Cairns Car Hire Reef Tours: From Runway to Reef with SIXT and Sunlover

The plane touched down in Cairns just as the sky began to blush over the mountains. Within minutes, I had my bag in the boot of a SIXT hire car at Cairns Airport, the first step in a journey that would take me from the reef to the rainforest and along one of Australia’s most iconic drives. That’s the beauty of combining Cairns car hire reef tours—freedom on the road, and adventure waiting at every stop.

The Pacific Coast Way: Road to the Tropics

The Pacific Coast Way stretches the length of Queensland, from the Gold Coast to Cairns, linking coastal havens, hinterland towns, and vibrant cities. It’s a road where the real treasures lie just beyond the highway: antique stores tucked into farming regions, waterfalls hidden in rainforest gorges, beaches stretching endlessly towards the reef.

The further north you travel, the wilder and richer it becomes. Eventually, the road delivers you to Cairns—the crown jewel of the Tropical North and the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. Here’s where the adventure shifts from four wheels to the open sea.

Atherton Tablelands Waterfalls Day Tour from Cairns

Moore Reef: The Heart of the Great Barrier Reef

From the city, I parked at Secure Park on Wharf Street—just $6 for the day—and walked to the Reef Fleet Terminal. Soon I was stepping aboard a Sunlover catamaran bound for Moore Reef. Out on the reef, the world unfolded in colour: coral gardens alive with fish, sea turtles gliding past, and the deep blues stretching forever.

Sunlover’s floating pontoon made it easy to choose my pace—snorkel and dive, or stay dry in the semi-submarine and glass bottom boat. Families splashed happily in the enclosed ocean pool while others soaked up the sun on deck.

Guests enjoying the full day reef tour to the outer reef pontoon

Fitzroy Island: Rainforest Meets Reef

The next morning, my SIXT hire car was waiting where I’d left it. After a short drive back to the marina, I boarded a ferry to Fitzroy Island. This lush green gem rises straight from the sea, with rainforest trails leading to lookouts and beaches that rank among the best in Australia. On Nudey Beach, white sand met crystal-clear water, while a few steps offshore I drifted above coral gardens buzzing with life.

It was the perfect counterpoint to the reef: an island escape wrapped in rainforest calm.

Nudey Beach on Fitzroy Island

Reef & Island in a Day: Two Icons, One Trip

Not everyone has days to spare. That’s where Sunlover’s Reef & Island in a Day trip comes in—start with a morning hike or snorkel on Fitzroy Island, then continue on to Moore Reef for an afternoon of underwater discovery. By evening you’re back in Cairns, with two icons ticked off in a single, unforgettable day. For anyone road-tripping along the Pacific Coast Way, it’s the ultimate time-saver.

2 Iconic Locations, 1 incredible day

Beyond the Reef: The Road Opens Up

Back on the road, Cairns becomes the launchpad for countless adventures. To the north, the Captain Cook Highway curves along the Coral Sea towards Port Douglas and the ancient Daintree Rainforest. Inland, the Atherton Tablelands reveal waterfalls, crater lakes, and country towns filled with fresh produce and warm hospitality.

This is where the Pacific Coast Way truly shines—blending reef, rainforest, and road into a journey that feels bigger than the map itself.

Lines of palm trees at the entrance to the luxury eco retreat just a 30 minutes north of Cairns

Seamless Travel, Queensland Style

From runway to reef, island to highway, Cairns car hire reef tours with SIXT and Sunlover make travel effortless. Fly in, pick up your car at Cairns Airport, park with ease, step aboard Sunlover for the reef, then let the open road guide you deeper into Queensland’s holiday highways.

👉 Book your Cairns hire car with SIXT here.