A Port Douglas tour lets you explore the amazing array of life underwater and on land. The peak tourist season is during winter, and the best month to visit Port Douglas is October.

Port Douglas is an amazing creation of nature. It is an Australian seaside town with much to experience – from reef to rainforests to the outback and incredible geological wonders, spectacular drives, and breathtaking scenery.

The town was traditionally home to the people of Kuku Yalanji; this indigenous experience gives an important perspective on the history, culture, and ecology of the area.

Port Douglas in Australia is adjacent to two World Heritage areas, the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. Due to its Northerly location, Port Douglas has stereotypical tropical weather and is thus a tropical paradise.

The luxury resorts in Port Douglas are a leisurely one-hour drive from the international Cairns airport. The Rainforest Wildlife Habitat offers visitors a unique and natural habitat experience.

1. Visit the Great Barrier Reef 

The Great Barrier Reef Tours start from Port Douglas and Cape Tribulation and cater to all age groups and water abilities in full and half-day tours.

Explore Port Douglas’s natural attractions, including Cassowary Falls, on a half-day tour. Hour’s drive South of Port Douglas is Lucinda, Ingham, and  Paluma Range National Park.

2. Hike the Flagstaff Hill Trail

Hike the Flagstaff Hill Trail, which is a scenic 1.5-kilometer coastal track connecting Four Mile Beach to Rex Smeal Park. It offers some of the best seaside views in Port Douglas.

Flagstaff Hill provides spectacular views of the Coral Sea and the Low Isles. It is an easily accessible summit serving Port Douglas’s ultimate viewing point. Once at Flagstaff Hill, you will be rewarded with stunning views over the Coral Sea to the Low Isles and Snapper Island to the north.

3. Experience the Daintree Rainforest

One of the oldest rainforests in the world is the Daintree Rainforest. Daintree River along the Great Barrier Reef Drive is a spectacular entry into the Daintree Rainforest via cable car ferry. Join a Daintree Rainforest tour and learn about the rich biological diversity. This national park is valued because of its exceptional biodiversity.

4. Explore the Kuranda Scenic Railway and Skyrail Rainforest Cableway Experience

The Kuranda Scenic Railway winds on a journey from Cairns via freshwater to Kuranda, the village in the rainforest.

Discover one of the oldest surviving rainforests in the world with this Cableway. The Sky tour takes you on an unforgettable journey through the World Heritage-listed Wet Tropics Rainforest in comfy all-weather gondolas.

5. Enjoy the Beaches

Here are a few beaches that you can check out.

5.1. Thala Beach

The Thala Beach Nature Reserve is located on a private headland between Cairns and Port Douglas, located in Oak Beach. Thala Beach Nature Reserve is a family-owned 58-hectare nature and wildlife reserve 15 minutes south of Port Douglas.

5.2. Four Mile Beach

This Beach in Port Douglas is ideal for a honeymoon stroll. Beautiful Four Mile Beach is a hotbed of activities perfect for readers, exercisers, adventurers, and lovers.

It is easy to lose track of time when walking over Four Mile Beach as it unfolds in a gentle curve along the Port Douglas beachfront.

6. Visit the Beautiful Mossman Gorge

Getting to Mossman Gorge for a morning stroll or a day of exploration is easy. Mossman Gorge is a rural locality in the Shire of Douglas, Queensland, Australia. This center is a gateway to the valley, a tourist attraction, and the world’s oldest rainforest, Royal National Park. A drive from Port Douglas to Mossman Gorge takes 22 minutes.

7. Feel the Modern City-Type Conveniences in Cairns

Cairns has become one of the world’s favorite tourist destinations. Cairns is around an hour’s drive north of Port Douglas. Green and Fitzroy Islands, both on the Great Barrier Reef, are easily accessible from Cairns.

8. Road Trip to Cape Tribulation

The Cape Tribulation is the official meeting point of the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. You can explore many things in Cape Tribulation while traveling from Port Douglas.

Visitors to the region can embark on a self-drive tour in a hired car or let someone do the driving. You can try a guided horse riding tour, an ultraromantic and exciting way to explore the Cape Tribulation beach and rainforest.

9. Visit St Mary’s by the Sea

The St Mary’s by the Sea chapel is one of the most picturesque churches in the country. It is amongst the oldest buildings in Port Douglas. It was built from 1913 to 1914. It is also known as the former Roman Catholic Church of St. It was added to the Queensland Heritage List on 21 October 1992.

