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    Port Douglas

    Australia

    Port Douglas

    Coastal Town

    A small holiday resort an hour's drive north of Cairns. A main street, a long palm-fringed beach, and a harbour where boats depart for the outer reef.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Australia
    7. Tropical North Queensland
    9. Port Douglas
    A small holiday resort an hour's drive north of Cairns. A main street, a long palm-fringed beach, and a harbour where boats depart for the outer reef. The Daintree begins just under an hour further north.

    Sehenswürdigkeiten

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    1Douglas Shire Historical Society

    Small museum of the local historical society in the old courthouse on Wharf Street. Photos and artifacts from the Gold and Sugar Port era. Open only for limited hours.
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    2Wildlife Habitat

    Wildlife park at town entrance, with wetland, rainforest and savanna areas. You'll see koalas, kangaroos, cassowaries, and crocodiles. The morning 'Breakfast with the Birds' is popular.
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    3Port Douglas Sugar Wharf

    The old jetty on Dickson Inlet, from where sugar from the Mossman mill used to be shipped. Today, a peaceful spot for an evening view over the water.
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    4Ngarru Gallery

    Gallery for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art on Macrossan Street. Paintings, carvings and prints, also for sale.
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    5Trinity Bay Lookout

    Lookout on Flagstaff Hill above the town. Gaze along the full length of Four Mile Beach. Accessible by car or on foot via a steep path.
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    Four Mile Beach

    6Four Mile Beach

    Long, flat sandy beach with palm trees right by the town. Swimming takes place at the north end by the Surf Club; between November and May, only within the jellyfish net. In the mornings, it's ideal for a walk at low tide.
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    Essen & Trinken

    1

    Salsa Bar and Grill

    One of the best-known restaurants in town, on Wharf Street. Modern Australian cuisine featuring seafood and tropical ingredients, plus a lively bar. Reserve for evenings.
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    2

    Sassi Cucina

    Italian restaurant on the corner of Grant and Macrossan Street. Pasta, fish and a large wine list, on the terrace you sit amidst the evening buzz.
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    3

    Cafe Fresq

    Popular breakfast café on Macrossan Street. Coffee, bowls, and brunch classics, often with a wait in the mornings.
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    4

    Zinc Port Douglas

    City center restaurant and bar. Modern Australian cuisine for sharing, popular in the evenings.
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    5

    Watergate Port Douglas

    Restaurant in a quiet courtyard off Macrossan Street. Serving upscale modern cuisine and cocktails, it's ideal for a romantic evening for two.
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    6

    The Tin Shed - Douglas Community & Sports Club Inc.

    Clubhouse on the water of Dickson Inlet. Affordable pub food, beer, and sunset over the mangroves. Guests pay a small daily membership or sign in.
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    7

    Star of Siam

    Thai main and seafood dishes with house-made sauces in a welcoming restaurant with a terrace.
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    8

    Hi Tide by the beach

    Casual bar with food on the Esplanade, just a few steps from Four Mile Beach. Good for a beer and a snack after the beach.
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    Food & Drink

    For a place of this size, the gastronomy density is unusual – seafood, tropical products and a street full of restaurants.

    Macrossan Street

    The main street is lined with cafes, bars, and restaurants over just a few hundred meters. Evenings see full terraces; booking is recommended in the dry season.

    Fish and all other Seafood

    Barramundi, coral trout, Mudcrab and local prawns are on almost every menu. By the harbor, you'll find restaurants with views of Dickson Inlet.

    Sunday Market

    Every Sunday morning, Hafenpark hosts stalls with tropical fruits, handicrafts, and local food. A nice morning without reef activities.

    Culture & Character

    From Gold Port to Holiday ResortPort Douglas originated in the 1870s as a port for the goldfields in the hinterland and lost importance when Cairns gained the railway connection to the hinterland. A cyclone destroyed large parts of the town in 1911. Tourism only began in the 1980s, and since then Port Douglas has lived almost entirely from it. Building height restrictions keep the town low.Between Two World Heritage SitesOff the coast lies the Great Barrier Reef, to the north begins the Daintree Rainforest. Both are UNESCO World Heritage sites and accessible from here on a day trip. The town itself consists essentially of Macrossan Street, which leads from the beach to the harbor.

    Orientation & Arrival

    Getting TherePort Douglas is located approximately 70 kilometers north of Cairns. The drive via the Captain Cook Highway takes about an hour and runs along the coast in places. Shuttle buses run several times daily from Cairns Airport and the city.Local AreaMacrossan Street, the harbor, and Four Mile Beach can be reached on foot or by bike. For Mossman Gorge, the Daintree, and the Tablelands, you'll need a car or a guided tour. The journey to Cape Tribulation includes a river ferry. From November to May is the wet season: boat tours may be canceled, and jellyfish rules apply when swimming.

    Accommodations in Port Douglas

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    Nearby

    Daintree National Park

    Daintree National Park

    North of Daintree River, lowland rainforest meets the Coral Sea. The National Park, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Wet Tropics of Queensland, since 2021 co-managed with the Eastern Kuku Yalanji. Boardwalks, remote beaches, and roadside cassowaries shape the days here.
    Cairns

    Cairns

    Cairns, with approximately 160,000 inhabitants, is the largest city in tropical North Queensland and a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. Life revolves around the Esplanade, featuring a large swimming lagoon, BBQ areas, and a promenade.From the Reef Fleet Terminal, boats depart daily for the outer reefs and islands. The best time to visit is the dry season from May to October.
    Tropical North Queensland

    Tropical North Queensland

    Tropical North Queensland is the state's northeast, centered around Cairns. Here, two UNESCO World Heritage Sites converge: the Great Barrier Reef offshore and the Wet Tropics rainforests, including Daintree, on land.Cairns and Port Douglas are the main gateways. In the hinterland lie the cooler Atherton Tablelands, featuring lakes and waterfalls.
    Atherton Tablelands

    Atherton Tablelands

    Volcanic high plateau behind Cairns, at 700 to over 1,000 meters. Here it's cooler than on the coast: pastures, coffee plantations, crater lakes, and waterfalls abound. A good day trip, even better with two nights in Yungaburra.
    Mission Beach

    Mission Beach

    Four small towns on a roughly 14-kilometer long beach between Cairns and Townsville. The rainforest almost reaches the water, and Dunk Island lies off the coast. It's quieter here than in Cairns or Port Douglas, and with a bit of luck, you'll spot cassowaries by the roadside.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Unsplash. Each photo carries its credit.
    • Place data such as addresses and ratings comes from Google Maps.
    • The content is based on web research from public, traceable sources. How the content is made · The role of AI