Castaways Backpackers - Cairns North, Queensland

Zoë W.

I really enjoyed staying here! The owner, Wayne, was incredibly friendly, which was so nice to have as a solo traveler. He was able to give me some great suggestions and I was able to book my excursions through the hostel, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed. On the days I was local, the location, only a 15-20 minute walk from town, was ideal.

My hostel room was clean and comfortable. The hostel is the perfect hang out. There's a room for people to watch movies together, two kitchens (1 indoor, 1 outdoor), and a pool. A lot of people that stay here are traveling around the country in their vans, so the people I met were very laid back, down to earth, and friendly. If I'm lucky enough to come back to Cairns, I'll definitely stay here again.

Tillyb1998

Upon arrival we were greeted by the owner at reception who had no issue in storing our luggage as we arrived before check in, he kindly showed us around the small but homely hostel and showed us to our rooms. The room itself was exceptionally clean and offered a spacious mini fridge, a double and a single bed (we only expected two single beds so this was a nice surprise) and there was also space to hang our clothes with hangers provided. The room had a ceiling fan which worked perfectly fine and additional air con was $1 which lasted for 3 hours but it cooled down the room very quickly and seemed to keep us cool throughout the night. Whilst the location of the hostel itself isn’t in the centre of Cairns (approx 20 min walk away), we didn’t mind this so much as it meant that at night it was quiet and we could get a good nights sleep. The toilets and shower rooms were again very clean and also very spacious - not your typical cubicle but had more of a homely bathroom vibe. The kitchen was fully equipped, very clean, and offered free amenities such as tea and coffee, as well as other dried goods which other backpackers had left. I would recommend this hostel to someone who is perhaps looking for a quiet hostel - especially if you’re staying for a prolonged period of time as it did feel very homely and safe.

backpackingartist

Recommended by our friends we (my partner and I) checked in without hesitation and we were not disappointed. We had initially planned to stay in Cairns only for a few days but we enjoyed Castaways that much we stayed for 2 weeks (reluctant to leave when we did). ||||The owner made you feel immediately at home, as did the staff. They took the time to get to know you and were very helpful and accommodating - you felt like you were staying with friends within a matter of minutes.||||The facilities are good. We stayed in one of the private rooms with bathrooms within close reach. The bed was comfy, the room was clean - I like having my own space and I found there was ample space in the room as well as throughout the hostel.||||Want some quiet time? No problem. Want to socialise? No problem; pick and choose the environment you want as you want. I especially respect their rule of ‘quiet after 10:30pm’. ||||They also provide loads of information on local tours/activities. My partner and I went on a trip to Cape Tribulation with the hostel; it was like a lovely family day out! On the way we saw crocodiles and ate ice cream (they even brought along sandwiches and drinks). ||||If you are looking for home away from home; this is the place to stay. ||||Thank you so much Castaway’s! ||||(We will be back in 2021 when we return from New Zealand!)

backpackerbuddies

We stayed 4 nights in a private double room. Staff is extremely friendly, they offer free billiard and the unlimited WIFI is really fast! Small kitchen, but we enjoyed cooking there, really modern. The room itself was not the prettiest, but it was clean. We had our own fridge, but unfortunately it smelled extremely bad (maybe someone left bad food in it before?). All in all, we can recommend this hostel for a few days in Cairns.

Oliviabixby

Me and my boyfriend got into Cairns after travelling up the east coast of Australia. Our first hostel was castaways and we loved it so much we stayed for a week. When we arrived we booked a 3 bed dorm and the owner put us into a nice room and also gave us special treatment by not putting anyone else in there with us which we were very grateful for. We wanted to go onto the Gt Barrier Reef which Wayne (manager/owner) recommenced us to go onto the best one to dive and snorkel - the company also picked us up outside the hostel. This was probably the best experience we have been on since staying in Australia. It’s nice being able to play pool and table tennis in the evening and socialise with the other guests and staff. 20 minute walk into the town, 2 minute walk to a bottle & food shop. Friendly and clean place to stay! Highly recommend!

979brigittat

Awesome hostel with nice staff and a very kind owner. It was my first hostel during my first trip to Australia and I felt very comfortable and familiar. ||The rooms are nice and clean like the bathrooms. It's easy to get to know with the other poeople. I would definetly come back. Thanks for this amazing start, you made my trip to Down Under!

James K.

Excellent location for anyone arriving or leaving Cairns by airport. The whole place had a down-to-earth, grimy aesthetic but the rooms were adequately furnished and comfortable. The service was by far the best aspect of this hostel. The owners live on-site and went out of their way to help in any way they could, including lending us a vacuum cleaner to clean our car and even offering lifts to the airport. Overall, really great and would recommend.

Miamia1962

Great atmosphere and great rooms. It feels like one big family. Would stay there again and again whilst in Cairns. Lots of restaurant choices within 200m of Castaways. Great pool table. Wayne, owner, is a gem and has so many interesting stories.