Earthly Eden
| Earthly Eden |
| Wednesday, 14 May 2008 18:34 |
|
Robert La Bua gets jungled in Cairns. Cairns has been transformed from a sugar-cane industry hub to a tourism industry hub, which has proven to be even sweeter in a region of myriad pretty places and buttocks to suit a variety of visitor tastes. While the town proper is stereotyped as a haven of backpackers and other hypersocial types who seem to imbibe with abandon, it is in the outlying areas where the most beautiful beaches are found and Queensland’s relaxability quotient realises its maximum potential. It is the only place in the world where two World Heritage sites converge in one place – those being The Great Barrier Reef and The Daintree Rainforest, equally impressive in their natural wonders. Don’t miss Skyrail – what seems like a superficial tourist trap is far from it. Skyrail offers the opportunity to view the Australian coastal rainforest (the Earth’s oldest) from above in a cable car as part of a genuine effort to bring the forest to the people without disturbing it. The 7.5km-long cable car route gives a fantastic overview of the tropical rainforest, transporting passengers from sea level 550 meters upward to Kuranda in the Atherton Tableland. More than a ride, Skyrail offers a nature experience with guided tours led by beefy rangers who reveal secrets of the Australian forest, such as how the antiseptic fluorescent yellow tree sap is useful as an emergency elastic bandage – handy knowledge for knees and elbows scraped on the forest floor. The Great Barrier Reef is the Earth’s largest living organism and may be seen not only from in the water but also from above. When poolside supination gets to be too taxing, give a call to International Coaches & Tours, whose daytrips manage to put the best of the region into the indulgent Cairns In A Day Tour, which takes in the Kuranda Scenic Railway up to the Tableland and Skyrail back down in the morning, then a helicopter ride to the outer Great Barrier Reef followed by lunch, time for snorkelling, and a cruise back to town to finish the day with enough time for a mai tai back at the hotel. As for accommodation suitable for a queen in her land, minimalists should head not-so-straight for Shangri-la’s The Marina, the town’s slickest accommodation option located right on the waterfront. Shangri-la hotels are always tops, so bottoms will not be disappointed by the artsy decor of the Horizon Club rooms or the attentive service of the friendly staff. Other travellers may prefer the genteel charms of the fabulous, gay-managed Whitfield House in Cairns’ trendy Edge Hill section. Located between Flecker Botanic Garden and the Tank Arts complex, Whitfield House has a privileged position in a jungle of lush vegetation concealing it from the outside world. The oversized spa tubs and the outstanding service of this home away from home make for a special getaway. If you prefer to stay totally gay, the welcoming Skinny Dips urban resort will do just fine. While not plush like the five-star wonders, the conviviality of Skinny Dips serves for a relaxing escape from the closeted life you may lead back home.
Virgin Blue flies to Cairns from across the country, and Out And About Travel ‘gaygency’ can arrange the details of your visit to Cairns, Cannes, and anywhere else in the world your hard desires.
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