6 Of The Best Campsites And Holiday Parks In Cairns

With luxury resort styled holiday parks and a variety of free campsites, we’re talking all about the best places to camp in Cairns!

Cairns is the place to be for tropical adventures in Australia, with a huge variety of golden beaches, lakes, waterfalls, and so much more! The Daintree Rainforest, Palm Cove, and Port Douglas are all within easy reach when you’ve got a motorhome hire to get you there. There’s definitely no shortage of things to do in Cairns, now you just need to decide where you’re going to camp!

Thanks to your motorhome, you’ll have your own shower and toilet with you, so you’re more than welcome to try your hand at free camping! As always, a powered site is a must-have if you’re camping somewhere for multiple days, and you should make sure you connect to power every second day. Also, please drive on sealed roads unless you’re travelling no more than 12km to a recognised caravan park.

It's time to get out your pen and paper, because here’s some of our top picks for campervan and holiday parks in Cairns!

Great Barrier Reef, Tourism & Events Queensland

BIG4 Ingenia Holidays Cairns Coconut Resort

Rating: 4.6 Stars (Google Reviews)

Cost: From $50 per night (Check their website for accurate pricing)

Distance to Cairns: 14 minutes

Types of Camping: Powered & Unpowered Sites, Cabins, Villas

BIG4’s Cairns Coconut Resort is a theme park entirely of its own! This is one of the greatest family-friendly campsites in Cairns, with a huge range of activities for kids of all ages.

It’s also incredibly close to all the best tourist destinations, with the Great Barrier Reef, Daintree Rainforest, and Kuranda all conveniently nearby!

Things To Do:

• • Cairns
  • Great Barrier Reef
  • Daintree Rainforest
  • Kuranda & the scenic railway
  • Beaches

Facilities:

• • Shower/Bathroom Amenities
  • BBQ area
  • Camp kitchen
  • Laundry facilities
  • Fuel pump
  • Water park & lagoon pool
  • Tennis/badminton court
  • 18-hole mini golf
  • Massages
  • Basketball court
  • Adventure playground, jumping pillows, kids’ zone, & more!
  • Onsite restaurant
  • Kiosk
  • WiFi
  • Dump point

Palm Cove, Tourism & Events Queensland

NRMA Palm Cove Holiday Park

Rating:  4.4 Stars (Google Reviews)

Cost: From $50 per night (Check their website for accurate pricing)

Distance to Cairns: 28 minutes

Types of Camping: Powered & Unpowered Sites

For a classic camping experience with no fancy cabins or water parks, NRMA Palm Cove Holiday Park is the place to go! This eco-certified holiday park is located next to gorgeous golden beaches, making it the best place to relax after a busy day of touring around Cairns.

Things To Do:

• • Cairns
  • Great Barrier Reef
  • Daintree Rainforest
  • Kuranda & the scenic railway
  • Beaches

Facilities:

• • Shower/Bathroom Amenities
  • Bathroom & shower amenities
  • BBQ area
  • Accessible amenities
  • Camp kitchen
  • Laundry facilities
  • Kiosk
  • WiFi
  • Dump point

Cairns, Tourism & Events Queensland

NRMA Cairns Holiday Park

Rating:  4.2 Stars (Google Reviews)

Cost: From $49 per night (Check their website for accurate pricing)

Distance to Cairns: 5 minutes

Types of Camping: Powered & Unpowered Sites, Cabins, Villas

NRMA Cairns Holiday Park is a great home base for your motorhome holiday. You’ll be staying incredibly close to the main tourist hub, and some of the best destinations in Cairns are only a short road trip away.

There is free WiFi onsite, but you’ll be limited to 1GB per day – so bring a variety of entertainment with you and be prepared to switch off from the online world. The staff organise morning teas, events, and trivia nights every other day, so this is a great opportunity to get out and meet people.

