Port Douglas

With its multi-million dollar holiday homes, five-star resorts, award-winning restaurants and stylish boutiques, Port Douglas is touted as the glitzy glamour town of Tropical North Queensland. The once sleepy seaside village now attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists every year; from both Australia and across the globe and is a well-known haunt for celebrity spotting and the place where the rich and famous mingle just like a local.

Only an hour north of Cairns Airport, via a spectacular coastal route known as the Great Barrier Reef Drive, Port Douglas is perfectly positioned for day trips to the World Heritage-listed double act of the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest. On the way to Port – as the locals call it – stop at Rex Lookout for the perfect 180-degree Coral Sea view. Photos are a must.

Top things to do in Port Douglas:

• Snorkel and dive amongst pristine coral and colourful marine life on a half or full day tour of the Great Barrier Reef.
• Explore the world's oldest rainforest, meet unique wildlife, go croc spotting and experience the local Indigenous culture on a tour of the World Heritage Daintree Rainforest. 
• Save $$$ and experience the beauty and vastness of the Great Barrier Reef from above and below with a Helicopter and Reef Combo tour.  
• Four Mile beach, the iconic, palm tree-fringed stretch of sand, is popular yet never overcrowded. Sunrises are amazing with dolphin sightings frequent. At the south end of the beach, you can hire stand-up paddle boards, surf skis, beach umbrellas and lounge chairs.
• Mossman Gorge, the southernmost part of the Daintree, is only a 20-minute drive from Port Douglas. After exploring the walking trails, take a dip in the pristine, clear waters, surrounded by dense rainforest and gigantic granite boulders. 
• At the end of your day of exploration, grab a picnic blanket and head down to Rex Smeal Park to watch the sunset behind the coastal mountains. The atmosphere is fun but relaxed. There are swings nearby too for the little ones.     
• And here’s a hot tip: if you don’t have school-aged children, visit Port Douglas in May – out of the peak seasons. The weather is gorgeous and Port Douglas Carnivale comes to town. It’s a weekend chock-full of fantastic food and entertainment.  
• Port Douglas has holiday options to suit all budgets from 5-star hotels to self-contained holiday apartments for families and backpacker accommodation.