Cairns is the capital of Far North Queensland, and its east coastal cities rest along the Great Barrier Reef. The state of Queensland occupies a vast 667,000 square miles and much of the land remains uninhabited, covered with miles of rainforest where Australian teak, hopp, pine and fig trees abound. Before 1879, when the city of Cairns was established, the only inhabitants of this region were the Aborigines, the culture for which Australia is perhaps best known.

Alotau is one of the world’s last great frontiers. This port is the gateway to a land of thriving tribal cultures, smoldering volcanoes and vast pristine mountainous rainforests of Papua New Guinea, as well as many historical memorials and relics from the Battle of Milne Bay during WWII. If you stay in town, stroll along the bustling harbor filled with fishing boats, outriggers and small ferries to arrive at the market. Delight in the scents and tastes of fresh tropical fruits from pineapples to guavas to kumquats.

Cairns is the capital of Far North Queensland, and its east coastal cities rest along the Great Barrier Reef. The state of Queensland occupies a vast 667,000 square miles and much of the land remains uninhabited, covered with miles of rainforest where Australian teak, hopp, pine and fig trees abound. Before 1879, when the city of Cairns was established, the only inhabitants of this region were the Aborigines, the culture for which Australia is perhaps best known.