Cairns Esplanade Lagoon
A free 4,800-square-meter saltwater pool and lawn on the seafront in the city centre, with barbecue spots, a night market and a waterfront path, the city’s living room.
Cairns has no urban beaches (the coastline is mudflats and mangroves, home to crocodiles and jellyfish), so the city council built this free 4,800-square-meter saltwater pool, the Esplanade Lagoon, along the esplanade. Lifeguards are on duty, and it is surrounded by lawns, shade shelters and free electric barbecues. Locals and visitors alike swim, picnic and watch the sunset here. The pool is closed for cleaning on Wednesday mornings; otherwise it is open from 06:00 to 21:00. The Esplanade waterfront path extends north from the lagoon for about 2.5 kilometers, with a birdwatching platform (where you can see waterbirds in the mangroves), Muddy’s Playground water park for children, outdoor exercise equipment and a skate park. Its southern end connects to the Reef Fleet Terminal pier and a casino. A waterfront market is held on weekend mornings, and after 5 p.m. the nearby Cairns Night Markets offer snacks and foot-massage stalls. This is an easy activity for arrival day or around boat trips: a morning run, then an evening swim to watch the sunset, with little extra cost. The beach outside the pool is not safe for swimming, and outdoor activities in Australia call for bringing your own sunscreen.
Opening hours
6:00 am–9:00 pm (closed for cleaning Wed 6:00 am–noon)
Nearby sights
- Cairns Night Markets
- Cairns Aquarium
- Rusty's Markets
- Cairns Botanic Gardens
- Crystal Cascades
- Rainforestation Nature Park
- Barron Gorge & Barron Falls
- Kuranda / Skyrail Rainforest Cableway