Our most recommended things to do in Port Douglas

Cairns: Daintree and Mossman Gorge Tour with Cruise Option

1. Cairns: Daintree and Mossman Gorge Tour with Cruise Option

Embark on a day trip where the rainforest meets the reef. See natural sights including the Great Barrier Reef, experience a wildlife cruise, and participate in a smoke ceremony as you go. Start your adventure with a scenic coastal drive from Cairns to Port Douglas, the far north’s very own great ocean road with panoramic views of the sparkling Coral Sea. The first stop is Mossman Gorge, which is in the southern sector of the world-famous Daintree National Park. The gorge has been carved out by the cold mountain waters of the Mossman River, which winds through large granite boulders, bordered by lush green rainforest. It’s a magical place and you’ll be welcomed by the traditional owners, the Kuku Yalanji people, who will also cleanse you of evil spirits during a smoke ceremony. Also, enjoy a refreshing swim in the cascading waters. After crossing the mighty Daintree River and a lunch break, it’s time to explore the ancient rainforest environment on an interesting guided tour of the Marrdja Botanical Boardwalk. Highly trained guides will give expert rainforest interpretation, which will inform and impress. Be amazed at the huge diversity you will encounter, you will discover everything from low-lying ferns and shrubs, to the massive rainforest canopy and even mangrove ecosystems - all in one short easy walk. You can choose to taste locally made ice cream, at your own cost, and prepare for a photo opportunity at the Alexandra Range Lookout, which provides sweeping views over the Daintree River, its rainforest delta, and out to the Coral Sea. In the afternoon, experience a wildlife cruise on the river (if option selected). During the cruise, you may see a crocodile, while learning about the fragile ecosystem of this impressive serpent-like river system. On the return journey to Cairns, drive through Port Douglas, a picturesque beachside village with a laid-back vibe and loads of bars and cafes.

Queensland: Daintree & Cape Tribulation 4WD Tour with Pickup

2. Queensland: Daintree & Cape Tribulation 4WD Tour with Pickup

Explore Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation. Ride a 4WD vehicle as you spot wildlife, catch incredible views, and try regional food along the way. After being picked up in a 4WD, make your way north along the Captain Cook Highway. Stop first at the Daintree Cruise Centre for a quick tea, coffee, and biscuits before setting out to explore the Daintree River on a 1-hour guided cruise. During your cruise, you may spot estuarine crocodiles, from youngsters to massive 4-meter adults. Learn about the birds and wildlife that make this area their home. Then, make your way to the Alexandra Range Lookout, located in the heart of the rainforest, to enjoy spectacular views of the rainforest, the ocean, its surrounding reefs, and the majestic Daintree River. At the Jindalba boardwalk, you'll go on an informative 45-minute guided tour to experience the Park's beauty up close. See ancient 900-year-old palms, and keep your eyes peeled for the elusive Boyd’s Forest Dragon. After exploring all morning, you'll be ready for lunch. Enjoy lunch with your fellow travellers. Your journey continues, heading further north along the Bloomfield Track to Emmagen Creek. Enjoy ample time for a refreshing swim in this amazing freshwater swimming spot. Head to Cape Tribulation Beach itself for a leisurely stroll along the beach to admire the views. Those feeling a little more energetic can take the short botanical boardwalk to the Cape Tribulation beach lookout. After Cape Tribulation beach, if there's time, stop at Daintree’s hidden secret, the Daintree ice creamery. Your taste buds will be tantalized with exotic tropical fruit homemade ice cream. As the day comes to an end after taking the ferry back across, head back toward Port Douglas and Cairns, where you'll be dropped off at your accommodation.

Queensland: Cape Tribulation, Daintree, and Mossman Day Trip

3. Queensland: Cape Tribulation, Daintree, and Mossman Day Trip

The itinerary for this tour is as follows:• 6:40 AM: Pickups commence from Cairns.• 7:30 AM: Pickups commence from the Northern Beaches.• 8:20 AM: Pickups commence from Port Douglas.• 9:20 AM: Mossman Gorge Centre. Visit the Mossman Gorge Gateway Centre and board your shuttle for the transfer into Mossman Gorge. Your driver/guide will take you for a guided walk sharing their knowledge of this enchanting rainforest environment. Learn about the fascinating secrets of one of the world’s oldest rainforests. Return to the Centre for morning tea.• 11:15 AM: Daintree River Cruise. Reach an understanding of this wildlife environment for one hour. See bird habitats, tree snakes, unique plants and of course the saltwater crocodile.• 12:45 PM: Tropical Lunch. With special access at a private rainforest property, enjoy a short walk along a delightful rainforest creek before a delicious tropical lunch. Enjoy a choice of quality steak, fish, or vegetarian meal with fresh salads and fruit platter, followed by coffee or Daintree Tea.• 2:00 PM: Cape Tribulation. Walk on this world-renowned rainforest beach and admire the coastline and fringing coral reef from the Kulki Lookout.• 3:15 PM: Daintree Ice Cream Company. Included is an afternoon refreshment at the Daintree Ice Cream Company. Enjoy a delicious tropical fruit ice cream made from fruit grown on their own organic orchard.• 4:00 PM: Alexandra Lookout. After winding through the rainforest of the Alexandra Range, enjoy this spectacular lookout over the Daintree River estuary, Snapper Island, and beyond to the Coral Sea.

