Castaway's, operating here for more than 25 years, is an intimate and very friendly hostel with a sociable pool and barbecue area, no-bunk dorms and a free shuttle bus to the city centre. The on-site van park ($15) is a great deal for campervanners. There's a free weekly communal barbecue, a pool table, movies room and more.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Cairns attractions

1. Captain Cook Statue

0.06 MILES

You won't be able to miss this mammoth statue, one of Australia's most controversial 'Big Things'. Looming over the city's main road since 1972, the 10m…

2. St Monica's Cathedral

0.54 MILES

Cairns' main Catholic church is famous for its themed stained-glass windows, the largest of their type in the world. There are 24 windows depicting the…

3. Cairns Aquarium

0.65 MILES

Cairns' multi-million-dollar aquarium is well worth a visit for its vast and gorgeously presented range of marine life, the Great Barrier Reef in…

4. Reef Eye

0.87 MILES

Soak up stunning views of the Coral Sea and Cairns city aboard this 35m-high Ferris wheel. The fully enclosed gondolas rotate 360 degrees (passengers…

5. KickArts Contemporary Arts

0.89 MILES

These galleries showcase cutting-edge local and regional artworks, plus touring exhibitions. KickArts has moved to the School of the Arts while the Centre…

6. Cairns Museum

0.89 MILES

This contemporary museum features four well-curated galleries covering the history of Cairns and Far North Queensland in pictures, exhibits and local…

7. Samurai Gallery

0.9 MILES

This unusual gallery and museum displays genuine armour, swords and arts from the Japanese samurai. Owner John Grasso has been collecting swords and…

8. Reef Teach

0.93 MILES

Take your knowledge to new depths at this fun, informative centre, where marine experts explain how to identify specific species of fish and coral, and…