Port Douglas – Escape the Winter!

Sunset at the Tin Shed

Now that summer has officially ended in Melbourne (boo), some of you may be starting to think about finding the sun again.

I have been traveling to Port Douglas for many years, both when I was younger and more recently (over the past five years) with my husband.

Port Douglas is a great place to go for warm weather, access to the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest.  It is perfect for young families, couples and groups of friends.  There is absolutely something for everyone! 

Where to stay?

Four Mile Beach

There are so many places to stay in Port Douglas.  Houses, resorts, backpackers’, self-contained apartments…  Have a look on Trip Advisor to find what suits you and your budget.  Last year, we stayed at Bay Villas Resort.  The reason we stayed here was because we wanted somewhere with a decent kitchen.  We were staying for two weeks and wanted to have the option of cooking for ourselves if we wanted to.  Bay Villas is also family friendly. 

We have previously also stayed at Martinique on Macrossan (in the main street) and this is also a great place.  Martinique is a boutique accommodation with self-catering facilities (not really suitable for families).  However, the kitchens are kitchenettes rather than kitchens that you can truly cook in. 

Bay Villas Resort is about 10minute walk out of the main town, but is five minutes from the beach.  We were very happy with our apartment.  It had everything we needed (except I always miss a good pasta pot at these types of places, but that might be just me…).

What to do?

Most importantly, relax (however it is you do this)! 

Of course there are many options available to suit all tastes.  You can hire a car or and drive to Cairns, Palm Cove, Cape Tribulation or the Daintree Rainforest.  You can visit Habitat Wildlife or Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures.  You can go fishing, hot air ballooning, the list is endless!  I have briefly described below what we did when we last visited (August 2013)…

Four Mile Beach is a great beach and if you have perfect weather, you can stay there all day.  It is not unusual for the wind to pick up in the afternoon though, and shade covers most of the sand by about 4pm.  You can hire umbrellas, chairs and chair cushions for $40 per day ($25 from 9am – 1pm).  

You can hire buckets and spades ($5 per hour), paddle boards, big rubber tyres, paddle boards ($25 per hour).  The beach is patrolled so swim between the flags (there are salt water crocodiles around, so keep an eye out if you swim elsewhere)!

Sand Cay and Reef views with Safari

Visit the Great Barrier Reef!  Snorkel, scuba dive or look through a glass bottom boat!  We did two trips to the Reef – one to a coral cay via helicopter with a company called Sky Safari (very luxurious but I highly recommend it – it was incredible!) and a trip to the Low Isles on a sailing boat with a company called Aquarius.  Both amazing days with great service provided by both companies.  

You can book these yourself or through one of the many agencies in town or at your hotel or resort.

Safari Tour

Low Isles with Aquarius

There is a basic yoga class held every morning on the beach, just up from the Surf Life Saving Club.  Classes are $15 for an hour (8am – 9am).  There are also other options available with other providers around town.  We did a mix of our own practice and joined the beach class a couple of times.

Pearls at the Market

There is a local market every Sunday (8am – 1pm) where you can pick up great jewelry (particularly pearls), local fruit and vegetables and some other local fare.  It is worth a look if you feel in the mood.

Where to eat?

We always make a visit to The Tin Shed.  If you want to have a drink and watch the sun set, this is a good casual place to go.  They serve pub style food, which is fine.

We tried Seabean for the first time and it was great for tapas in particular. 

Zinc was also very nice.  Lovely service and a great Barramundi dish!

We revisited Salsa.  Whilst the atmosphere is more casual, the food was very impressive.  Make sure you book!

Nautilus by night

For a special occasion (or even just on your last night), go to Nautilus.  It is a memorable experience as you sit amongst the forest of palm and mango trees.  You feel like you are miles away from the main street and the food and service is fantastic.  They have a tasting menu available ($115 per head, matching wines extra).  Make sure you book this place too.  You wont be disappointed!

Other information

Port Douglas Tourist Information and weather information can be found here.  Be mindful of when you go as the summer is humid and wet (but might be a fascinating time to visit the Daintree!).