Cairns Harbour Lights Hotel
Absolutely first class accommodation and facilities. Apartments are serviced daily.
The Cairns Harbour Lights is a modern apartment hotel right on the Cairns Marina and waterfront. These stylish one-bedroom apartments are fully self contained, with separate living areas, fully equipped kitchen and laundry, in-room safe, LCD television, video, DVD, and CD players. All apartments have private balconies. Bathrooms have separate walk in showers, hair dryers, iron, direct dial phones, opening windows, etc. Located within 100 metres of the city centre, perfect for strolling or browsing. There is 24 hour reception, several restaurants on site, an outdoor swimming pool, spa and sauna.
Full breakfast provisions will be supplied in your apartment for you to prepare at your leisure.
Cosmopolitan Cairns boasts many excellent restaurants and we’ll enjoy dinners at a selection of these, both within the hotel and nearby.
On this stayput holiday most day trips are shorter than a normal YAH holiday, starting at around 9:30 to 10:00 a.m. and returning by 4:00 p.m. Join us at this “Gold” stayput destination.
Due to departures on different days of the week, for some departures this program may operate a different schedule of days to that printed here. If you are meeting friends you may wish to check this with Young at Heart before making these arrangements.
Day 1 (L,D) HOME, CAIRNS
Following Melbourne metropolitan home/hotel pickup we fly non-stop to Cairns (lunch in flight). Passengers from other states may fly direct to Cairns. We explore the city on route to our home for seven nights, The Cairns Harbour Lights Hotel. Our waterfront accommodation is conveniently located in the heart of Cairns with easy access to the major shopping areas, restaurants and attractions.
Day 2 (B,L,D) TRINITY INLET CRUISE, CAIRNS, PALM COVE
Following a leisurely breakfast in our apartments we enjoy a calm water cruise along picturesque mangrove-lined Trinity Inlet followed by a tour of Cairns Crocodile Farm where we view hundreds of estuarine crocodiles, large and small. Following lunch we visit the Cairns Regional Gallery, Far North Queensland’s only visual art museum. The collection boasts a number of artworks of national significance including pieces by Brett Whiteley, Russell Drysdale and Francisco Goya. Later we enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of Palm Cove, one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
Day 3 (B,L,D) YUNGABURRA, ATHERTON TABLELANDS
This morning travel via Gordonvale to the Nerida Tea Plantation for a “tour and taste”. After morning tea continue to Yungaburra where we visit the amazing Curtain Fig Tree prior to lunch at Tolga Woodworks Gallery and Café. During the afternoon visit the Atherton Tablelands and the Australian Coffee Plantation.
Day 4 (B,L,D) KURANDA
We ride the Kuranda Scenic Railway on a spectacular journey into the hinterland, passing through World Heritage protected tropical rainforest, past beautiful waterfalls and into the breath-taking Barron Gorge on our way up to the “village in the rainforest”. Construction of the Cairns-Kuranda Railway was (and still is) an engineering feat of tremendous magnitude. Upon our arrival in Kuranda we have free time to explore and enjoy a light luncheon before commencing our journey back to Cairns on the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. The Skyrail, spanning 7.5 kilometres over pristine rainforest, allows us to view the wonders of an ancient tropical rainforest and learn about one of the most botanically fascinating and diverse areas on earth. Glide just metres above the rainforest canopy in a comfortable six-person gondola cabin.
Day 5 (B,D) PORT DOUGLAS
This morning we journey north to Port Douglas. An opportunity to go bargain-hunting at the Cotters Market (goods offered for sale are made by the stallholder or their immediate family), and/or some free time to explore Macrossan Street, the main shopping area of Port Douglas, before lunch at the Mirage Marina. After lunch we explore Port Douglas and visit the pristine Four Mile Beach before taking a guided tour of the Rainforest Habitat Wildlife Sanctuary. Here we wander through three different and unique environments that are home to numerous species from the surrounding rainforest, wetlands, and grasslands.
Day 6 (B,L,D) CAIRNS
This morning we visit Doongal Aboriginal Art Centre, the largest collection in Australia of fine authentic Aboriginal art, didgeridoos, boomerangs, artefacts and paintings. Lunch at nearby Flecker Botanic Gardens followed by a guided tour of these tranquil surroundings. The Flecker Botanic Gardens are the only wet tropic botanic gardens in Australia and are a delight to visit. Tonight we venue out to Cairns’ Night Markets, a unique shopping experience. Dinner tonight following our visit to the market.
Day 7 (B,L,D) PARONELLA PARK, MILLAA MILLAA FALLS, MALANDA
Heading south, we travel through Gordonvale and Babinda to Paronella Park. Morning tea here today. Built on five hectares (13 acres) of rainforest beside Mena Creek Falls, this fantasy creation from the mind of Jose Paronella was built in the 1930‘s as a tribute to his wife and includes a collection of castle-like buildings surrounded by a garden featuring over 7,000 trees and, amazingly, North Queensland’s first hydro-electric system. After lunch we return to Cairns via the picturesque Millaa Millaa Falls and the village of Malanda.
Day 8 (B,L) CAIRNS, HOME
Sadly we must depart from Cairns today. Morning tea before transferring to Cairns airport for our homeward journey. Melbourne passengers fly on a direct flight to Melboune. Home/hotel transfers are available. Passengers from other states fly direct or on connecting flights to their home ports. So concludes a most enjoyable and relaxing stayput holiday in Cairns.
