Things to do in Port Douglas

Port Douglas sits 68 kilometres north of Cairns along the Captain Cook Highway, about an hour's drive with a worthwhile stop at Rex Lookout.

The village centres on Macrossan Street, lined with restaurants and tour desks, a short walk from Four Mile Beach, where a stinger net operates during jellyfish season but doesn't cover the whole bay. Flagstaff Hill, above the marina, gives a free sunset view over the Coral Sea.

Many boats to the outer reef and the Low Isles depart from the Port Douglas marina rather than Cairns, cutting an hour or more off the return trip to sites like Agincourt Reef. Expect a quieter, pricier pace than Cairns, with fewer backpacker-style options.