Port Douglas, Queenland, Australia

Sunshine, palm trees, fresh brunch, tropical juices, gorgeous pool and a quaint township… what more could you want from a little retreat in Queensland, Australia?

The second half of my Easter getaway took me out to Port Douglas, about an hour or so from Cairns… and a much nicer spot in my opinion.

There was still plenty of tourist shops and day trips to do, it’s close to the Daintree rainforest, Wildlife Habitat and the Great Barrier Reef. The township itself was colourful and cute, with lots of nice spots to eat and shops to wander. There’s also the weekly Sunday market filled with crafts and bits and pieces.

One of my favourite things to do was just to wander and enjoy the town, harbour and palm trees by the ocean.

There’s also a great view from a walkway by the beach… yes its one of those beaches you can’t swim in – unless the stinger nets are out and functioning… they were flooded in my case. The view it quite different to those in New Zealand. This one was filled with tropical trees and an empty beach.

My accomodation was a lovely spot that allowed me to save a bit on eating out – by cooking in the little kitchen in my studio apartment. Australia is quite expensive if you’re eating out all the time, so it was a good balance, though I still made a point to sample fish n’ chips by the beach (not quite as good as New Zealand… sorry Aussies).

It got pretty hot in the afternoons but since the beach and harbour was a no-go zone, I forced myself to read by the pool between dips in the beautiful waters. Surrounded by trees I could hear so many beautiful birds chirping away constantly. The sunshine beaming down… it really was a tropical retreat.

As a solo traveller, I felt really safe in Port Douglas, it was a smaller town and pretty friendly. It didn’t bother me walking around at dusk if I ventured out for dinner. It’s got plenty of families that come for holidays and expats that move there.

In the coming weeks I’ll share a few of the day trips I did while in Port Douglas with you all, so stay tuned for some unique wildlife, more from the Great Barrier Reef and a squiz into the Daintree Rainforest.