skip's Blog

Kuranda's Main Street
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Kuranda is a little town perched on the edge of the Atherton tablelands, about 40 minutes from Cairns. It lies amidst ancient rainforest alongside the Barron River and attracts tourists who arrive via the Kuranda Steam train up the Barron Gorge or over the hills and river by Skyrail (cable car), or by bus or car.

Kuranda Skyrail from Cairns​

Kuranda is a very special place surrounded by tropical rainforest. The air and energy here is revitalizing. To experience the real Kuranda, there's several excellent trails in the area. I recommend the Jumrum Creek trail and the elevated boardwalk thru the forest canopy to Barron Falls where you can take in the spectacular sight of the Barron river plunging 853 feet (260 meters). There's also a very easy, pleasant walk along the Barron River, accessible by crossing over the train tracks. Or behind the Kuranda markets, you can access the River Esplanade walk.

Kuranda Steam Train Station​

Kuranda was once a sleepy little town, but back in the 1970s backpackers discovered the place and hippies began opening up small stalls at the market. Back then, Mrs. Miller's Hostel was the place to stay. It even had a nice restaurant downstairs, the Rainforest Restaurant (I know cause I once worked there!). Now the place is a bit more run down, up for sale and pretty empty. It's now called the Kuranda Backpacker's Hostel, and it's still a great, low-key place to stay, even if Mrs. Miller is no longer around.

Spectacular Barron Falls​

The backpackers have now given way to hordes of tourists and Kuranda is packed everyday from around 10am to 3pm. After 3pm the place becomes a ghost town, the shops close up, and it once again takes on the unique ambiance that makes Kuranda such a special place.

The big tourist attractions these days are the Kuranda Markets, including a produce market, as well as an arts and crafts and souvenir market. Kids love Kuranda's Birdworld, the Butterfly Sanctuary and the Koala Gardens.

Kuranda is about a 45 minute drive from the center of Cairns. If you plan on visiting the markets, it's good to arrive early to beat the crowds. If you want to experience "natural" Kuranda, you might want to come in the afternoon when most tourists have left.

South Sea Island Fiji
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I've been wanting to visit Fiji ever since 1982 when my plane stopped there to refuel on my way to Auckland, New Zealand. I wished then I could hop off and check it out, but that wasn't allowed then.

Most ex-pats like me sooner or later need to do a visa run. That is when your visa expires, you need to leave the country you're in and go somewhere else, usually for a very short time. Then when you show up at the border again, they renew your visa for another stay.

So when it was time for my first visa run from Australia, I'm so glad I picked Fiji. It was cheap (A$500 rt) to get there from Brisbane, and it's a relatively cheap destination to visit.

Bula Dance - The Fijian Welcome
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Whether you're a backpacker or a jetsetter, Fiji is your kinda place. It's friendly, romantic and fun! Watersports are very popular as Fiji has some of the cleanest seawater on the planet. Coral reefs surround most Fiji islands and the water is comfortable, even in winter.

Fiji Bure with a View
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Backpackers can stay in dorms or double bures which are old style Fiji huts made from local materials. Most places include three meals a day in the price, which runs from F$50-$75 a nite per person. (US$1 = F$1.70). For those with a bigger budget, you can stay in fancier resorts, even 5 star ones.

What makes these resorts so much fun is that you cannot escape socializing with the other travelers. You see them in the dorms, on the beach and of course at meal times. Then at night in the bars the scene ranges from very mellow to big party time! You get to meet travelers from Europe, NZ, the US, South America & of course Australia.

The Fijians ensure everyone is cared for and happy. The food ranges from good to excellent, although if you're used to American style portions, you might be disappointed because they don't usually offer second helpings in the cheaper places. The more pricey places like to do buffets where you can stuff yourself.

Fiji consists of lots of small islands like this one, as well as much larger islands
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Most travelers book a package deal to the outer islands especially the Yasawas, where I went. You can choose from 2 to 12 nites, with everything included, island transfers on a huge fast catamaran, accomodation and meals. There are so many options, it really hard to choose which islands to go to and where to stay.

On most islands you can also book a partial day trip to a good snorkeling/diving area, a traditional Fijian village, kayaking, a guided island walk or other activities.

The beaches are superb, but swimming is often dependent upon the tides as many lagoons are very shallow.

The locals, once fierce warriors, are now very friendly!
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A cool Fijian custom is the Kava ceremony. This is where you can meet with the Fijians in the evening and drink their famous narcotic beverage. It's not very strong, and it is usually served in a coconut shell. If you're lucky the village chief will attend and you'll get to see the locals on their best behavior (at least until the kava kicks in). It's a challenge to keep up with Fijians as they can drink 20-40 bowls a nite.

Of course there are other Fiji traditions for you to enjoy.

