16 days in Cairns, Brisbane & Sydney Itinerary
16 days in Cairns, Brisbane & Sydney Itinerary
Created using Inspirock Australia itinerary planner
Route & dates
16 days in Cairns, Brisbane & Sydney Itinerary
Start: York
train + Fly:
26h
1
Cairns
— 4 nights
Find places to stay »
Fly:
4h
2
Brisbane
— 3 nights
Find places to stay »
Fly:
3h 45min
3
Sydney
— 5 nights
Find places to stay »
Fly + train:
27h
End: York
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4
nights
Cairns
4
nights
The Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef
A neat, cosmopolitan city of shaded plazas and laid-back neighborhoods, Cairns serves as a popular base for exploration of the surrounding region and the Great Barrier Reef, as well as a center for watersport activities like surfing or waterskiing.Take a break from the city and head to Scuba & Snorkeling and Palm Cove Beach. You'll get in some beach time at Trinity Beach and Yorkeys Knob Beach. Explore the numerous day-trip ideas around Cairns: Hartley's Crocodile Adventures (in Palm Cove) and Safaris (in Port Douglas). And it doesn't end there: take in the waterfront at The Jack Barnes Bicentennial Mangrove Boardwalk, hunt for treasures at Rusty's Market, get interesting insight from Tours, and pause for some photo ops at Cairns Cenotaph.
To find where to stay, ratings, photos, and other tourist information, refer to the Cairns online itinerary planner .
York, UK to Cairns is an approximately 26-hour combination of train and flight. You can also do a combination of train, bus, and flight; or do a combination of train and flight. The time zone difference when traveling from York to Cairns is 10 hours. Expect much hotter temperatures when traveling from York in April; daily highs in Cairns reach 34°C and lows reach 26°C. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 4th (Sat) so you can travel to Brisbane.
Things to do in Cairns
Side Trips
Palm Cove, Trinity Beach, The Jack Barnes Bicentennial Mangrove Boardwalk, Safaris, Yorkeys Knob Beach
Find places to stay Apr 30 — May 4:
Highlights from your plan
Scuba & Snorkeling
10:30am, Tue Apr 30
Safaris
11:00am, Fri May 3

Hartley's Crocodile Adventures
10:30am, Wed May 1
3
nights
Brisbane
3
nights

Australia's New World City
Queensland’s biggest town and state capital, Brisbane has an attractive, manicured image based around its riverside aesthetic as well as the contrast between its high-rise center and extensive urban greenery.Get outdoors at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and Captain Cook Highway. Your itinerary includes some good beach time at Moffat Beach and Dicky Beach. Next up on the itinerary: let little ones run wild at South Bank Parklands, get great views at Mount Coot-tha Lookout, and admire the natural beauty at City Botanic Gardens.
Plan my trip to Brisbane with suggested itineraries provided by Inspirock.
You can fly from Cairns to Brisbane in 4 hours. Alternatively, you can do a combination of flight and bus; or drive. Traveling from Cairns in May, things will get a bit cooler in Brisbane: highs are around 27°C and lows about 15°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 7th (Tue) to allow enough time to travel to Sydney.
Things to do in Brisbane
Side Trips
Caloundra, Captain Cook Highway
Find places to stay May 4 — 7:
Highlights from your plan

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
10:00am, Mon May 6

South Bank Parklands
1:00pm, Tue May 7

Mount Coot-tha Lookout
2:30pm, Mon May 6
5
nights
Sydney
5
nights

The Harbour City
Lent iconic status as a result of its famous bridge and opera house, Sydney has a down-to-earth charm that enhances its spectacular setting and functional efficiency.You'll enjoy a bit of beach vacationing at Bondi Beach and Clovelly. Visiting Bondi to Coogee Beach Coastal Walk and The Opera House to the Botanic Gardens Walk will get you outdoors. When in Sydney, make a side trip to see Shelly Beach in Manly, approximately 36 minutes away. Spend the 11th (Sat) exploring nature at Sydney Harbour National Park. The adventure continues: kick back and relax at Manly Beach, stroll through Coogee Beach, wander the streets of The Rocks, and snap pictures at Sydney Harbour Bridge.
To see maps, where to stay, reviews, and other tourist information, go to the Sydney trip site .
Traveling by flight from Brisbane to Sydney takes 4 hours. Alternatively, you can do a combination of bus and flight; or drive. In May, daytime highs in Sydney are 24°C, while nighttime lows are 14°C. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 12th (Sun) so you can travel back home.
Things to do in Sydney
Side Trip
Shelly Beach
Find places to stay May 7 — 12:
Highlights from your plan

Bondi Beach
12:00pm, Wed May 8

Bondi to Coogee Beach Coastal Walk
10:00am, Wed May 8

Manly Beach
12:00pm, Thu May 9
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