Port Douglas
Port Douglas is a one-hour drive north of Cairns along one of Australia’s most beautiful coastal roads, The Great Barrier Reef Drive. The road hugs a palm fringed coastline between spectacular forested mountain ranges and the idyllic turquoise shades of the ocean.
Lively and welcoming, Port Douglas is a relaxed, cosmopolitan town with urban overtones to satisfy those who crave café culture, boutique shopping and fine dining as part of their holiday getaway experience. Everyone is welcome here as is evident from the range of accommodation which includes resorts, apartments, glamorous beach retreats and family beach houses, town houses, golf villas and, a little further afield, gorgeous hideaways in sensational rainforest settings.
The famous Four Mile Beach meets the village of Port Douglas town but there are also many idyllic beach settings nearby as the town is in fact an isthmus, defined as a strip of land with water on both sides, so there’s plenty of space for idyllic house settings. Take a look from Flagstaff Hill lookout to find your bearings.
Port Douglas has a busy marina, golf courses and plenty of shopping as well as galleries, gift shops, cafes, bars and fine restaurants as the area is a magnet for great chefs who love working with all of the fresh, local produce. The market is held each Sunday at Anzac Park near the historic Sugar Wharf and St Mary’s by the Sea Church, at the end of Macrossan Street. The market is alive with a vibrant mix of local arts and crafts, local produce and fresh food.
Port Douglas is also an ideal base for trips to the Great Barrier Reef and exploring the hinterland and Atherton Tablelands while, north of Port Douglas is the Mossman Gorge, the world heritage listed Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation.
