Special buys from Cairns include Aboriginal Artefacts, Coral Jewellery, Local Arts. Souveirs, resort wears, fashions and accessories by top Australian and overseas designers and gold and opal jewellery are also worth buying.

Shopping in Cairns is a very pleasant experience with innumerable plazas, boutiques, arcades, courts and duty-free stores. The main shopping streets are Lake and Abbott streets which are house the Orchid Plaza and The Conservatory Shopping Village. Cairns Central is just right for some shopping and entertainment.

The Pier Marketplace and the Trinity Wharf shopping complex are known for their retail and leisure outlets, weekend markets and restaurants. The Westcourt Plaza and Smithfield Shopping Centre are home to speciality shops. Markets are an integral part of the city's tropical culture and are ideal for good bargains. The Mud Market at the pier is open daily and showcases local arts and crafts, jewellery and clothes. Cairns' night markets on Esplanade are open 1630hrs to 2330 hrs each night and feature everything from food to fashion, souvenirs, aboriginal art and crafts.

Rainforest Market - at Kuranda offers local arts and crafts stalls. The country-style market showcases local art, craft and fashions. A walk beneath the rainforest canopy in the delightful market atmosphere while being entertained by buskers is relaxing and an ideal way to hunt down a bargain.