GETTING AROUND

Getting there is the easy bit; Cairns houses a major airport, with both Qantas and Virgin offering daily flights. Only 3 hours from Sydney; perfect for a few throat charmers to kick off the Bucks.

It can get hot as hell in Cairns, so the air conditioned cabs and Uber are your best bet if you’ve got to go more then 1km. Sunbus are the local bus operators. Cheap and easy, but god speed if public transport on the bus is your best mode of transport to ship the lads around Cairns on.

Otherwise, walking and bikes are you best bet. You can cover the majority of the city, and bank on some of the above for trips to places like Port Douglas.

CULTURE VULTURE

The warm waters are fantastic for swimming from November to May, but with Stingers and Crocs in play for the rest of the year, proceed with absolute caution. Cairns Lagoon offers superb respite from the heat and stingers. It is salt water, free entry and has a life guard for those less than capable in the water (or operating on some sort of hangover). Alcohol is banned, so use it as your recovery time.

Great Barrier Reef cruises aren’t just for the O/S tourist. For those from the South of Australia, it is more than worthwhile to check out one of the world’s natural wonders. Pack the Ginger tablets with you though, the open water can get rough, and never goes well with the the 6 Jack and Coke’s from the night before.

Kuranda rainforest is a picturesque village on Cairns’ tablelands. The sky rail can take you out, and The Bucks Co highly recommends the ATV tour. The rainforest is a perfect juxtaposition to the mayhem you likely caused the night previous or the one coming. Yes. We said juxtaposition. We’re wicked smart. For those at one with nature, this is a must. 

As you come to The Bucks Co for our little black book of information, seek out a secret swimming hole - Crystal Cascades - we found last start in Cairns. Thank us later

As you come to The Bucks Co for our little black book of information, seek out a secret swimming hole - Crystal Cascades - we found last start in Cairns. Thank us later

BABY WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT

Cairns is a backpacker haven, with a plethora of bars and pubs to suit. Think discounted drinks, plenty of Vodka Cruisers going around, and sticky floors from the spilt Jager Bombs. You’ll see tours rolling through most nights, and generally, all are up for a good time. Expect few laughs and if you get them early enough in their Australian sojourn, open to believing you did a guest stint opposite Holly Vallance back in Ramsay Street. Or have a koala as a pet. Just be careful with this fact, as koalas are known carriers of chlamydia, probably not a great conversation piece.

It takes a while for a city trend to make its way up to Cairns, but there is a nice collection of cocktail bars springing up for those chasing a classier drinking experience. ‘Three Wolves’ leads the pack as one of the best small bars in Australia. The reality is, 10 years ago, any order outside of XXXX was frowned upon, so the progress has been outstanding.

The Reef Hotel Casino will most likely gain you patronage at some stage. Best news is, it stacks up as a Casino, with plenty of gaming, a cracking sports bar and a rooftop pool with views of the city.

Food wise, if you fancy a quality dining experience and a bit of a treat, best to stick to ‘tropical sea-food’. Often fished out of the waters that afternoon, you’ll find your best options along the waterfront.

The classic pub meal is always available too; a town made for backpackers, end of season trips and bucks parties knows how to do a quality tucker on the cheap to recharge the batteries. It’s been clinically trialled that you can live off an exclusive Chicken Parma diet over the course of a weekend.