Kuranda (Australia)

If you are not far from Cairns, I advise you to go make a short trip to Kuranda.

There are several fun possibilities to go there which will allow you to admire the Barron Waterfalls: from Cairns, with the historic train which takes 1 hr 45 min, or in 90 minutes from Smithfield, by cableway.

In Kuranda, in the beautiful and very well-preserved tropical forest, you will find two handicraft markets which blend into the landscape. You will find everything there from jewellery, ceramics, Australians hats, products in snake or crocodile skin... but also food products. It's a great place to buy original gifts.

I enjoyed wandering around the village and through the market stalls in search of that rare gem to buy. The place is very pleasant, with an active artistic life in a very laid-back atmosphere. There are a lot of art galleries to prove this activity, with exhibitions of aboriginal artists, among others. After shopping, you can also relax on the terrace of one of the many cafes in the centre of the village. But beware: everything closes at 4 p.m. and the village becomes a desert.

If you have not taken the train, you can walk down to the waterfalls viewpoint, 3 km from the village. (Personally, I was not too impressed by these falls, because there was hardly any water when I went there.)

There are other activities that I did not do for lack of time, but which who should delight both young and old: the house of honey, the butterfly sanctuary, the koala farm, etc.

In short, don't hesitate to spend a day with the family at Kuranda, it is an ideal place to discover nature and the tropical forest and to do a bit of shopping in an idyllic setting.