Retreat from the heat of the coast to the cool uplands behind Cairns, where you can step from the heat of a tropical day into the cool, filtered light of the rainforest. Spend a few days touring around the Tablelands visiting volcanic crater lakes, waterfalls and rainforest giants like the Curtain Fig and the twin Kauri Pines. There is an excellent road network, healthy rural towns for shopping and supplies, and plenty of accommodation options including a variety of family-run homestays and cottages. Talk to volunteers at Wet Tropics visitor centres for a local perspective on where to stay and what to do while on the Tablelands.

Many visitors are attracted here by the variety of wildlife. The early mornings are perfect for bird watching and, if you're quiet, you may spot a shy Platypus in a creek, or a Musky Rat-kangaroo foraging on the forest floor. At night, the climbing mammals - tree kangaroos, gliders and rare possums - come out to feed and socialise. The Tablelands are accessible from the coast via four major highways: the Palmerston Highway near Innisfail; the Gillies Highway near Gordonvale; the Kennedy Highway which passes through Kuranda and Smithfield to the north of Cairns; and the Rex Range Road near Mossman.