Botanical Gardens & Palm Cove Beach

Get lost (not literally) on the lush grounds of the Botanical Gardens, and enjoy free time to explore the gorgeous seaside of Palm Cove.

A scenic drive will take you through the bustling city center before passing Cairns’ coastal mountain range with breathtaking views of the sparkling Coral Sea. You’ll arrive at the Botanical Gardens whose collection of tropical plants and flowers is considered the best in Australia. Over in Palm Cove, you’ll have free time to shop in the local boutiques, grab something to eat at a cafe, or swim and take in the beachside scenery under coastal palm trees.

Sustainable Tours

This tour operator has received third-party certification based on the Global Sustainable Tourism Council criteria.

Shore Thing Highlights

Take a scenic drive through Cairns; passing through its downtown area, gorgeous mountain ranges, and the Coral Sea
Enjoy the sea, beachfront boutiques, and chic cafes that are all part of Palm Cove
Cairns Botanical Gardens has one of the best collection of tropical plants and flowers in Australia
The Garden’s signature trees create a green canopy guarding a plant collection that is interspersed with flowing paths and waterways
Palm Cove features a gorgeous beach where you can go swimming independently during your free time

Need to know

Approximately 1-hour and 15-minutes of free time to explore the botanical gardens
The order of sites visited may vary
This Shore Thing operator has received third-party certification based on the Global Sustainable Tourism Council criteria
Approximately 1-hour of free time in Palm Cove
Approximately 45-minutes to 1-hour of drive time to/from the pier and your Shore Things destination
You can choose to go swimming independently during your free time — make sure to bring a bathing suit and towel

Experience shores the Virgin way

Local & Immersive Tours
Authentic experiences curated with local operators
A Sustainable Cause
Select tour bookings to help social charities
Peace of Mind
Modify/cancel up to 48hrs before where applicable
Priority Debark in Port
Be first ashore in all our ports of call
Safe and Insured
Our partners are licensed and insured
Transparent Pricing
No hidden costs, all-inclusive Shore Thing prices
Expert Travel Support
Pre-voyage to onboard assistance, always there
Stress-Free Returns
Ship will wait for you in the event of a delay
Convenient Collection
Convenience of one location to shop for your calls

Cairns

Cairns Culture, River Cruise, & Eco Tour

Get immersed in the native Mandingalbay Yidinji culture during a smoking ceremony, a tour of its ecosystem, and a river cruise.

Cairns

Cairns

Cairns & Great Barrier Reef Helicopter Ride

Take an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime helicopter ride for the most amazing views of reefs, rainforests, and cays from the sky.

Cairns

Cairns

Great Barrier Reef Catamaran Ride & Marine Dock

Enjoy the Great Barrier Reef on a double-decker boat over to a marine dock —giving you access to exploration, relaxation, and water activities.

Cairns

Cairns

Rainforest Inner Tubing Adventure

In an inner tube caravan, enjoy an aquatic trail of tropical tree canopies, freshwater streams, and a gorgeous rainforest backdrop.

Cairns

Cairns

Rainforest Railways, Kuranda Village, & Skyrail

Take a scenic train ride to the heart of the rainforest, explore its tropical town, and see it from above on a Skyrail cable car.

Cairns

Cairns

White Water Rafting — Small Group Tour

In a small group, experience the Barron Gorge National Park by white water rafting.

Cairns

Browse All Shore Things

Shore Things are fully refundable to the original form of payment. However, please note that Shore Things are only fully refundable if they are canceled within 48 hours prior to the booked Shore Thing taking place, unless stated otherwise in a specific Shore Thing 'Need to Know' section. If you fail to either (a) cancel within 48 hours of the booked Shore Thing (or alternative time period as may be stated in a specific Shore Thing 'Need to Know' section), or (b) show up for a booked Shore Thing, you will be charged for 100% of the Shore Thing price.

If you make a cancellation prior to the first day of your voyage and within 48 hours (unless otherwise stated in the tour details) of your Shore Thing, you will be refunded to the original form of payment after midnight Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the day of cancellation.

If you make another purchase prior to midnight EST, after canceling a booking eligible for a refund, the credit from the canceled booking will be applied to your new booking. Therefore, you’ll only be charged for the price difference between the canceled and new experience. If you have remaining temporary credit left on your account after you’ve made another experience purchase, the remaining credit will be refunded to your original form of payment after midnight EST.

If you cancel a Shore Thing during your voyage and are eligible for a refund, a credit will be applied to your folio and not to your original form of payment.

Shore Things departure times and/or meeting locations are subject to change. We will make every effort to notify Sailors in advance via the Sailor App of any tour departure and/or meeting changes.

Botanical Gardens & Palm Cove Beach

Get lost (not literally) on the lush grounds of the Botanical Gardens, and enjoy free time to explore the gorgeous seaside of Palm Cove.

Shore Thing Highlights

Need to know