You’ve come to the right place if you are flying to Cairns but don’t know where to stay. We have made it easy for you. Below you will read about the 13 best hostels in Cairns where you can stay during your visit. Cairns is one of the most popular tropical paradises found in Australia.
It has a residential population of around 150 million. It is located in the Tropical North Queensland and offers a vast range of activities, from toddlers to teens and adults.
The majority of tourist attractions are nature-based; hence, ever since they were made, they have been preserved by nature and are still in their original shape.It is also the most remote city and is claimed to be the “safest tropical city in the world.”
Visiting Cairns will allow you to look closely at the two of the greatest gifts of nature; the tropical rainforests and the great barrier reef while you stay at one of the best hostels in Cairns.
Cairns is located at a distance of 17000 km away from the capital of Australia, so if you want to visit this beautiful place, all you need to do is to fly in from state capital to Cairns.
13 Best Hostels in Cairns – Our top picks for you!
Traveling to Cairns and can’t decide which hostel is best for you? You don’t need to worry as we have got it covered for you in the following list.
#1 – Bounce Cairns
Overall best hostel in Cairns
- $$
- Free breakfast
- Airport shuttle is free from the airport to the hostel
The Bounce Cairns is located in the heart of Cairns and is based upon a resort-style hostel. It was recently updated with the addition of free breakfast, free Wi-Fi, and airport shuttle facilities for its guests.
It is situated only a short distance from popular tourist attractions so you can make the best out of your time while staying at the hostel. All the rooms are air-conditioned with private bathrooms.
Each room has a private balcony. The hostel also has a gym where you can ensure that you stay fit even when traveling. Moreover, there is an outdoor bar in the hostel, which offers a good opportunity to socialize with people.
Due to parties, the hostel can get loud, but the hostel provides earplugs that sorts out the problem.
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#2 – Global Backpackers
Best Party hostel in Cairns
- $$
- Recently built
- Tour guides
The Global Backpackers is located on the Cairns Esplanade Waterfront. It is an ideal hostel where you would enjoy your time if you are a party lover.
The hostel has modern facilities like Netflix, which is not commonly present in other hostels. The hostel has an aesthetic view to offer from the rooms, and the rooftop of the 4th floor of the hostel overlooks the lagoon.
The eight-bedroom dorms are clean, comfortable, and well-featured with all the facilities. The kitchen has good facilities, but it closes down at 10 pm, so you would have to make sure to arrive early to grab a snack.
There is free breakfast for guests, and the lounge is spacious. Some rooms of the hostel need regular airing as they are quite damp.
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#3 – Mad Monkey Backpackers Village
Best hostel for socializing
- $
- Outdoor terrace
- Air-conditioned rooms
This hostel offers affordable accommodation to the hostellers visiting Cairns. The guests are served with free breakfast every day, which includes freshly made pancakes and fresh fruits.
You can have access to gym facilities and keep your belongings safely in the security lockers present in the hostel.
The lockers are secured with BYO padlocks. You can also enjoy free bicycle rides during their stay at the hostel. The hostel also conducts several different events like pizza night, BBQ night, and beer pong.
The outdoor area of the hostel has been designed beautifully and is a really good place to hang out. The beds are soft and comfortable, which is a plus if you want to have a good sleep at night.
The lockers are not present in each room, so you would have to keep your belongings in the locker outside the rooms.
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#4 – Travelers Oasis
Best Cheap hostel in Cairns
- $
- Late check out
- Self-catering facilities
If you are in search of an affordable yet comfortable hostel, then this one would fit your needs perfectly. The hostel has been recently renovated and designed with the ambiance and atmosphere of North Queensland.
The hostel is well surrounded by beautiful tropical gardens where you can go out for a walk and enjoy being close to nature. Travelers Oasis has a swimming pool and BBQ area where you can sit back and relax in the hammocks fixed under the palm trees.
