Things to do in Mission Beach

Mission Beach is 14 kilometres of near-empty sand facing Dunk Island, about 2 hours south of Cairns by road. There's no town centre to speak of, just a string of small settlements strung along the coast, which is part of the appeal after busier Cairns and Port Douglas.

This stretch of the Wet Tropics has the best odds in Australia of spotting a wild southern cassowary, an endangered flightless bird with only around 4,000 left, and it's also become the country's leading skydiving base, with jump planes running most days of the year and landings right on the beach with the reef visible below.

Expect a quieter pace, fewer crowds at lookouts and cafes, and a mix of rainforest and coastline that rewards a night or two rather than a drive-through stop.