Palm Cove to Cairns: Distance, driving time and road trip attractions

The distance from Palm Cove to Cairns by car is 26km, with a driving time of around 26 minutes. Road trip attractions on the way include Clifton Beach, the Cairns Wake Park and the Cairns Botanic Garden.

The Palm Cove to Cairns drive connects one of the most popular resort towns in far north Queensland to the region’s tourism hub.

Palm Cove is all about spas and luxury hotels and hip beachside restaurants such as Nu Nu, whereas Cairns is more of an all-rounder.

Cairns brings Great Barrier Reef snorkelling cruises, World Heritage-listed rainforest adventures, glass bottom boat tours at Green Island and the Kuranda Scenic Railway into the mountains. To choose from a wide range of memorable Cairns tours and experiences, look here. To pick the Cairns accommodation best suited to you, book here.

Trip-booster! 8 great day trips from Cairns to power-up your holiday

Kuranda combo package – take the Kuranda Scenic Railway up and the Skyrail cable car down.
Green Island tours with beach time, glass bottom boat and snorkelling. (Or pick a Fitzroy Island trip instead).
Moore Reef day tour – with underwater observatory, snorkelling gear, glass bottom boat & semi-submersible cruises.
Great Barrier Reef snorkelling cruise – with snorkelling stops at two excellent spots on the Reef.
Cape Tribulation rainforest day tour – with Mossman Gorge Aboriginal cultural experience and Daintree River crocodile-watching cruise.
Atherton Tableland waterfalls and rainforest tour – including wildlife-spotting and a swim in a volcanic lake.
Outback 4WD tour – visiting Chillagoe Caves, Aboriginal rock art and Granite Gorge.

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How close is Cairns to Palm Cove?

But is Cairns close enough to Palm Cove to be a viable choice for a night out? Is it too much of an effort to get to those reef trip departures?

The good news is that Palm Cove is a suburb of Cairns. It’s right at the northern limits, admittedly, but it’s still within the Cairns orbit.

DON’T MISS OUT! 6 Palm Cove experiences worth booking in advance

Skyrail Rainforest Cableway to Kuranda – with Palm Cove transfers.
Kayaking with turtles around Double Island.
Atherton Tableland rainforest and waterfalls day tour.
Sunrise stand-up paddleboarding lesson.
Cape Tribulation, Mossman Gorge and Daintree Rainforest day tour.
Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures trip, leaving from Palm Cove.

Palm Cove to Cairns distance and driving time

The distance from Palm Cove to Cairns by car is about 26km. This makes for a Palm Cove to Cairns driving time of around 26 minutes. This drive passes the other northern Cairns Beaches – Clifton Beach, Trinity Beach and Kewarra Beach before skirting around Smithfield.

Save time queuing – Book these Cairns attractions in advance

From the air: Outer Reef helicopter flight | Sunrise hot air balloon ride | Skyrail Rainforest Cableway.
At night: Sunset dinner cruise | Pub and club tour | Aquarium by Twilight experience.
For wildlife: Birdworld Kuranda | Kuranda Koala Gardens | Cairns Zoom and Wildlife Dome | Cairns Aquarium | Rainforestation Nature Park
For culture: Cairns Museum tickets | Street art walking tour | City and surrounds highlights bus tour.
For thrills: AJ Hackett giant jungle swing | High speed jet boat tour | Barron Gorge white water rafting | Mulgrave River tubing.

Smithfield is home to several key Cairns tourist attractions, including the Cairns Wake Park, Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and Skypark Cairns. The latter is the only permanent bungy jump site in Cairns.

Bungy jump at Skypark Cairns. Photo courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland.

Cairns Airport to Palm Cove

Shortly after crossing the Barron River, the Palm Cove to Cairns drive passes Cairns Airport. That the airport is on the northern side of Cairns is part of what makes Palm Cove so appealing. It’s only a short transfer from Cairns Airport to Palm Cove.

Heading south, however, you’ll go past the excellent Cairns Botanic Gardens on the way into the city centre.