The hostel has 3, 4, and 6-bed dorm rooms. All the facilities are available in the rooms, and the staff is genial. Many communal areas are available in the hostel where you can socialize with people.
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#5 – The Jack Backpackers
Best for facilities
- $$
- Housekeeping
- Laundry facilities
The Jack Backpackers is regarded as one of the best hostels in Cairns due to the extensive facilities it offers to the guests. It offers free dinners where you are served with freshly made food.
The hostel is facilitated with lockers where you can keep your belongings safely. It is an ideal place to stay if you plan to visit the Daintree rainforest and the Great barrier reef, two popular tourist attractions not only in Cairn but also in Australia.
The hostel is located only 2 minutes away from the city attractions, lagoon, and major shopping centers.
The bathrooms are common for both males and females but are clean. There is a bar near the hostel due to which it can get really loud and noisy in the hostel, especially at night.
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#6 – Globetrotters International
Best with Peaceful Environment
- $$
- Free breakfast
- Free parking
Globetrotters International is an ideal hostel for those who love a calm and peaceful environment away from the chaos and noise of bars. This means that there is no bar within the premises of this hostel.
You can experience the wonderful lifestyle of Cairns through this hostel. The staff is really helpful and ready to solve any queries for you. The rooms have normal beds instead of bunk beds, which means that the rooms are more spacious.
Each room has its own private bathroom with lockers in them. It is a great place to stay if you want to relax instead of going out and socializing with people simply.
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#7 – Summer house Cairns
Best with rooms
- $
- Key card access
- Steam room
The Summer House Cairns is a resort hotel located at a distance of five minutes from Cairns Esplanade and also serves as a gateway to the Barrier Reef. The hostel contains many different facilities to keep the guests entertained during their stay in the hostel.
The various facilities include a lagoon-style, several common areas, gardens, an onsite bar which offers great deals on food and drinks. The staff at the hostel is highly enthusiastic about serving the guests and them to help you 24/7.
The facilities are of top-notch standard. The city is at a walk of approximately 35 to 40 minutes from the hostel. The rooms are decent and well maintained in different sizes so that you can choose the one that suits your needs.
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#8 – DreamTime Travelers Rest
- $$
- Outdoor swimming pool
- Bicycle parking
This hostel has been ranked as the best hostel in Australia by hostelworld two times in a row. The dreamtime travelers rest has been set along with a tropical garden with a swimming pool right outside the hostel.
The hostlers can sit back and relax while enjoying the chill atmosphere of the hostel. The staff makes the experience even more worth it by providing you with the best services and always being there to solve any queries.
The rooms are featured with free Wi-Fi. The rooms are clean and comfortable with plenty of bathroom accessories. You can help yourself with food in the kitchen that has been designed and maintained nicely. The laundry hours and reception hours can get a little inconvenient for the guests.
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#9 – Tropic Days Backpackers
- $$
- Free breakfast
- Courtesy bus from and to the town
The tropic days backpackers are the perfect choice for travelers who are looking for a budget-friendly hostel to stay in while they are visiting Australia.
The hostel offers free towels and linen along with free luggage storage, pool table, reef drop off, and much more. The hostel has a home-like vibe to it with the garden in the hostel where you can hang around and interact with new people.
The staff is really helpful and friendly to all the guests which make your stay at the hostel worthwhile. The Wi-Fi works quite fast in contrast to other hostels as there are four channels of WIFI to choose from.
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#10 – Cairns Central YHA
- $$
- Card phones
- Large courtyard
The Cairns Central YHA has everything you need and looks forward to for a comfortable stay in a hostel of Cairns. Being centrally located, it has 61 rooms, all built differently so you can choose the one that fits you best.
This includes family rooms, single rooms, twin rooms, and dorms. All the rooms are air-conditioned, and a number of them are en-suited.
The hostel has free Wi-Fi. The management organizes activities every evening while the day starts with a delicious breakfast of pancakes, for free.
