection). Each tour
company will be pick up you from hotel.
A good source of information is the YHA hostel or, if you are in a hotel you
can ask directly the people at the desk.
cheers
ada



<SarahUsenet@**********> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:1190078106.618705.319420@50g2000hsm.********* ********...
> I'm going to be flying into Cairns in about a month on a Sunday
> morning and flying out that Friday morning. I definitely want to
> spend some time at the reef (probably out of Port Douglas). I do not
> want to scuba dive--I'm scared, plus I don't want to spend any of my
> limited time training. I love snorkeling, though. Can anyone
> recommend a good company? I'm a strong swimmer and have gone
> snorkeling before in Hawaii.
>
> Also, I want to go to the Atherton Tablelands. Where should I
> definitely go there?
>
> Where else should I go once once I'm there? I like scenery, short
> hikes, shopping (but for local things in small stores, not in large
> malls), and local things. I tend to go sunrise to sunset and cram
> things in, so the more ideas, the better!
>
> Thanks!
>
> Sarah
>

<SarahUsenet@**********> wrote in message
news:1190078106.618705.319420@50g2000hsm.********* ********...
> I'm going to be flying into Cairns in about a month on a Sunday
> morning and flying out that Friday morning. I definitely want to
> spend some time at the reef (probably out of Port Douglas). I do not
> want to scuba dive--I'm scared, plus I don't want to spend any of my
> limited time training. I love snorkeling, though. Can anyone
> recommend a good company? I'm a strong swimmer and have gone
> snorkeling before in Hawaii.

We stayed ten days in Port Douglas a few years ago, and had a fantastic
time.

There were quite a few smaller boats going to the Outer Reef. We booked a
great trip with one of them - just have a look around when they come in, see
what they look like, what their passengers and crew look like, and choose.

HTH, Henry.