Where did I stay when visiting Babinda Boulders for a swim? How did I travel to this accessible swim in the rainforest?
Above: Some of the boulders at Babinda Boulders(Order this image)
A heads up: If you book anything using the links in this article, I may receive a commission. This happens at no extra cost to you, but really
helps me recover costs to maintain this website for swimmers. See my affiliate links policy for more.
Babinda Boulders Campground
The closest accommodation to Babinda Boulders is the Babinda Boulders Campground,
which is a 200 metre walk from your tent, RV or caravan to the Babinda Boulders car park.
The campground is free, but there are only around half a dozen sites, so you have to be pretty lucky to secure one. The facilities are also fairly basic, with only cold showers,
toilets, and no power, but there are barbecue facilities. Dogs are not allowed. If the campground is full, head back to the Babinda Rotary Park in town, 8 km from the Babinda Boulders,
which has more sites available, an RV dump point, hot showers, and dogs are allowed there. The maximum stay duration is 72 hours (3 days) at each location.
Above: Babinda Boulders Campground(Order this image)
Accommodation in Babinda
Babinda is only a small town, 8 km from the Babinda Boulders, but it has a large grand old pub, a great bakery, a library, two dollar shop, and a handful of other shops. Apart from the
campground at the Babinda Rotary Park on Howard Kennedy Drive mentioned above, the most popular and unique stay in town is at
Babinda Quarters,
which was an old art deco nurses' quarters that was converted into a guesthouse with some striking interior decor.
Above: The cute little Babinda Library in the main street of Babinda(Order this image)
Where I stayed
I visited Babinda Boulders on a day trip from Cairns, as most visitors to the Boulders probably do. It is a 65 km trip or around a one hour drive.
When visiting Cairns, I most recently stayed at the
Cairns Colonial Club Resort (as a paying guest). The main attraction for me was that it was very reasonably priced, with street parking
available, and it has a pool.
Above: The main pool at the Colonial Club Resort in Cairns(Order this image)
In fact it has two pools - a huge main pool and a smaller pool towards the back of the complex that has a swim-up bar. I stayed in a one bedroom motel unit that was
small but quiet and comfortable. The complex itself is huge, with hundreds of guests and a 24 hour reception, and a whole heap of facilities and activities, including mini golf and a restaurant. On
my visit it was also hosting a school camp. All of the walkways to the rooms are covered for when it rains. Parking is available out the front of the complex (i.e. not in front of your room),
with a few spots along the circular driveway and plenty of spots on the street directly outside the reception.
Local swimming hole tours
Cairns is one of Australia's premier holiday destinations, with plenty of holiday activities on offer. Apart from visiting swimming holes and waterfalls, in my visits to Cairns I have taken
snorkeling tours to the Great Barrier Reef, gone skydiving, and taken a day trip to do some white water rafting on the Tully River south of Cairns.
A trip up to Kuranda along the Kuranda railway is also hugely popular with tourists, which I have travelled on in the past to take a look at Barron Falls.
If you are looking for a local guide to help enjoy some freshwater swimming experiences around Cairns, here are some options that mention tours to Babinda Boulders.
These tours can be a good option if you do not have your own transport. I have been to all of these swimming locations around Cairns, but not on these tours,
so make sure you read the tour descriptions and reviews carefully before booking:
More information about Babinda Boulders:
If you have arrived at this accommodation web page directly, you can find out more about swimming at the lagoon in my guide to Babinda Boulders. I hope
you enjoy your stay here.
