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Cairns Esplanade Lagoon
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Cairns Esplanade Lagoon

See all things to do
See all things to do
Cairns Esplanade Lagoon
4.5
3,690
#8 of 86 things to do in Cairns
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12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Monday
6:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
6:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
6:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
6:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
6:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
6:00 AM - 6:00 PM
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About
Escape the heat at one of Cairns' best known landmarks, the Esplanade Lagoon. Set on the Cairns foreshore overlooking Trinity Inlet, the 4800 sq metre saltwater swimming lagoon offers locals and tourists a year round safe swimming location. Saltwater is pumped from the inlet and filtered through a state of the art filtration and chlorination system, to meet Australian Standards. The kids can enjoy the sandy edges, build sand castles and play in shallow water. On the other side of the Lagoon, visitors can lounge on the timber decks in moderate shade. Shady trees, landscaped gardens and open spaces all contribute to the leisurely atmosphere on the Esplanade The Lagoon is open 6am-6pm Thursday - Tuesday, Midday-6pm Wednesday all year round.
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The area
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
3,690 reviews
Excellent
2,434
Very good
1,029
Average
181
Poor
32
Terrible
14
Peter M
Melbourne, Australia1,079 contributions
Cairns Esplanade Lagoon
Nov 2022
This pool is part of the ocean which serves as a pool and very popular and has green grass instead of sand. It also has a nice park with rides for the children .I noticed many women in very skimpy bikinis there and many kids as well
Written 21 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Grace K
Hurstville, Australia73 contributions
Must visit!! Great free public pool
Jan 2023 • Family
Why don’t we have this in all of our cities lol!!! Awesome place to hang out and swim, water is very warm and life guards on duty, 15 second walk from the Night Market and food court, easy parking at the Night Market or off street parking. If you are in Cairns, this is a must go place! No charge for the pool and cheap eateries around with good toilet facilities and green parks.
Written 21 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Jason R
Darwin, Australia80 contributions
Nice place to chill.
Dec 2022 • Family
Nice place to chill for a bit with the kids. Lifeguards on duty (some may be a little over zealous with the interpretation of the rules at times), cafes close by, and it is close to Muddys playground when you want to mix it up a bit. The lagoon is cleaned every week, so it is closed on Wednesday mornings.
Written 27 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
shrek6662018
Salisbury, Australia18 contributions
Loved it
Dec 2022 • Family
Loved it.beautiful spot to Just sit and chill definitely br back to cairns people are really nice.lagoon is big aswell so can fit quite a few people
Written 27 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
dilip m
Pune, India317 contributions
Cairns Esplanade
Nov 2022 • Couples
The Cairns Esplanade, in Tropical North Queensland, Australia, has been a focal point for locals and visitors in Cairns city since the region was founded in the late 1800s. A 2.5 kilometers stretch skirting the sea, it is a recreational area for people from all walks of life — backpackers, visitors looking for a beautiful view during an early evening dinner, couples having an early morning jog, teenagers & kids using the playgrounds.
The Esplanade features three playgrounds that encourage active play on the city's beautiful foreshore. Entry to all our playgrounds is free. There are many facilities to choose from along The Esplanade to suit your active lifestyle such as the Lagoon which is a public swimming pool, Beach Volleyball Courts and fitness stations (green gyms).
There are a range of BBQ facilities and picnic areas along the Cairns Esplanade for your next event or gathering.The BBQs are free for casual use and are open from 6am to 9pm daily. Toilets, showers, lockers and parking are conveniently located along the Cairns Esplanade to make your visit more enjoyable.
The Cairns Night Markets and Rusty’s Markets close by are two amazing places, one for getting a delicious meal and the other for picking up top class produce. The Cairns Night Markets are renowned for their delicious food, including delightful Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese, while Rusty’s Markets is perfect for picking up quality local produce.
Written 17 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
fiestyitaliangal
Los Angeles, CA12 contributions
Book a hotel and stay a while. HIGHLY RECOMMEND
Mar 2022 • Solo
A beautiful town that has it all. Restaurants, a casino, multiple excursions, banks, a library surrounded by trees that literally have THOUSANDS of bats in them, transportation, hotels, a beautiful man-made pool-like lagoon, sculptures, a night market filled with multiple, unique kiosks, and food courts. All within walking distance. It’s just awesome 💯
Written 13 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
CairnsOne
Biboohra, Australia218 contributions
Perfect
Dec 2022
Love love this place.

Its for both kids and adults.

We stayed all day.

Ended up getting fish n chips, we ate them on a bench by the lagoon.
Written 10 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Leeann J
Queensland, Australia10 contributions
Nice walk
Nov 2022 • Couples
This is a pleasant walk any time of the day watching the ships come in or just to look around.
There are plenty of cafes and restaurants you can choose from.
Written 6 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Phil R
Hamilton, New Zealand147 contributions
Very good Facility
Oct 2022
nice area to walk around, unfortuantely pool area was closed when we visited, but otherwise very pleasant.
Written 24 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Saminda E
Grafton, Australia163 contributions
Lovely place to cool off
Sep 2022
Beautiful place to cool off. Can get very busy so I would recommend visiting early or later in the day. Lots of places to eat and play around the area.
Written 15 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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CAIRNS ESPLANADE LAGOON - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Frequently Asked Questions about Cairns Esplanade Lagoon
Cairns Esplanade Lagoon is open:
  • Wed - Wed 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
  • Thu - Tue 6:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
We recommend booking Cairns Esplanade Lagoon tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 3 Cairns Esplanade Lagoon tours on Tripadvisor