The colour, sounds, smells and the character, all erupting in a cacophony of excitement. Browsing through the markets of Cairns and surrounds can be an oddly therapeutic way to connect with the local community and support local farmers, artists, and designers. Each night after the sun sets, the Cairns Night Markets come alive!
A perfect place to grab a bite and hunt for locally made bargains, this hawker-style market draws its inspiration from South East Asia with its hustle, bustle and open air excitement of over 70 stalls selling their wares.
When: Saturday 8am β 4pm Where: Cairns Esplanade. The Esplanade Market kicks off every Saturday at 8am and finishes up around 4pm, so you can squeeze in a full day of shopping and still have some time to relax before dinner if you wish. There's plenty on offer here, as the market showcases local artisans with quality stalls selling contemporary jewellery, woodcraft, leather work, pottery, airbrush tattoos and so much more.
Delight your senses at the Australian Perfume Company's stall, pick up some gorgeous jewellery at the Opal Bar or get a glimpse of your future with local tarot readers- the Esplanade Market has a huge range of things to see and do. Smack bang in the centre of town, these hawker-style markets operate every Friday β Sunday and are renowned for exotic produce dragonfruit and purple mangosteens, anyone?
Image credit: Tourism and Events Queensland. The Cairns Made Festival is one of the most celebrated markets in the region and is like walking around in a real life Frankie Magazine β a lot of awesome design with just the perfect amount of kitsch mixed in for good measure.
