When to go to Cairns?
Boats leave Cairns every morning for the Great Barrier Reef, an hour or two out to coral gardens, turtles and water the colour of glass. Behind the town the Daintree rainforest is dense, dripping and extremely old. The Kuranda railway climbs through the gorge to the village above and the Skyrail glides back over the canopy, while the Esplanade Lagoon handles the swimming in between.
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The best time to go
For the best weather in Cairns, aim for May to November.
See also: Where to go in May? · Where to go in June? · Where to go in July? · Where to go in August?
Month-by-month weather in Cairns
| Month | ☀️ h/day | 🌧️ mm | 🌡️ °C | Score /100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9.5 | 494 | 27 | 41 |
| February | 9.5 | 267 | 27 | 54 |
| March | 9.5 | 337 | 27 | 52 |
| April | 10.0 | 270 | 26 | 57 |
| May | 10.0 | 101 | 24 | 72 |
| June | 9.9 | 45 | 22 | 75 |
| July | 9.6 | 100 | 21 | 69 |
| August | 9.9 | 58 | 22 | 75 |
| September | 11.0 | 69 | 23 | 78 |
| October | 11.8 | 49 | 25 | 83 |
| November | 11.5 | 55 | 26 | 81 |
| December | 10.0 | 479 | 27 | 44 |
Estimated from 3 years of data. The score (0–100) combines sunshine, dry weather, clear skies and temperature.
The climate in brief
In Cairns, the sunniest month is October, and the driest is June (about 45 mm). Temperatures peak in January (about 27°C). Over the year, an average of 2,324 mm of rain falls, and 7 months in 12 offer ideal weather for a trip.
What to do in Cairns?
- Great Barrier Reef (UNESCO)
- Daintree rainforest (UNESCO)
- Kuranda (heritage railway, Skyrail)
- Esplanade and Lagoon
Practical info
- Country: Australia
Destinations near Cairns
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