10. Low Isles Snorkel Tour

Enjoy a snorkeling excursion in the ocean around a beautiful, quiet island. As you sail to the Low Isles, relax aboard a comfortable and spacious yacht and enjoy a little refreshment as you spot the Low Isles.

11. Visit the Coral Sea

This sea contains many islands and Reefs in Port Douglas and is particularly rich in birds and aquatic life. It is a popular tourist destination, both domestically and internationally.

12. Visit Dickson Inlet

Dickson Inlet is a lovely stretch of mangrove waterways located in Queensland. Red mangroves and other similar vegetation are prevalent in this saltwater. You can find crocodiles and estuarine birds here.

It’s close to the Sea Temple Resort and Spa Port. Large, luxurious flats and rooms are available at the Sea Temple resort and spa port.

13. Enjoy Outdoor Activities in Port Douglas

One of the best things to do in Port Douglas is to enjoy and explore various outdoor activities.

13.1. Scuba Diving

One of the best ways to experience the magnificence of the Great Barrier Reef is to enjoy scuba diving at Port Douglas.

13.2. Experience White Water Rafting at Barron Gorge

Experience white water rafting in Port Douglas at Barron Gorge National Park, known for its rugged rainforest mountains, steep ravines, and falls carved out over thousands of years by the Barron River.

13.3. Sling a Hammock between the palm Trees at Rex Smeal Park

This iconic spot is perfect for relaxing; you can watch the sunset or even sling a hammock between the perfectly spaced palms. The Port Douglas region is famous for its palm trees.

13.4. Glass Bottom Boat Tour

The glass bottom tour takes visitors to view the sea life.

13.5. Feel the Cooling off in the Swimming Holes.

One of the most iconic things about the Daintree Rainforest is its selection of swimming holes and refreshing spots. You can visit Port Douglas to relax onboard a twilight boat cruise.

14. Check Out the Port Douglas Markets

The famous Port Douglas markets are on every Sunday and Wednesday and draw crowds from all over. It is located in a grassy park right on the waterfront, overlooking the Coral Sea, and has one of the most diverse stallholder communities of any market in Australia.

It feels like a carnival at the Port Douglas markets. Visitors quickly realize that there is more to Port Douglas markets than just goods for sale.

15. Go to the Trinity Bay lookout

It is a short drive from Port Douglas’s center and offers stunning coastline views, tropical rainforests, and mountains.

16. Take a Trip to Palm Cove

It will take you 40 minutes or so to drive to Palm Cove if you have a day to spare and laze around the beach.

17. Visit Restaurants in Port Douglas

Port Douglas has over 50 eateries, from fancier fine dining to fast food and a fair deal in between. A few of the best restaurants are Zinc Port Douglas, Melaleuca, Watergate Port Douglas, Salsa Bar and Grill, Sabean Tapas Bar Restaurant, and N17 Burger Co.

The dining offers the authentic Port Douglas experience. It provides outdoor and indoor dining options and fresh and seasonal produce. Fresh seafood markets offer local and Australian seafood freshly cooked daily.

18. Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas

It allows close interaction with an incredible variety of Australian animals in their beautifully created natural environment. Enjoy breakfast with birds or lunch with the Lorikeets, enjoy a sumptuous buffet meal, and meet some feathered friends.

19. Wildlife Under the Sea

Exploring underwater wildlife is one of the best things to do in Port Douglas. Port Douglas is home to 1625 undersea species, Including Saltwater crocodiles, the dangerous kind occasionally found on Four Mile Beach.

20. Enjoy Sailaway and River Drift Snorkelling

20.1. Enjoy the Outer Reef through Sailaway

Sail along the coastline with views of the Daintree Rainforest, past Snapper Island, before heading to the Outer Reef in Port Douglas.

20.2. Enjoy the River Drift Snorkeling

River Drift snorkeling is a 4-hour half-day experience from Port Douglas to Palm Cove. Allow yourself to drift with the current on the Mossman River drift snorkeling excursion from Mossman or Port Douglas.

Takeaway

Port Douglas has a huge tourist following and a small local population. Whether for holidays, a brief relaxation, or a visit to friends and family, there is something for everyone.

Port Douglas makes a great base for exploring Queensland’s two tropical attractions: the reef and rainforest. Once a fishing village, the town is more upscale than Cairns to the south. One of the town’s top tourist attractions is the Four Mile Beach; back in the city are galleries, shops, cafes, and more. Have fun exploring this spectacular tropical paradise.

Last Updated on May 13, 2024 by Arnab