Port Douglas has to be one of the nicest places I have been too in Australia. Situated in Tropical Far North Queensland (TFNQ) about an hour or so’s drive from Cairns, this small piece of paradise has a lot more to offer than just a romantic weekend getaway for couples.
This destination hotspot is great to explore with a friend or group of friends.
If you don’t hire a car, then your best place for accomodation would be in or around the town centre. This place is buzzing with shops, restaurants and pubs.
Whilst the resorts are nice and not to far from the town itself you will need transport as they can be a bit of a walk to get to the main strip, unless you plan on catching a taxi. But if you do get a car you can travel around and head out to the other small towns around the area that are equally as beautiful.
We stayed there for 2 days at the Regal Port Douglas situated on Macrossan Street (main strip) in a studio room.
The location was perfect and the studio was clean and had a great bathroom. The only bad thing was that the actual toilet had Louvre doors – so privacy wasn’t as “private” as it could have been. But when you’re with friends sharing a room, when is it ever?! If you can get past the fact that you may be able to hear a few noises from the bathroom then this is ideally the place to stay. If you can’t then turn on a tap when you have to go! Really the studio apartment was a great little spot and the complex has a pool.
The main part of the town isn’t huge and you will be able to walk around it in a few hours and have lunch then go from there.
Port Douglas. Photo: Maria Schindlecker
Port Douglas is a gateway to the barrier reef , so make sure you book a tour to Agincourt Reef . This reef offers 16 different dive sites and a variety of sea life which makes it the perfect spot to dive or snorkel. Bear in mind that you will more than likely have to wear a stinger suit depending on what time of the year you go. My tip is if you do go out on a rainy day (because hey- it’s the tropics!) then take some sea sick tablets as getting out to some reefs can be a bit rough. Once you’re there however it’s a great experience.
Then there’s the rain forest. There are a few tours to choose from, you can go right up to Cape Tribulation or do more localised tours. Who knows you may even get to see a crocodile.
Daintree River Cruise. Photo Maria Schindlecker
We went on the half day tour that included a river cruise on the Daintree River and then a stope over at Mossman Gorge that took you into the stunning Daintree rainforest. The river cruise was great however there were mosquitoes so take your replant with you( again, it’s the tropics!). The highlight was seeing a crocodile that was literally meters away from the boat. Whilst we did end up going on one of the wettest days of the year the gorge was still beautiful and well worth the trip. The gorge is situated about 30 mins by car from Port Douglas’s town centre.
Mossman Gorge. Photo : Maria Schindlecker
The great thing about Port Douglas is that you can get out and explore or you can just sit back and relax and do nothing. It’s a great location for a weekend away or even a few days.
For more info about Port Douglas and its surrounding areas visit Tourism Port Douglas and Daintree.
Bon Voyage!
The Opinionist Online 