Cairns Weekend on a Budget

Hey there, travelers!

Thinking of visiting the land down under? Do it. I have been traveling since birth. A year ago I studied in Australia and found it to be the most amazing place. The people are super friendly and awesome and the land is gorgeous. Thus, begins my tales of traveling that magical land.

My friends and I rented a car (when split between us was surprisingly cheap). We drove up to Cairns and checked into The Jack Backpackers ($22/night). Note: Gilligan's is the most popular hostel in Cairns and for good reason. Think mood lighting, booze, and partying all night for a good price. Gilligan's was all booked up for the weekend we went and The Jack was just around the corner. When we were checking in, some guys were there seeing if we wanted to come to the Gilligan's bar crawl. Of course we said yes. For almost no money we could go over to Gilligan's and party all night, also!

We went to our room and got ready for our night out. We had dinner at the restaurant that is on the first floor of the hostel. We got vouchers for free food and drink. The atmosphere was great and we had a lot of fun. We checked in at Gilligan's and then decided to go back to our hostel to pregame. When we returned to Gilligan's, festivities were in full swing. They started off with some games and then we were bused around to the bars in Cairns and rewarded with free shots and discounted tea cups. (Tea cups are the best invention ever, thanks, Australia). After a great bar crawl, we returned to Jack's where it was quiet, which was perfect because we had to wake up early.

We woke up early and walked down to the marina. We had a full day of diving The Great Barrier Reef with Cairns Dive Centre. While most of us were dive certified, some of our friends only went snorkeling, and some did an intro dive. Divers also got to snorkel after. We went to two dive sites and saw some gorgeous wildlife. We chose Cairns Dive Centre because they seemed to be the highest rated and one of the lowest prices (hello, value!).

We also looked into doing the Barefoot Tour, which one of my friends had done already and really enjoyed. Unfortunately, some people wanted to get back to campus in time for dinner. So, instead two of my friends and I went up to AJ Hackett for bungy jumping before returning the car and going home.

Cairns is home to many dive centers and hostels for the budget traveler (try out hostelworld.com for hotels and hostels in the area). There's sure to be many things for you to explore and love!

Peace out for now, adventure friends!
~The Flighty Blonde