Port Douglas: Low Isles Glass Bottom Boat & Snorkeling Tour

4. Port Douglas: Low Isles Glass Bottom Boat & Snorkeling Tour

Join a magical snorkeling experience around a beautiful, secluded island in the Great Barrier Reef. Travel aboard a unique glass-bottom boat from Port Douglas to the Low Isles and enjoy a light refreshment. Dive into a calm lagoon to explore a colorful coral reef. Board a fun glass-bottom boat with plenty of space to lounge around. Depart from Port Douglas and feel the wind on your face while you navigate to the Low Isles. Join the crew on a guided snorkeling tour of the site. Learn about the incredible Great Barrier Reef and appreciate its majesty. Discover the small island at your own pace, walking through sandy paths and tropical vegetation. Come across the historical lighthouse, the lighthouse keeper's home, and the station where local weather data is collected. Hop back aboard and view the underwater world as you sail back.

Barron Gorge: Half-Day Barron River White-Water Rafting

5. Barron Gorge: Half-Day Barron River White-Water Rafting

Experience white-water rafting in Barron Gorge National Park, known for its rugged rainforest mountains, steep ravines, and the falls carved out over thousands of years by the Barron River. Enjoy optional pickup from Cairns or Port Douglas before heading to the national park. Meet your guide at Lake Placid, and get ready for your river rafting tour on the river. Enjoy the area’s scenic beauty and a combination of calm water and a series of white-water rapids as well. Spend two hours navigating rapids up to grade three. No experience is necessary, making this a good choice for beginning rafters. There is also plenty of excitement for the more experienced.

Between Cairns Airport, Cairns CBD, Palm Cove & Port Douglas

6. Between Cairns Airport, Cairns CBD, Palm Cove & Port Douglas

Arrive at Cairns Airport and be greeted by a friendly uniformed airport concierge or driver. Be guided to your waiting transport, where your driver will check your name and destination. Enjoy a welcome onboard and receive helpful information from your driver. Sit back and relax as you enjoy your journey to your hotel. Expect a journey time of 20 minutes to Cairns CBD and 25 minutes for Palm Cove hotels. At the end of your stay, take a transfer from your hotel to the airport. Feel calm and relaxed in the knowledge that you will arrive on time to meet your departing flight from Cairns International Airport.

Port Douglas: Quicksilver Outer Barrier Reef Full-Day Cruise

7. Port Douglas: Quicksilver Outer Barrier Reef Full-Day Cruise

Climb aboard a Quicksilver catamaran for a full-day cruise to Australia’s renowned Agincourt Reef, a jewel-like ribbon reef on the edge of the Continental Shelf. Showcasing unsurpassed coral formations, colorful marine life and exceptional underwater visibility, you can snorkel or view the sights from the comfort of a semi-submersible. The Quicksilver's stylish wave-piercing catamaran transports you in air-conditioned comfort. From the spacious activity platform, moored in a protected lagoon, enjoy the widest range of activities for swimmers and non-swimmers alike. A friendly and attentive crew, including professional marine biologists, are on hand to ensure you gain the most from your day. Snorkel among the coral gardens, or stay dry and explore the reef from the comfort of a semi-submersible. Enjoy an informative reef commentary and see the reef from an underwater observatory. Add on exciting optional activities for a complete adventure. Get an introductory dive of the reef, or enjoy certified diving, helmet diving and marine biologist-guided snorkel tours. You can even take a scenic helicopter flight and fly over the reef to see it from another perspective.

Port Douglas: Silversonic Great Barrier Reef Dive & Snorkel

8. Port Douglas: Silversonic Great Barrier Reef Dive & Snorkel

Climb aboard the Silversonic catamaran for a full-day cruise to Australia’s renowned Agincourt Reef on the edge of the Continental Shelf. Dive into the turquoise waters for a refreshing swim or enjoy snorkeling at 3 different sites to see the coral formations and the diverse marine life.  The ultramodern 95-foot (29-meter) Silversonic catamaran is custom-designed for small groups of adventure-minded people. You will spend over 5 hours at the reef, visiting 3 different Agincourt ribbon reef sites, each chosen for its visual and ecological diversity. First-time divers can enjoy up to 2 dives and take the plunge in complete confidence with an experienced dive instructor. Certified divers will enjoy up to 3 dives, all guided to maximize your experience. Silversonic features everything you’ll need to experience an underwater world of colorful marine life in safety and comfort, including a state-of-the-art ride control system ensuring a super smooth journey. Enjoy hydraulic dive and snorkel platforms for easy water access, spacious deck areas, hot freshwater showers, change rooms, and even a licensed bar to share tales of your adventure. As an added bonus during the whale season, Silversonic has one of the few permits available from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority that allows guests to swim with dwarf Minke whales if encountered – a truly unforgettable experience from July through September.

