Cairns

Driving north to Cairns, we turned off to Etty Bay (another recommendation by our friends Lara and Geoff). It's a great little place to stop for lunch or a cup of tea:

No swimming though:

At Cairns we're staying for four nights at the All Seasons Cairns Gateway. It's only $73 per night with breakfast. It has a full kitchen and is very comfortable:

It's a few kilometres south of the city on the main road, but it's like a little oasis. With temperatures of 28 degrees, it has a nice tropical feel. Because it's winter, there's hardly anyone staying here. Every morning we're just about the only ones having breakfast by the pool:

At night we cook up stir-fried vegetables and chicken on the poolside barbecue and eat like kings. While not a luxurious resort, we've found it great value for money with a really friendly and accommodating staff.