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Blueprint Travel Update: Cairns, Australia

Published 7 months ago • 2 min read

ISSUE XLVIII

2025 APRIL 07

BLUEPRINT TRAVEL UPDATE:

Visiting Cairns to See the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and was a huge bucket list item for us to explore. When researching the northern area of Queensland (where the reef is located), we realized that Cairns, Australia would not only give us incredible access to the reef but also allow us to explore the oldest rainforest in the world. It felt special to be able to visit these two incredibly different habitats from just one location.

We absolutely loved snorkeling in the warm waters around the Great Barrier Reef. (When it’s constantly above 80°F or 27°C, the water is really quite warm.) We got really lucky with the weather and the water remained glassy calm for our entire boat tour, making it easy to just float and watch the fish swim beneath us. With the changing tides, the reef was inches from the surface of the water in some locations. And being able to get so close to the reef by snorkeling meant that it was very accessible to people who may not have their scuba license. But it still made us think about the potential of getting our scuba license in the future and the world that would open up to us.

The bonus about being in Cairns was to be able to visit the Daintree rainforest. Its prehistoric nature is truly remarkable and made us think about our presence on Earth. The more we travel, the more philosophical we get…

BLUEPRINT TRAVELERS' GUIDE FOR VISITING THE GREAT BARRIER REEF AND DAINTREE NATIONAL PARK FROM CAIRNS

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The Best Things to Do in Cairns from the Daintree Rainforest to the Great Barrier Reef

A sample itinerary for visiting Cairns, the place where the rainforest meets the reef. The best way to explore this varied and unique destination.

NEWS ARTICLES WE ARE FOLLOWING:

There is a lot going on in the world right now that we are talking about and following. Much of what happens in the United States has major effects on the policies and economies of the world and we feel it first hand when talking to locals about their daily lives and hardships and the conversation often leads to United States politics. We want to find ways to weave these perspectives into our writing and blog posts. For now, we will share some articles that are less impacted by the geopolitical chaos of the world right now.

CNN TRAVEL

How far can you go without a map and smartphone in Japan? US gamer Ludwig Ahgren tries to find out

A US gamer has traveled across Japan using only his intuition and it has completely changed his experience while traveling. Without his smartphone, he had to mingle and interact with locals to get recommendations, directions, etc. and all of this led to a rich and culturally integrated experience. This is in contrast to other influencers who have angered Japan by misbehaving to gain popularity. Read the article to learn more and check out Ludwig's Youtube videos about the experience here.

BBC TRAVEL

An F1 driver's fast and furious guide to Tokyo

Formula 1 happens around the world and this past weekend, the race was just outside of Tokyo (in an area that is the manufacturing center of the major car manufacturers of Japan). F1 has a Japanese driver on its circuit, Yuki Tsunoda, who has given his own perspective on food and travel in Tokyo. Read more for inspiration from a local.

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