48 Hours in Palm Cove

Day 1: MORNING

8.00am – Breakfast at Chill

A laid-back, friendly spot on the corner of Veivers Road and Williams Esplanade, you’ll want to nab a prime spot at the bar overlooking both the passing street action and beyond, past the palm tree-lined shore to the Coral Sea. You can rely on good coffee here and we love the fact it has an all-day breakfast menu, offering healthy options to balance out the likes of eggs benny. And then there’s the banana bread with espresso mascarpone…go on, you’re on holidays!  

9.30am – Where Rainforest meets the Reef

While only a 45-minute journey across the water by fast catamaran, you’ll feel a world away as you step onto the jetty of Green Island. This is the only coral cay on the Great Barrier Reef with a rainforest, and as we only have a limited amount of time, this is the perfect place to tick both the rainforest and reef off your bucket list. Your coach transfer will pick you up from your Palm Cove accommodation, delivering you to the Cairns Marlin Marina to board your vessel. With three departure times throughout the day from the island – two of which are in the afternoon – you have the flexibility to hop a ride home earlier. But with the lush rainforest, colourful coral, endless island activities, and plenty of sea life to explore, we have a feeling you won’t want to cut down on time spent here. Grab a bite to eat at the casual dining options available on the island.  

• Check out our great deals on Green Island tours and activities

Now, if you’d prefer to be a Palm Cove purist and opt for island explorations closer to home, Palm Cove Watersports offers a range of tours, including a half-day kayaking and snorkelling tour where you’ll paddle over the fringing reefs, snorkel, and explore Haycock Island, more commonly known as Scout Hat Island, and the exclusive Double Island.    

Day 1: AFTERNOON / EVENING

Option 1: 7.00pm – Dinner at Vivo, Palm Cove

After a day of fun in the sun, it’s time to kick back at Vivo for some al fresco dining. Set in a Queenslander, just a two-minute walk north from Chill Café, this establishment oozes tropical elegance. The service is friendly and the head chef’s passion for flavour and quality is apparent in every dish that is brought to the table. While the menu leans heavily towards Modern Australian cuisine, you’ll find Mediterranean and Asian-inspired dishes too.  

After a leisurely dinner, wander back to enjoy your beautiful Palm Cove accommodation. 

Option 2: Stay overnight at luxurious Green Island Resort

Need some more time to enjoy all that Green Island has to offer? The best way is to stay overnight in the island's 5-star eco-resort. Choose from Reef Suite or Island Suite accommodation, and enjoy a range of indulgent inclusions in the guest rooms such as high-quality linens and gorgeous soft furnishings. The resort facilities are second to none, with a beautiful heated pool, day spa, restaurant and bars to enjoy. Best of all, your stay comes with the following complimentary activities: 

• Return catamaran transfers
• Complimentary sunset drink
• Glass bottom boat tour
• Rainforest guided evening nature walks
• Fish feeding presentation daily
• Snorkelling equipment
• Non-motorised beach activities, such as kayaking, windsurfing

Day 2: MORNING

6.30am – For the early birds

An early morning stroll down the beach as the palm trees sway and the sun rises over the horizon is just so picture-perfect tropical you’ll want to pinch yourself. It’s common for pods of dolphins to be spotted playing in the distant waters, so keep your eyes peeled. Seriously, can life get any better?! 

8.00am – Breakfast at The Pantry

Another beachfront breakfast spot to start your day right, The Pantry serves up great coffee and great food at a reasonable price. You’ll find what you want at this hot spot that’s becoming increasingly popular; the mango smoothie goes down a treat.  

10.00am – Spa treatment at Peppers Beach Club

Are you ready for pure indulgence? This spa’s signature treatment, the Daintree Rainforest Ritual, promises to take you on a million-year-old journey, using black ash clays, smoked paperbark oil, and Kakadu or wattleseed salts. You’ll be buffed, wrapped in warm clay, and then massaged with aromatic oils – you’d be forgiven for falling asleep at this point. This luxurious spa offers a range of treatments to suits all budgets and specialises in dual therapies so your partner won’t feel left out. There’s also a spa and lunch package available where you can choose to dine overlooking the Coral Sea, or poolside, after your treatment.      

Day 2: AFTERNOON

12.30pm – Jack and Shanan's for lunch

If, however, you’d like to explore other options for lunch, Jack and Shanan’s is located right between Chill and Vivo and has a nice vibe. They’ve got everything from cold-pressed juices and smoothies to organic coffee, light snacks, or more substantial meals. If you’re keen to hold on to that post-pampering virtuousness, there are plenty of healthy, yet satisfying options to keep you happy. But if it’s a Sunday, the bottomless Chandon deal at Beach Almond is hard to pass up. Paired with a five-course Asian banquet you have a selection of tasty tropical concoctions such as a lychee kaffir bellini or a lemongrass chandon spritz to wash down those delicate dumplings.   

2.00pm – Boutique wanderings

After lunch, take the time to explore your surroundings, with a stroll down the esplanade. Lined with centuries-old paperbark melaleuca trees, there is a range of boutiques and speciality stores worth perusing. But if you aren’t keen on an afternoon of shopping, there are kayaks and stand-up paddle boards for hire on the beach. Or you may even want to try your luck at casting a line off the jetty. It’s known as one of the hot spots for keen fishing folk and there are rods and bait for hire from the food van parked in the car park near the jetty.  

5.00pm – Happy hour at Vivo

Alright, this is obviously a favourite but we can’t go past sundowners at Vivo. This may be overkill if you’ve already been long-lunching it with bubbles, but the cocktails are exceptional, with a particular favourite being the granita margarita. If you’re a fan of this classic cocktail, trust us on this one.  

7.00pm – Dinner at Nu Nu

It would be sacrilege to stay in Palm Cove and not dine at this award-winning restaurant. Head chef Nick Holloway (yes, the one from MasterChef) hails from down south and since opening Nu Nu’s in 2004 has won multiple awards by sticking to his ethos of offering excellent food in a relaxed and luscious tropical setting. The wine list consists of a range that has been carefully chosen to compliment the menu. Sit back, enjoy the ambience, and listen to the waves gently lapping at the shore while you decide on what your trip highlight has been, and what you’ll explore next time you’re in town.