In search of R&R Down Under

Cairns turns up the heat as I seek my version of R&R – Reef and Rainforest – in tropical North Queensland.

Spectacular corals and ocean life in the Great Barrier Reef

THE AIRCRAFT DOOR opens to 28 degrees Celsius outside, and the humidity envelopes me like a warm wet towel. As a heat lover, I embrace my Australian welcome. After nearly 20 hours in the air, I'm half a world away from home, and it's more than 20 degrees warmer – in Cairns, Queensland. And I've already received my first lesson in Aussie-speak from the flight attendant's announcement: skip the "ir" and say Cans.

Like most first-time visitors, I'm here to see the Great Barrier Reef. But as an avid snorkeller, a day trip wouldn't be enough, so I've chosen a three-day liveaboard boat with family-owned and operated Reef Encounter. On a sunny morning, I depart Cairns Marina for the Outer Reef, ready to make new friends above and below the water.

I am one of only two snorkellers amongst 20+ divers; some are getting their certifications onboard, while others have logged more than 1,000 dives under their weight belts.

Most of us are from abroad – North America, the UK, Germany, and Israel, and several Aussies are holiday-ing in their backyard. The 35-metre Reef Encounter is fully air-conditioned, with 21 ocean-view cabins and private baths, a dining room, and a sun deck. These simple accoutrements are ample, as the show's real star is in the deep blue beyond.

Ocean-view cabin

Donning a mask, snorkel, and fins, I slip off the stern platform into the warm water. Soon, technicolour fish, curious turtles, and vibrant corals surround me. It's mesmerizing to see the variety of sea life; some, like the blue-spotted goby, are merely two inches long, while the bumphead parrotfish reaches nearly four feet. Harmless (at least to humans) white and black-tipped sharks make their rounds, and an eel moves between the reefs, its body undulating like a breezy ribbon. Floating over giant clams with psychedelic-hued lips, soft and hard corals – some the size of boulders, and billowing anemones housing skittish clownfish, I keep my distance from the titan triggerfish, which will bite to protect its territory. Other underwater citizens encountered include the Chinese footballer, the Banded Sweetlips, and the scribbled leatherjacket, which, illogical names notwithstanding, are a delightful sight and make for good conversations with others as we recap our day.

Clown fish

Three beautiful sunny days ensue, with daily temperatures in the 30s, and I'm in my element, soaking up the rays above and feasting my eyes below the horizon. I would snorkel up to four times per day, with Reef Encounter moving to a new reef site twice daily. Periodically, divers pass underneath, their air bubbles rising like effervescent Champagne.

Freshly cooked meals are simple but hearty to replenish us for the next outing. After dinner, I watch the divers with envy as they head out for their night session, the ocean below glowing eerily from their flashlights. Reuniting for dessert and ice cream, they tell me that the reef is a completely different and dangerous world at night (for the fish) - swarming with hunting reef sharks and other nocturnal predators.

Koalas at Rainforest Station Nature Park

Cairns is the closest and largest gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, with multiple snorkel, dive, and fishing trips departing daily. With a laid-back style and a waterfront lined with restaurants and pubs, the city is easily walkable and the international airport is ten minutes away by car. www.tropicalnorthqueensland.org.au

The Hilton Cairns is a popular waterfront hotel just 400 metres from the Cairns Marina. The hotel is on the 2.5-kilometre Cairns Esplanade which connects with the city's lagoon pool, seaside park, and beach. www.hilton.com

Reef Encounter offers snorkel and dive trips year-round with customizable trip durations. Accommodations, snorkel and dive equipment, all meals, coffee, tea, and water are included, with additional beverages available for purchase. www.reefencounter.com.au

Tropic Wings offers six different tours to Kuranda, full-day tours to Daintree National Park, and two-day tours that include a Great Barrier Reef cruise. All tours include complimentary hotel pick-ups and drop-offs. www.tropicwings.com.au

We suggest you always book with a professional travel advisor.

Exploring the waterways of the rainforest at Kuranda

Back in Cairns, I part ways with my new friends, some of whom are venturing north to explore Daintree Rainforest, while others head south to dive the Whitsundays. Staying in town, I choose a nearer attraction – the rainforest at Kuranda. My Grand Kuranda tour is arranged by family-founded and locally-operated Tropic Wings, whose four decades of experience sealed the deal. Departing the hotel the motor coach takes me to Freshwater, a delightful train station built with Australian hardwood and adorned with filigreed roof trusses and tiled floors.

As with most of the continent, we are in the land of the Aboriginal Australians, and Kuranda tells the legend of the Buda-dji, the Carpet Snake that carved out the Barron Valley. The narrow-gauge rail line was built to support gold and tin miners, and construction started in 1886. Up to 1,500 men moved millions of cubic feet of soil by barrels and carts, built 55 bridges, and cut 15 tunnels by hand. Many succumbed to disease, snake bites, and accidents.

Kuranda Scenic Railway climbs into the Barron Gorge

The din of the 1720 Class Diesel Electric locomotive heralds the train's arrival – called Kuranda Scenic Railway today. Chugging slowly, we climb over 327 metres into the Barron Gorge, snaking our way in the path of Buda-dji. The forest envelopes us, and that familiar humidity extends its open arms again. Arriving at Kuranda village, I wander through two bustling markets proffering kangaroo pelts and hand-painted boomerangs, along with kitschy koala stuffies and Croc Dundee hats. At the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary, the enclosure is alive with fluttering creatures, landing on anyone wearing brightly coloured clothing. Nine species of native butterflies live here year-round, and four - including the Hercules moth, the world's largest – appear seasonally. I'm happy that all the caterpillars are housed separately in the breeding laboratory, as these furry wigglers aren't my cup of tea.

Continuing to Rainforest Station Nature Park, I meet native land animals for the first time – kangaroos that reside on land and in trees, wallabies, dingoes, various snakes and reptiles, and a koala, blissfully dozing on its perch. At the crocodile feeding, everyone reels at the power of the 25-foot monster's snapping jaws, exerting 3,500 pounds per square inch to capture its meal. A human bite, the ranger tells us, is about 60 psi.

Aboriginal cultural performance at Rainforest Station Nature Park

A crash course in Aboriginal culture follows, with a lesson and opportunity to throw a boomerang, a spear-throwing and didgeridoo demonstration, and a traditional Pamagirri (silent snake) dance performance. We then board an authentic WWII amphibious DUKW vehicle, commonly known as the Army Duck. Our amusing Duck Driver takes us through the rainforest – including an obligatory ride through a lake to show off the Duck's capability – while pointing out various indigenous flora along the way, some of which are covered with thorns and barbs. "Keep your hands inside the vehicle at all times, and don't grab at any plants, as some of them will grab back", he warns, and we dutifully comply.

Returning me to sea level at the end of the day is the 7.5-kilometre Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, travelling over the rainforest canopy. The longest gondola ride in the world when it opened in 1995, Skyrail provides a bird's eye view of the sprawling rainforest. The peaceful ride gives me time to admire the canopy below, so thick with trees that many species have evolved to grow branchless trunks hundreds of feet into the air with leaves only at the very top to capture sunlight. One hour later, I'm on my way to the hotel.

The Rainforest Cableway travels 7.5 km over the rainforest canopy

Departing, I fly over the stately forest and later the Great Barrier Reef, and thank the creatures on land and all the fish in the sea, whose simple existence provided me with great enjoyment. Although snow will likely be on the ground when I arrive home, I'll have my R&R moments and my Cairns tan to take me through the winter.