Days and Nights in Cairns
Cairns is a port city; many boats go out from it to the Great Barrier Reef. The Esplanade Lagoon is a nice place to enjoy an ocean view without riding in a boat. Skydiving is another way to enjoy nature in Cairns. After all that, a visit to the Night Market is a good way to end your day, with various foods of different tastes and flavors.
The city was founded about 150 years ago, so the roads are very well organized and clean. In the daytime, you can shop at Woolworths ? a supermarket that exists all over Australia ? for your groceries. The city also has lots of places to buy souvenirs to take back to your friends in your hometown. The night market is located near the Woolworths and is famous for tourists, where they can buy various souvenirs and relax in massage shops.
The Night Market opens every day at 5 p.m. It contains items like opals, a precious stone, and leathers; Australia is well-known for the brand UGG, whose products are made of sheepskin, and opal that comes in many beautiful colors. Other than that, jerky, natural cosmetics, and woodcraft products are sold. Some products may seem to be of low quality, while others are more reliable. In addition to this, very tasty desserts, such as crepes and churros, are available. On the corner of the market, a food court gives visitors the opportunity to eat various foods from a selection of different countries for cheap. Since the market is open till midnight, you can enjoy a full day from early morning until late night in Cairns.
When you go to Cairns, you may be astonished by the fact that there are no beaches to swim around. In fact, swimming near the coast in Cairns is very dangerous because of the numerous jellyfish and saltwater crocodiles. Also, like the beaches in western Korea, most of the natural beaches in Cairns are foreshores, which are not the best for swimming and tanning. For these reasons, in 2003 an artificial beach was made by the city and paid for by donations from the residents. 80 billion KRW was needed to build this place, and it was named the Esplanade Lagoon. It has changed the panorama of Cairns into a romantic place with lots of sculptures and palm trees.
The Esplanade Lagoon is next to the coast, which gives swimmers a good view to see the ocean beside them. A pool consisting of various depths of water allows people of all ages to swim and have fun. Around the pool, there is sand and a grassplot where people tan freely. Well-appointed subsidiary facilities are ready for you to use: shower rooms, BBQ pits, cafes, and lockers, among other things.
These facilities cost a fee, but other things such as swimming, tanning, and the shower rooms are all free. An additional free option is the fabulous view around the pool, the sculptures, and the trails along the shoreline. This place has become a landmark in Cairns where visitors can enjoy swimming without having access to the other, more exclusive private pools in Cairns.
Greeting over two million visitors each year, the Great Barrier Reef is a popular spot for tourists. This enormous number of visitors is possible because the reef system is very big; it is longer than the Great Wall of China and is the only living thing visible from space on Earth. Also, this enormous place sustains a tremendous amount of living beings, including birds. The system consists of over 2,900 individual reefs, several sea turtle species, and more than 200 kinds of birds. About 10 percent of the species of fish in the world can be seen at the Great Barrier Reef. There are sea snakes and other ocean creatures, too.
If you decide to visit this place, one way to fully enjoy the Great Barrier Reef is by scuba diving. While descending in the water with an oxygen tank on your back, you may see things beyond your imagination and become stunned into silence. All kinds of marine life will greet you, such as the Humphead Wrasse, also known as the Napoleon Fish. However, if you are afraid of only breathing with your mouth, as is required while scuba diving, you could attempt helmet diving, which requires much less effort to breathe.
Another way to have fun at the Great Barrier Reef is to take a helicopter tour. It’s odd to see the ocean above the seabed, but since the water is very clean and the ocean surface is very low, you can see the reefs while you are up in the sky. Also, from this astonishing view you can see the entire shape of the reef system. If you are planning to visit one of the islands, choosing one while in a helicopter tour could be a special game for yourself.
Because of the rise of temperatures in the ocean, you must visit soon if you want to see the most colorful reefs in their natural condition. Climate change is reducing the kind of marine life on the reef, so if you are interested, visit quickly to see the view we saw!
How would it feel if you fell from 14,000 feet above the ground? Even with a parachute, you will be threatened by the atmosphere; though some may be thrilled. No matter what, you will have an unforgettable memory from this experience.
The freefall is very exciting and your heart pumps quickly. One of the surprising parts of the freefall is that you cannot hear your screams while dropping. You will scream more and more, and you will be hoarse after landing. Even so, you will scream, either in excitement or fear. However, skydiving is not only about the freefall, because one of the most exciting parts of skydiving is the view after you release your parachute. This experience is like the view from a paraglider, and one skydiver even said that skydiving is much better than paragliding because you don’t have to run by yourself to start.
Mission Beach is one popular spot for skydiving. The beach is beautiful and the water is warm. You can see Dunk Island and a quiet village on the mainland. You can also see entire coral reef system and lots of other islands. After landing, you will notice the office where you met your instructor is next to the beach.
You need several things to enjoy skydiving in Australia. First, you should join the Australian Parachute Federation and pay a membership fee. Next, they will ask you if you want to take pictures or videos during your sky dive. It may cost a bit, but it is worth it. This might be the last chance you experience skydiving! Lastly, and for your own safety, pay attention to the instructions on the ground. When you go up in the plane, your mind will go blank.
Australia, and especially Cairns, stresses the importance of preserving the nature they have, so please be considerate. If you are, this place could be a perfect spot for your next vacation.
Lee Moon-joo
dia7moon@uos.ac.kr