Port Douglas: gateway to paradise. Or should that be paradises, plural. Because within ‘cooee’ of this little resort town lie some of the world’s greatest splendors: The Great Barrier Reef, Cape Tribulation, and the Daintree Rainforest.
Day 1: The ReefThere’s no question that you’ve come to northern Queensland to see the famous
Great Barrier Reef, one of the most accessible and beautiful coral reefs in the world, teeming with marine life who are happy to swim right up to the glass of your mask to say hello. Spend your first day out there, snorkeling, floating, or just looking through a glass-bottomed boat. Then you can decide if that’s in fact where you want to spend
the next few days as well – it’s mighty tempting. But then there are so many other things to see and do as well…
Day 2: Forests and TreesDaintree Rainforest and
Cape Tribulation
are two of the most beautiful places in the world. No visit to north
Queensland is complete without visiting these areas. From Port Douglas
you’ll travel some of the most scenic coastal roads in Australia as you
head north. Walk the beach of Cape Tribulation, experience the
rainforest and the wildlife of the Daintree River (yes, that includes
crocodiles). Also find out about the fascinating local foods, medicines
and history. To really learn about the indigenous way of life, spend a
whole day on an
Aboriginal Cultural Tour into the Daintree.
Day 3: Another Day in ParadiseIn
case all that wasn’t enough for you, spend your final day seeing it all
from a different angle. Take a hot air balloon ride, or a scenic train
ride through the rainforest out to
Kuranda where
you can wander through a heritage market, or learn about indigenous
culture at the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park. Combine that with a
cablecar ride high above the trees. And for your final night, have
dinner in the forest while listening to stories from the Australian
Dreamtime. Or, if you still haven’t pet a kangaroo, head to Cairns Zoo
for a typical Aussie barbecue.
