Cairns Holiday Packages - Cheap Travel Deals to Cairns
Discover cheap holiday packages to Cairns from New Zealand. It's a smorgasbord of things to see and do. It's home to the Great Barrier Reef, rainforests, delicious food and so much more. Whether you're looking for the ultimate outdoor holiday or want to swap NZ's cooler winters for a tropical climate, Cairns won't disappoint.
Cairns Holiday Package Deals
Don't stress yourself out with trip planning. Keep things simple by booking a flight and hotel holiday package deal. Webjet has exclusive packages which include affordable flight options to Cairns and your choice of hotel stay. Sit back, relax and let Webjet find the best holiday package deal for your trip to Cairns from New Zealand.
Why Cairns is a Top Holiday Destination for Kiwis
Cairns is the gateway to some of Australia's top natural attractions. You're only a stone's throw away from the Great Barrier Reef, the Daintree Rainforest, Cape Tribulation and much more. With a direct flight time of only 4 hours 40 minutes and so much to see and do, it's little wonder why Cairns sees hordes of Kiwis holidaying here every year. Plus, nearby Queensland resorts are ideal for travelling families. You won't have a problem finding kid-friendly accommodation, activities, and food options across a range of different budgets. Adventurous New Zealanders can spend their days exploring Cairns underwater heritage. There are snorkelling tours to a nearby coral reef, pristine dive sites and glass-bottom tours for those that don't want to get wet. Cairns is also one of Australia's most affordable city destinations. You'll pay around $15 AUD for dinner at a restaurant, $2.40 AUD for a bus ticket and admission costs into wildlife parks start at $20 AUD. The city itself won't disappoint either. It's known for its energetic nightlife and Tjapukai night fire where the 40,000-year tradition of Indigenous culture and storytelling happens. Cairns boasts some of the world's best seafood. It's the perfect destination for foodies who want to delight their taste buds with the city's abundance of exotic ingredients.
What to know before you go to Cairns
1. Money: The official currency is the Australian Dollar. There are plenty of ATMs located around the city, and you'll get a better exchange rate by withdrawing cash once you arrive.
2. Electricity: Australia and New Zealand both run their electricity at 230 volts and use the same two or three pin plugs.
3. Entry Requirements: Thanks to the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement, New Zealanders don't need a visa to visit Australia. The freedom of movement policy means you'll get a free unlimited stay stamp in your passport on arrival.
4. Language: The majority of locals in Australia speak English. However, there are several other dialects spoken in the different communities.
5. Weather: The best time to visit Cairns is during its winter season. From April to September, temperatures will be slightly cooler with minimal rainfall. You'll also be in time for the migrating humpback whales. The summer season (October to March) sees heavy rain, and humid weather but the rainforests surrounding Cairns are at their finest.
6. Getting Around: It's easy and affordable to get around Cairns CBD without a car. But if you want to explore some of the outer regions, like the rainforest and tablelands, you'll need to hire your own set of wheels.
7. Drinking Water: It is safe to drink the tap water in Cairns.
8. WiFi: If you need to get online, head to a nearby Maccas (McDonald's). The WiFi is free and you can avoid expensive data costs.
What's on in Cairns?
Cairns Festival
Need an excuse to book Cairns holiday packages? Plan your visit around the popular Cairns Festival. It's held annually from the 23 August until 1 September. The festival’s program is full to the brim with music, art, theatre, film and comedy performances. Plus, the best part about attending the festival is that most of the events are free and kid-friendly. Book your Cairns holiday deals as soon as possible if you want to attend and start looking forward to this fun Queensland festival!
Cairns Indigenous Art Fair
The Cairns Indigenous Art Fair is a celebration of the city's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage. The event is held along the waterfront at the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal. Travellers with Cairns holiday deals can attend and learn more about the Indigenous culture, customs and Dreamtime legends. One of the major highlights of the event is the performances by Indigenous dance troupes.
Cairns Airport Chinese New Year Street Festival
Ring in Chinese New Year by booking Cairns holiday packages to coincide with the Cairns Airport Chinese New Year Street Festival. This fete includes a parade through Chinatown, as well as markets boasting street food vendors, traditional cultural performances and a spectacular fireworks display. Visitors who have snapped up Cairns holiday deals on Webjet can use this event as a great way to ring in the Chinese New Year!
What are the top tips for travelling with children to Cairns?
