Travel Guide Port Douglas

Port Douglas, 70 km north of Cairns, lies on a thin spit of land between Dickson Inlet and the Pacific. This is where the Great Barrier Reef is closest to the mainland. Boats take day trips from Port Douglas to the Great Barrier Reef, discovering its superb seabed. Until recently, Port Douglas was a sleepy little village on the bangs of civilization in the far tropical north. Today, developers, realizing the site's fabulous beauty, have invested millions of dollars in resorts such as the hyperluxurious Sheraton Grand Mirage, Pullman or Niramaya Villas & Spa. Others soon followed, as well as a marina with a chic shopping center, golf courses, a heliport and, to top it all off, a "hedge of honor" of coconut palms imported at a high price and lining the 6 km stretch of road between the Captain Cook Highway and the Port Douglas marina. This small town also boasts the beautiful Four Mile Beach, inviting you to swim and take long walks or rent a bike. Also worth a visit is the Flagstaff Hill hiking trail, offering magnificent views of Port Douglas between Four Mile Beach and Rex Smeal Park. Low Isles, offshore, is a beautiful island where turtles, sharks, coral and fish roam. Numerous boats depart daily from the Marina for excursions.