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Cairns, Australia

Stay in Cairns: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Watch this spot We email you when Cairns is worth the trip.

About Cairns

Known for kitesurfing and windsurfing, by the OpenStreetMap map of the area. The shore faces N, so wind from the S blows out to sea (our estimate from the coastline). Facts: verified.

Water about 27°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

A spot for kitesurfing and windsurfing, as OpenStreetMap maps it, on a shore facing N. Wind from the N blows onshore, wind from the S blows out to sea, and wind from the E or W runs along the shore. It is sheltered to the open sea. The sea floor shelves very gently: 10 m deep about 1.0 km out (1 in 103). The sea is about 24°C in July, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 30°C in February, its warmest (no wetsuit). The town to stay in is Cairns.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 31 h 45 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to CNS, changing at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Brisbane International Airport (BNE).

    See flights MDW → CNS · Skyscanner from about £790 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 25 min from the airport to Cairns.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in CairnsAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Kitesurfing lessons in Cairns · GetYourGuideAdKite and board hire in Cairns · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Cairns on Google Maps · Directions

The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.

One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

The score for kite, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor

DayScoreWindGustsShoreWater
Sun 18Oct011knoffnot safechop
Mon 19Oct020kncross-offchop
Tue 20Oct022kncross-offchop
Wed 21Oct019kncross-offchop
Thu 22Oct013knsidechop
Fri 23Oct012knonflat
Sat 24Oct012knonflat
Sun 25Oct012knonflat
Mon 26Oct011knside-onflat
Tue 27Oct011knside-onflat
Wed 28Oct0––––

Day scores are the conditions out of 80. Wind is the day's best reading: the mean and the gusts in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); the arrow points where it blows to. Shore: "side" is side-shore, blowing along the beach, the safe way; "side-on" and "on" blow in towards it; "cross-off" and "off" blow out to sea, and offshore scores nothing for kite and windsurf. Water is the open sea's waves near the spot: flat under 0.3 m, chop to 0.8 m.

The season

Good kite days in a typical week, each month, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).

  1. Jan0of 7
  2. Feb0of 7
  3. Mar0of 7
  4. Apr0of 7
  5. May0of 7
  6. Jun0of 7
  7. Jul0of 7
  8. Aug0of 7
  9. Sep0of 7
  10. Oct0of 7
  11. Nov0of 7
  12. Dec0of 7

Typical, not a forecast. Reanalysis wind misses some local thermal winds, so a spot known for an afternoon breeze may do better than this.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for kite. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Fly MDW to CNS, changing at LAX and BNE, then 25 min by road. About 31h 45 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 10 kn gusting 22, cross-offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: chop.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 8 kn gusting 19, cross-offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: chop.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 5 kn gusting 13, side-shore. Water: chop.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 4 kn gusting 12, onshore. Water: flat.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 5 kn gusting 12, onshore. Water: flat.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Fly MDW to CNS, changing at LAX and BNE, then 25 min by road. About 31h 45 door to door

Rough cost

About £1,325–£2,585 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. Kit hire is not in it yet: we have no sourced price for it.

  • Flights £790–£1,645
  • To the UK airport £35–£65
  • Taxi £15–£25
  • Stay £240–£395
  • Food £245–£455

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Kitesurfing lessons · GetYourGuide Kite and board hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.