From Port Douglas: Kuranda via Scenic Rail & Skyrail Option

9. From Port Douglas: Kuranda via Scenic Rail & Skyrail Option

Following pickup in the morning, relax on the ride with entertaining commentary. Travel down the Captain Cook Highway, known as the second most scenic highway in Australia, and learn the history of the region, along with local issues and stories about wildlife.  Arrive at the beautiful Freshwater Station and board the historic Kuranda scenic railway. Then, head through the rainforest and take in the breathtaking scenery of waterfalls and 15 dramatic tunnels carved through the rocks.  Upon arrival in Kuranda, explore the 'Village in the Rainforest', famous for its colorful arts and crafts markets, which are open every day.  Browse the wide variety of Aboriginal artifacts, such as handmade leather goods, wood, and jewelry. Stop at a café for lunch and listen to the busker, or try some local snacks such as macadamia nuts, honey, mango wine, homemade sweets, or delicious homemade ice cream. Next, head up the coast to Palm Cove, where you'll be taken along the palm-fringed esplanade. Then, purchase a drink and enjoy some staggering views of the picturesque beach or take a walk along the beach and let the kids play in the playground. Return to Port Douglas with new friends and great memories, before getting dropped off at your accommodation or chosen restaurant on request.  

Port Douglas: Outer Barrier Reef Snorkel Cruise & Transfer

10. Port Douglas: Outer Barrier Reef Snorkel Cruise & Transfer

Experience snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Snorkel at 3 incredible reef sites and enjoy relaxing breaks in between. Your experience begins with a pickup from your hotel from where you will be transported to the Crystalbrook Marina. Arrive at the marina and be welcomed onboard. Receive an outline of the day along with a safety briefing conducted by the crew. Depart the marina and venture to the World Heritage Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and arrive at the first reef site. Divers will be briefed while traveling to the reef. Once moored, divers are ready to go while all other guests are joined together for a snorkel briefing. See much of the reef’s colors and marine life, visible within just a couple of meters of the water’s surface. Snorkeling offers all swimmers, regardless of their skill level, the opportunity to see this diverse eco-system up close. Morning tea is served before moving to the second reef site. A delicious buffet lunch will be served and you may choose to join the interpretive reef talk and or a guided snorkel tour. Float effortlessly over rich, colorful coral gardens teeming with life from the cute and playful clownfish to the graceful beauty of the green turtle. Giant clams, stingrays, Maori wrasse, codfishes, and colorful parrotfish, are just some of the hundreds of species you may encounter. Head to the third and last reef site for the day to snorkel, dive, relax, or spend the time as you wish. Afternoon tea is served before commencing the journey back to Port Douglas. Arrive back at the Crystalbrook Marina for the transfer back to your accommodation if required.

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Port Douglas
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What people are saying about Port Douglas

Overall rating

4.7 / 5

based on 3,875 reviews

We had a full day of activities and saw so much in the time we had. Our guide Damien was brilliant, friendly, passionate about the whole area and very informative. A great insight into the indiginous people of the area and great welcome at Mossman Gorge. Very pretty rainforest, beautiful waterfalls and so much wildlife and flora and fauna. A fascinating cruise crocodile spotting along the river, the guy who took us on this, again was so knowledgeable. The one disappointment which nobody could do anything about was the dreadful downpour as we went on the rainforest walk to Cape Tribulation. We still walked onto the beach to take in the view.Brilliant day

We decided to do Low Isle after the outer Great Barrier Reef (we had rough weather conditions). The coral was not as vibrant in color or as diverse and the water was slightly less clear. The coral was shallower at Low isle and the water was much calmer which provided more pleasant relaxed snorkeling. We saw 3 sea turtles and were able to swim alongside them which was amazing. The fish species at low isle are also very colorful and varied. We definitely were able to snorkel longer in the calmer water. Plus you can always retreat to the island if feeling slightly unwell. Only complaint is equipment could use a little upgrading.

Nice hopping tour around some rainforest key places. Best part was the walk in the rainforest where the guide also explained more about the wild life and plants along the way. Cruise highly recommended otherwise you wait on the bus, for few bucks more we saw a crocodile in the wild! The guide explains a lot about the territory with "fun facts" about animals or places. Overall very informative tour.

Excellent tour even if we didn't get to see Mossman Gorge. Tour guide made it an informative and enjoyable trip. Recommend this full day adventure we anyone looking to see some out of the way places in North Queensland.

Great Guide at the tour who told us a lot about the places we went to. Well organised tour. Daintree and Mossman are beautiful places you should definetely visit