What more can I say……Yes we are in love with Port Douglas! From great restaurants to beautiful river cruises we have now fallen in love with Port Douglas.
We must admit that Port Douglas is a very commercialised town, it reminded us of Bali so much and that is why I think we fell in love so much. It has a main street that is filled with restaurants and shops that have market goods on the footpath and as you walk down the street you have music playing from all the diferent restauntants.
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What To Do In Port Douglas
We stayed here for two weeks and we always found something to do. We really enjoyed relaxing and kicking back in the down vibe that Port Douglas has. The town feels like it’s in holiday mode all the time. We stayed at a local caravan park and it was central to everything we needed.
Hire A Boat-with no licence
As we travel around Australia we really wish we were able to carry a tinny with us but we didn’t want it enough that we needed to do the crazy upgrades to the car. So we were so happy to have found Port Douglas Boat Hire. We could hire a boat without a skippers ticket and explore the ocean inlet and marina. We hired the boat for 4 hours and this was plenty of time to hopefully spot crocs (we didn’t see any) and have plenty of fishing time (we did catch a fish!)
You can either hire out all of your fishing gear or you can bring your own. We all had a great day and enjoyed the lovely scenery that the mangroves provided. Often enough we were floating around on our own. Having the lovely water scene to ourselves.
Mossman Gorge
Mossman Gorge is well….just simply gorgeous. This is located in the Daintree National Park and is run by friendly local staff. The only way to access the gorge is by the shuttle bus supplied, that leaves from the information centre. No cars are to be driven into the area. The cost is minimal and well worth the money spent. Yes it is warm and sticky but after your short walk you can have a swim in the water holes. Be careful though and follow the swimming recommendations. Yes the rocks are slippery and the current does run fast after heavy rainfall or after the wet season.
Four Mile Beach
What to do In Port Douglas? Swimming in Port Douglas is all about the timing. As with most swimming in far north Queensland. The stingers come into the shore around November to March which is not ideal for swimming outside the stinger nets.
Further up towards the town is where the stinger net is located and has lifeguards which is where most of the crowds head. But if you are kayaking or going for a run then anywhere is fair game.
Our kids loved riding their bikes on the beach as the sand is hard and firm.
B17 Burgers
This cool burger joint is located on the main strip in Port Douglas. We sat on the front deck and enjoyed some of the best tasting burgers going, topped off with a wine and beer. The kids enjoyed getting some free activities to keep them busy while we sat back and watched the human traffic go by.
Port Douglas Markets On The Marina
The markets on the marina is the place to be on a Sunday morning, the markets offer a diverse array of market stalls and has something for everyone. We enjoyed grabbing a coffee and hot chocolate for the kids while browsing around.
Skate Park and Pump Track
Yes, our kids are obsessed with skate parks and we visit every skate park in every town we visit. Port Douglas’s pump track was great and has the skate park right next door. This is located just behind the football oval and we can give this a 5/5 stars from us.
Lady Douglas River Cruise
We really wanted to go on this cruise but it was booked while we were here in Port Douglas. COVID added to not being able to get on this tour. Lady Douglas is very popular tour, each cruise includes both an exploration far up Dickson Inlet and a cruise to the inlet entrance. An entertaining and informative commentary covers mangroves, crocodiles, local history of Port Douglas and all there is to know about the area.
We really loved Port Douglas and would return in a heartbeat. The place gives off some really chilled vibes that often make you forget what day of the week it is. We cannot wait for our next trip back.
