POLICE are searching cane paddocks south of Cairns for a man missing since Friday.

Rodderick Lewis, 46, was last seen setting off on foot from a hotel at Silkwood, near Mission Beach, just after 10pm on Friday.

It's believed he intended to walk home to El Arish, seven kilometres away but he never arrived.

He has not been in contact with friends or family since.

"We're looking in cane paddocks and we believe he's still in that area," police said today.

"We was just walking home from the pub, attempting to walk 7km at 10pm at night, in a relatively remote area."

Mr Lewis was last seen wearing a straw brim hat, a white t-shirt with comic images on the front, tan checkered board shorts, thongs and carrying a hessian bag.