I was thinking I was going to have to go cold turkey from the ganja when I went to Fiji. Little did I know that the Fijians love marijuana and grow tons of it! It's cheap and pretty good smoke, although some people (like taxi drivers) will try to rip you off. You should not have to pay more than F$30 to get a few long stems with buds wrapped in tin foil, that when separated amount to around half an ounce. To get the best deal you can try visiting the growers in the Fiji highlands. If you bring some smoke out with you to the islands you'll make lots of Fijian friends as it's difficult for them to get it at times.

The Blue Lagoon - Sorry didn't see Brooke Shields
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My favorite places were the incredible Blue Lagoon (yes, where they filmed the movie!) and Kuata island. The Coral Coast, on the main island of Viti Levu is also a great place to hang out. You can also take a side trip to the island where they filmed Castaway with Tom Hanks.

Net Fishing along the Coral Coast of Viti Levu - Self Sufficiency made easy!
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The Fijian islands are sooo beautiful! The climate is superb and the people are very friendly. I was really impressed with how many Fijians are still living the old way, off the land and sea, without much money at all. Some of the villages on the outer islands are very isolated with only a two-way radio for communication. Indeed there is no Internet in the Yasawa islands, so it's a great escape for people like me who never seem to be able to get away from the WWW.

So if you're in the mood for an exotic tropical holiday or passing thru the South Pacific, Fiji is one stop you will love and remember for the rest of your life!

For more Fiji photos, visit the new Fiji Gallery at:
http://www.hipgallery.com/photopost2/showgallery.php/cat/1085

Cape Tribulation​

For a unique rainforest meets the beach experience, Cape Tribulation is the place. At the end of long winding paved road, it really feels like the end of the world. Here you can relax and enjoy one of the finest natural environments on the planet. With almost 17,000 hectares of virgin rainforest, Cape Tribulation National Park is definitely a world apart.

Thorton Beach​

The drive up from Cairns is a joy, with the narrow road winding along the coast, skirting breathtaking beaches. The dense rainforest canopy covers the steep slopes, extending right down to the shore. Stopping along the way to take in the spectacular views up the coast is recommended.

Daintree River​

At the Daintree river you must take a ferry across. It can be very busy at times, with a long wait to cross. Fortunately it runs everyday until around midnight, for late stragglers. Once past the river the road narrows and the jungle surrounds you. There are various attractions along the way including the Daintree National Forest, Cow Bay, Thorton Beach and various boardwalks through the rainforest.

Dubuji Rainforest Walk​

At Cape Tribulation, trails and boardwalks allow visitors to explore the rainforest and its incredibly variety of flora and fauna, including ancient tree ferns, mangrove swamps and fan palms. The rainforest is the perfect backdrop for the Cape's magnificent beaches, which remain pristine.

Scenic Daintree National Park​

There is a range of accomodation available in the area, but it's a good idea to call and make a reservation as they get fully booked in the high season. You can stay in jungle hostels as backpackers have for decades or opt for slightly more developed caravan parks, a farmstay, or a fully equiped resort.

Cape Tribulation Beach​

You can ride a horse on the beach, paddle a kayak or just kick back and enjoy the sounds of life in the rainforest. There's some coral right offshore to explore or you can take a diving trip to the Barrier Reef, which is closer to the mainland here than around Cairns.

You can take a four-wheel drive vehicle beyond Cape Tribulation to Bloomfield and Cooktown all the way to Cape York, the northern most part of Queensland if you choose, but that is where the real adventure begins. No matter what you do, Cape Tribulation is an amazing place you will never forget.

I finally made it to Cairns, my new base for exploring North Queensland. This town has really changed since my last visit 22 years ago! Back then there wasn't even an International Airport, and mostly backpackers knew about the wonders of this region.

Cairns Esplanade & International Hostel​

Today Cairns is a bustling place, with big hotels, shopping malls, artificial lagoon (in place of a beach), and crowds of tourists everywhere. It's still rather laid back compared to larger cities in Australia, and a good portion of the visitors are still backpackers.

Cairns Lagoon​

There's so much to do around here. That's why I've set my base up here since I'm working on three new websites, including the Hip Guide to Australia which will be unveiled in a few weeks.

Clifton Beach, north of Cairns​

I'll be visiting Kuranda, Cape Tribulation, The Great Barrier Reef, Daintree National Park (rainforests), Port Douglas and more. So here's a taste of what this paradise is like...

Four Mile Beach, Port Douglas​

After leaving the Gemfields I headed north on the Inland Way to Charter Towers. From there I went east to Townsville, where I got some books at a cool used bookstore and ate some Malaysian food.

Townsville Beach​

Next I went up the coast to find a nice beach near rainforest. I stayed in Mission Beach, a beautiful quiet little town, surrounded by jungle and National Parks. I saw no one on the beach except a fisherman.

Cardwell Beach​

I headed inland next to visit a friend on the Atherton Tablelands. This area is where they grow lots of sugarcane, bananas and other assorted tropical fruit and produce.

The beautiful Atherton Tablelands.​

My friend took me on a tour and we saw some amazing sites including huge trees and other natural wonders.

Curtain Fig Tree, Atherton Tablelands.​