Things To Do:

• • Cairns
  • Great Barrier Reef
  • Daintree Rainforest
  • Kuranda & the scenic railway
  • Beaches

Facilities:

• • Shower/Bathroom Amenities
  • Bathroom & shower amenities
  • BBQ area
  • Accessible amenities
  • Camp kitchen
  • Laundry facilities
  • Kiosk
  • Communal area
  • Saltwater pool
  • WiFi (limited, 1GB)
  • Dump point

Zillie Falls (Atherton), Tourism & Events Queensland

Ellis Beach Oceanfront Holiday Park

Rating:  4.3 Stars (Google Reviews)

Cost: From $49 per night (Check their website for accurate pricing)

Distance to Cairns: 30 minutes

Types of Camping: Powered & Unpowered sites, Cabins

Another ‘back to basics’ camping experience, Ellis Beach Oceanfront Holiday Park has some of the most gorgeous ocean views! This is a great place for relaxing, and you’ll find yourself surrounded by palm trees and sparkling waters.

You’ll also be conveniently close to Kuranda, Palm Cove, and the Atherton Tablelands – so there’s plenty of things to do around Cairns!

Things To Do:

• • Cairns
  • Great Barrier Reef
  • Kuranda & the scenic railway
  • Beaches
  • Whitsunday Islands
  • Palm Cove
  • Atherton

Facilities:

• • Bathroom & shower amenities
  • Laundry rooms & iron hire
  • Coin operated BBQs
  • Swimming & wading pool
  • Scan & photocopy facilities
  • Beach towel hire
  • Tour desk & internet café
  • General store
  • No WiFi

Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures (Wangetti), Tourism & Events Queensland

Tasman Holiday Parks Cairns Cool Waters

Rating:  4.5 Stars (Google Reviews)

Cost: From $49 per night (Check their website for accurate pricing)

Distance to Cairns: 12 minutes

Types of Camping: Powered & Unpowered sites, Cabins

Tasman Holiday Parks Cairns Cool Waters is a tropical escape surrounded by rainforest and mountains. This is a great destination for relaxation and the perfect base for exploration!

This family-friendly campsite has a variety of options for entertainment, with the usual swimming areas and recreation rooms as well as a nearby creek where you can potentially spot some turtles or platypuses!

Things To Do:

• • Cairns
  • Cairns botanic garden + esplanade
  • Australian butterfly sanctuary & Cairns aquarium
  • Great Barrier Reef
  • Kuranda & the scenic railway
  • Beaches
  • Whitsunday Islands
  • Palm Cove
  • Atherton
  • Wangetti

Facilities:

• • Multiple bathroom & shower amenities
  • Laundry rooms
  • Saltwater pool & spa
  • BBQ area
  • Recreation room w/ TV
  • Tour booking office
  • Onsite cafe
  • WiFi

Babinda Boulders, Tourism & Events Queensland

Babinda Boulders

Rating:  4.6 Stars (Google Reviews)

Cost: From $0 per night

Distance to Cairns: 12 minutes

Types of Camping: Unpowered sites

If you’re looking for free campsites in Cairns, Babinda Boulders is for you! To get to the campground, follow the sealed road and discover a small selection of unpowered sites. Since this is a free campsite, it’s first in first served! No bookings can be made and you’re only able to stay for 72 hours.

Another free campsite is the Babinda Rotary Park, which also has a dump point, toilets, hot showers, as well as some swings and opportunities for swimming.

Things To Do:

• • Cairns
  • Great Barrier Reef
  • Babinda
  • The Daintree
  • Beaches

Facilities:

• • Toilets & cold showers
  • BBQ area

Are You Ready For Your Camping Trip In Cairns?

With tropical beachside campgrounds and luxurious holiday parks complete with waterparks and restaurants to suit all budgets, Cairns really is a great destination for your motorhome holiday!

Our motorhomes are especially great for camping, so set yourself up at a powered site and freely explore everything Cairns has to offer. Aside from our Cruisin’ Hi-Top Campervans, all our motorhomes are fully equipped with a shower and toilet. Check out our range of vehicles and choose the one which best suits your needs.

So go ahead and book your motorhome hire in Cairns today! Call our friendly reservations team on 1300 664 485 or check out our website to see what we have available at our Cairns branch.