Hi all!
As promised, here is our guide to eating Cruelty Free in Cairns! There were so many options which made it incredibly easy to eat vegan in tropical North QLD!
DAY 1 – ARRIVAL!
At the airport, we snacked on dates, fruit, juices and on board we were thrilled to see that Tiger Air offered a Gluten Free & Vegan ‘Cheese’ toasted sandwich which was surprisingly tasty!
The second we touched down in the sunny tropics, we set off for Rusty’s Market on Grafton Street which is filled with fresh fruit, sugar cane juice, vegan waffles, vegan ice-cream and more! I picked up a kilo bag of Lychees which were incredibly juicy and sweet along with some Japanese Pears.
Cafe Thailand is a lovely restaurant with cheap vegan options. We both ordered the Tofu Massaman Potato Curry with Jasmine Rice.
DAY 2 – THE DAINTREE RAINFOREST
The next day, our tour guide picked us up at 7am for our all day Daintree Rainforest Tour. As mentioned in my Travel Tips Blog, when you have a really early departure and no time for breakfast – eat some Clif Bars!
The Daintree Rainforest was honestly one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen and it was even more special to share it with Francis. We saw row after row of Jackfruit trees, hidden creeks, waterfalls, special creatures and spectacular views!
I would highly recommend doing this tour and make sure you list that you’re vegan. We were given falafel burgers, salads and lots of fruit.
In the evening, we were dropped off at Royal India on the Esplanade for a vegan veggie curry with basmati rice.
Make sure you also check out the Night Markets in town which has adorable shops and vegan goodies!
DAY 3 – REST DAY!
The first thing I did this morning was go to The Healthy Hub which was literally across the street from our hotel! It is an organic produce store and essentially a plant-based supermarket! All the staff are vegan and I was able to pick up lots of goodies while I was there that I couldn’t get back home. I picked up some Medjool Dates, Bananas, Mango Chunks, Carob Syrup and Coconut Chips.
For lunch, we ate at the most recommended vegan friendly restaurant on Happy Cow – Lillipad Cafe. Found on Grafton Street, the entire cafe is filled with colourful artwork, yoga posters and a rich menu. I ordered the Anahata Juice (Sanskrit for Heart Centre) which is watermelon, mint and ginger – an excellent combo! I ordered the Eggplant Babushka and Francis ordered the Vegan Lasagna.
In the evening, we went to Montezuma’s (another highly recommended hot spot on Happy Cow! – permanently closed now) because who doesn’t crave Mexican? All of the vegetarian options on the menu can be made vegan. I ordered the Montezuma’s delight which was so healthy and light!
DAY 4 – THE REEF!
I felt like something light after the boat ride so I stopped at FryDays. They sell delicious, fruity Acai Bowls. Just make sure you omit the granola as it has honey and ask for extra fruit.
Of course that wasn’t enough so I also picked up some purple sushi on Shields Street (entrance to Cairns Square Shopping Centre) which was yummy!
DAY 5 – KURANDA!
We boarded the Scenic Railway at 10am and had the best time climbing up the mountain, taking photos and standing outside on the train. I highly recommend seeing Kuranda and taking the Scenic Railway. We stopped at Baron Falls and captured lots of incredible pictures along the way!
We wandered through the enchanting Rainforest Markets and had an incredible lunch. If you venture down to the Lower Markets, you will find a place called Jungle Juice. It sells a Raw Vegan Almond Falafel Plate with Garlic and Tahini Sauce. This was beyond good and really refreshing!
I also really felt like a raw dessert so I tried the Chai Pie which was so tasty and not at all dense! If you travel up to Kuranda, you can get raw desserts from Jungle Juice or Sweet Leaf. Both have a great range of options!
After lunch we embarked on the River and Jungle Walk which takes approximately an hour to do but so so worth it! There was absolutely no one around and we saw some of the most incredible wildlife and nature.
DAY 6 – HOME TIME!
We arrived home and Mum made us some veggie pasta. It truly is very simple to be vegan in Cairns and I hope all of my recommendations helped!
