← Cairns Marathon·1 night

Palm Cove: One Night on the Williams Esplanade

A short hop north to a 1.5 km flat beachfront path, a 300 m jetty and netted swimming, with a night by the sea and dinner on the Williams Esplanade.

Duration1 night
Transit25–30 min by car (27 km) or 40–50 min by Sunbus 110/111 from Cairns
DepartsCairns

After the Cairns Marathon: Palm Cove

The Route: Cairns → Palm Cove → Cairns Airport Logistics: Car, taxi or Sunbus. North up the Captain Cook Highway along the coast, one night, then back south to the airport. Marathon Month: July Duration: 1 night

Cairns ──(25–30 mins by car, 27 km, Captain Cook Highway)──> Palm Cove
                                                               │
Cairns Airport (CNS) ◄──(about 20–25 mins by car)──────────────┘

The Cairns Marathon ends at Fogarty Park after four laps of the Esplanade. Palm Cove, 27 km up the coast, offers the same idea at a slower pace: a beachfront path with nothing to climb, sea on one side and restaurants on the other, and a quiet night away from the city.

July in Palm Cove: the heart of the dry season, and the best time of year for the beach. From May to October, volunteer lifesavers set stinger nets at the patrolled beach and check them daily, so swimming inside the enclosure is possible; from November to April box jellyfish and irukandji are present and the advice changes. July days are warm and evenings mild. It is also peak season in the region, so book the night early.

By car or taxi the drive takes 25 to 30 minutes along the Captain Cook Highway. Sunbus routes 110 and 111 link Cairns and Palm Cove in 40 to 50 minutes, with fares of around A$5 to A$8 (£3 to £4) one way, but services run only every one to two hours, so check the timetable before setting out.

Night One: Palm Cove

Palm Cove is a small resort village strung along one beachfront road, the Williams Esplanade.

The primary recovery walk is the beachfront path, which runs the full 1.5 km length of the village. It is flat, sealed and lit in the evening, so an after-dinner walk is as easy as a morning one, and it continues north towards Clifton Beach for anyone who wants more. The beach beside it is firm near the waterline at low tide.

The jetty runs about 300 m out over the water. It is free, open at all hours and level, and it is the place to watch the sunrise.

Swimming inside the stinger net is the other recovery option: calm, shallow water, and cool enough to feel good on the legs without the effort of an ice bath.

Where to stay: Peppers Beach Club and Spa, on the Williams Esplanade, has a spa and puts the beach path on the doorstep. Alamanda Palm Cove by Lancemore is a boutique resort with its own spa.

Where to eat: Nu Nu serves modern Australian food with Asian influences and is the place for the one proper dinner. Vivo Bar and Grill does woodfired pizza and pasta for a more casual evening.

Getting to Cairns Airport

Cairns Airport (CNS) lies between Palm Cove and the city, about 20 to 25 minutes south by car or taxi. Book a taxi the evening before an early flight; Sunbus services are too infrequent to rely on for a departure.