The hostel has onsite parking and also offers paid shuttle of $5 to and from the airport. The kitchen area is well managed, although some stoves do not seem to work.
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#11 – Freedom hostels Cairns
- $$
- BBQ
- Air-conditioned rooms
The Freedom hostels in Cairns are freshly refurbished hostels that allow you to experience the modern hostel life. Free breakfast is served to the guests and free Wi Fi is also provided.
It is located on the main Cairns, so you have easy access to all the local food and drinks. If you want to experience outdoor adventures, you would be only 2 minutes away from experiencing snorkeling and swimming in the Esplanade Lagoon.
The rooms are clean, and the staff ensures that you are well provided with all the necessities during your stay at the hostel.
The kitchen and patio of the hotel are spacious. The fans in the rooms, however, are really loud, so you would have to stick with the air conditioning if you want to stay here.
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#12 – Calypso Backpackers
- $$
- Free airport transfer
- Free Wi-Fi
Imagine relaxing back in a hammock with a glass of drink in your hand while you sit in a relaxed atmosphere? You can turn this imagination into reality by staying in the Calypso Backpackers hostel where palm trees would surround you.
The hostel offers night entertainment at their local pub, which is located within the hostel. Being spacious, the hostel doesn’t feel crowded even during the peak seasons of tourism in Cairns.
If you are more of a party-loving person than a calm atmosphere lover, then you enjoy your stay here. At night, the hostel is full of life as there are music and a bunch of fun activities taking place at the common bar area.
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#13 – Waterfront Backpackers
- $$
- Free continental breakfast
- Tour discounts
The Waterfront Backpackers is located in an ideal location with a distance of only a few meters from the swimming lagoon of Cairns and the sun-baking park.
It is best for travellers on the go who want to spend less time in the hostel and more time exploring the city. To cater this, the hostel even provided competitive discounts to guests on tours and different activities taking place in the city.
While staying in the hostel, you would be only a few steps away from the local eateries and nightclubs. The kitchen is managed so you can easily help yourself with breakfast, lunch, or dinner whenever you want. The air conditioners in the room do not work and need to be fixed.
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FAQs
What is the best time to visit Cairns?
April to September is the best an ideal time to visit for the perfect parity of moderate convenience, warm dry climate and flimsy groups. By flying in after summer, you'll totally miss the Christmas swarms and the high dampness, while as yet having the option to appreciate daylight and warm days.
How many days in Cairns is enough?
Probably the best things to see and do in Cairns should be possible in 3 days, yet that lone contacts the surface. With actually many things to see and do you truly could go through 2 or 3 weeks. There is a great deal going on and you positively would prefer not to miss it. Investigate Cairns, heading off to the seashore, free and open swimming pool (Cairns Explanada Lagoon), doing some shopping.
Is Cairns expensive to visit?
Most worldwide guests who come to Cairns do as such to visit the close by Great Barrier Reef. The uplifting news for spending voyagers is that Cairns will, in general, be in any event somewhat more affordable than the enormous urban communities in Australia with regards to inns and even food costs, is considered as easygoing spots.
Is Cairns a good holiday destination?
It's a flat out yes! Cairns is extremely worth the visit when you're in Australia. Spend in any event 1 or 2 days in Cairns downtown area and set aside some additional effort to visit different features around Cairns. Cairns is an occasion goal for all seasons. This North Queensland jewel is the perfect spot for appreciating tropical atmospheres, exquisite seashores, social attractions and the Great Barrier Reef.
Final Thoughts!
After going through the long process of visa, tickets, and passports, finding the right hostel seems like another hectic thing to do. But you don’t need to worry as we have it all covered for you in the above list of best hostels in Cairns.
All you need to do is sit down and compare the hostels and choose the one that appeals you the most. Consider your priorities to make the process of choosing the hostel easier. This can range from atmosphere, location, calmness, and facilities.