Overview
- Features: 3km-long boardwalk surrounded by artificial lagoon, playground, markets, eateries and shops
- Opening Times: Pool: daily 6am to 9pm, closed Wed 6am to noon, Muddy’s playground: daily 9am to 7pm; volleyball courts: daily 9am to 9:30pm, closed Wed until 4pm, Esplanade market: Sat 8am to 4pm
- Best Time to Visit: Weekends
- Duration: 2 to 3 hours
- Transport Options: Walk, car
- Cost: Free
- Address: Esplanade, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
- Type: Waterfront
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Summary
Fronting Cairns Harbour and stretching for almost 3km, the Cairns Esplanade is the focal point of life in Cairns. If you’re planning a visit to the Cairns Esplanade and wondering what to do there, continue reading to find a list of the most popular activities around the area so you can make the most of your trip here.
What You Can Expect to See at the Cairns Esplanade
Cairns Esplanade
If you take a walk along the 3km-long boardwalk that stretches along the Cairns Esplanade you’ll encounter shady trees and public art, picnic and barbecue facilities, a large saltwater swimming lagoon, volleyball courts, an imaginative kids’ playground, state-of-the-art skate plaza, and areas for fitness, markets, eateries, and live entertainment.
The seafront Esplanade is packed through the day and into the night with people cruising between accommodation, shops and restaurants. Grabbing an early morning coffee here, you’ll witness a quintessentially Cairns scene: fig trees framing the waterfront, with a couple of trawlers, cruise boats and seaplanes bobbing at anchor in the harbour. This 3km pedestrian walkway hugs the tidal coastal from where you can watch pelicans lazing in the sun and other smaller birds feeding in the shallows – identification charts along the route help you pick out a tern from a shearwater – while an excellent skateboard park is thoughtfully located up towards the hospital.
Cairns Esplanade Lagoon
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The main highlight at the Cairns Esplanade is the saltwater swimming lagoon, popular with both locals and tourists alike and packed on weekends. Head here if you want to get some relief from the sticky air as there is no natural beach in Cairns. Located on the city’s reclaimed foreshore, this artificial 4,800-square-metre shallow lagoon with a sandy shore, decking, and shelters is patrolled by lifeguards and illuminated at night.
The lagoon is open from 6am to 10pm, Thursday to Tuesday, and from noon to 10pm on Wednesday.
Cairns Esplanade Markets
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The best market to visit along the Cairns Esplanade is the night market which runs through to Abbott Street. It has a mix of fast-food courts, $10 massage stalls, trendy tack and good-quality souvenirs, plus a great location near plenty of bars.
The night market runs daily from 5pm till late.
Tell us what you think. What are you planning to do at the Cairns Esplanade? If you’ve been here before, what were the fun things you did at the Cairns Esplanade?
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