One of the best things about buying Cairns package deals for the whole family is that the city is easy to explore. The sidewalks are pram-friendly, and most of the attractions in the city are suitable for kids of all ages.
Eating out
When it comes to eating out in the city, travellers buying Cairns holiday packages will have affordable dining options that will satisfy the tastebuds of the whole family. Some of Cairns’ excellent options for cheap eats include Trinity Beach Tavern, Cazalys, Apex Milk Bar and Splash Seafood Restaurant.
Hire a car
If you want to see as much of Cairns and the surrounding region as possible, it's best to hire a car. Having your own car will give you the freedom to not rely on organised tours, and mean you can create your own sightseeing schedule for making the most of your Cairns holiday packages. Make sure you don’t miss out on your wheels of choice by booking a hire car at the same time as organising Cairns holiday packages on Webjet.
Attractions
Planning on packing a lot of sightseeing and attraction visits into your Cairns holiday? A good option for saving money on entrance fees is taking advantage of the offers inside the Entertainment Book. Use some of the coupons and discounts inside to save on family-friendly activities - these savings are just in addition to those you make by booking cheap Cairns holiday deals with Webjet!
What are Cairns’ most famous landmarks and monuments?
The Great Barrier Reef
Without a doubt, the most famous landmark in Cairns is the Great Barrier Reef. This 2,300-kilometre-long UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the richest marine ecosystems in the world, and is one of the main reasons so many tourists - both from Australia and abroad - travel to Cairns. Visitors heading to Tropical North Queensland on Cairns holiday packages can tick off a bucketlist experience by heading out onto the water and trying their luck at seeing creatures such as brightly-coloured fish, plus dolphins, turtles and perhaps even reef sharks. One of the best ways to experience the reef is with an organised tour, and there are various options (snorkelling, scuba diving, or viewing from a glass-bottom boat) that depart from Cairns. The glass-bottom boat tours in particular, are great for families with Cairns package deals as small children will love peering into the water to spot the likes of Nemo and Dory!
Cairns Botanic Gardens
Did you know that the Cairns Botanic Gardens is home to one of the best collections of tropical plants in Australia? These gardens have been an attraction in Cairns since 1886 and boast more than 4,000 species of flora. Some of the highlights for visitors with Cairns holiday deals to see include the Rainforest Boardwalk, the Centenary Lakes, the Aboriginal Plant Use Garden and the Gondwanan Heritage Garden. If you're buying Cairns package deals and you want to keep your costs down, the gardens are one of the best things to do on a budget.
Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park
Want to learn more about Australia's Aboriginal heritage? Take a 15-minute drive out of Cairns to the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park. The centre is more than 25 years old and provides visitors with thoughtful and fascinating insight into traditional Aboriginal culture. Visitors buying Cairns holiday packages can learn how to play the didgeridoo, discover the different medicinal uses of plants, and watch storytelling and dance performances. For a unique experience, travellers buying Cairns package deals should visit the park at night. There is a fire-starter ceremony, and you indulge in a delicious buffet dinner before the performance.
Cairns Esplanade
A stroll along Cairns Esplanade is a popular activity for all visitors to the city. This oceanfront promenade is home to parks, a lagoon and paved paths. Come here in the morning to sit down to a delicious brunch from the nearby restaurants and cafes. Travellers buying Cairns holiday packages can also pack a picnic and use one of the public barbecues in the area.
When is the best time to visit Cairns?
There are two primary seasons to keep in mind when booking your Cairns holiday packages: wet season and dry season.
Wet season lasts from November to March and is accompanied by regular rainfall, tropical monsoons, high humidity, and daytime temperatures of about 31°C. This is the region’s low season, so although the weather may not be ideal it is when you’ll find the best rates on hotels and accommodation in Cairns.
You may see a bit of residual rain toward the beginning of the dry season, but for the most part you’ll enjoy gorgeous weather and blue skies by travelling on Cairns packages between April and October. Temperatures reach about 26° to 29°C with low levels of rain, making this an excellent time to get out on the Great Barrier Reef. However, the ideal weather makes this the busiest time to travel with Cairns accommodation and flight packages. Lock in your hotel and accommodation in Cairns early for the best price.
Outside of the wet and dry seasons, also keep stinger season in mind when booking Cairns holiday packages. This period lasts from November to May, coinciding mainly with the wet season. Some beaches put up stinger nets, but you’ll need to wear a stinger suit while snorkelling or diving on the Reef.