Top Towns for 2022: A quick escape to idyllic Port Douglas

Carla Grossetti Carla Grossetti
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A lure for sea-changers, holidaymakers and backpackers alike, this picturesque town in Tropical North Queensland holds timeless appeal that landed Port Douglas second on your list of Top 50 Aussie towns, writes former local Carla Grossetti. 

Find the complete list of the Top 50 Aussie Towns here.

What makes Port Douglas picturesque?

Port Douglas is a vivid place, crayoned in blues and greens and popping with colour from pretty flowers and foliage. It’s where southerners go to be liberated from their heavy coats and boots in winter and to escape their city lives over summer.  

Daintree Rainforest road
Embark on an exhilarating adventure to Daintree Rainforest. (Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland)

It’s where you’ll find colourful livewire characters holding forth at the pubs, sun-kissed backpackers twirling fire sticks on the beach, and wannabe locals trying to manifest a sea change.  

palm trees in Port Douglas
Tropical foliage awaits you at Port Douglas.

This is Yirrganydji Sea Country, where the jungle spills down to the sea, and it’s where you can try forest bathing and wild swimming all in the same day.

The former fishing village was put on the map more than a few decades ago as a destination thanks to its proximity to the Great Barrier Reef and Jurassic-like jungle.  

Here’s where to eat, drink, stay and play in the picturesque Tropical North Queensland town of Port Douglas. 

Where to eat and drink 

Life feels peaceful and unhurried in Port Douglas. You don’t need a superyacht to lean into that pace of life; just time your visit to coincide with the annual Taste Port Douglas event, which celebrates the best of the region’s bounty. 

Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort
An expansive palm-fringed pool at Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort. (Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland)

The festival is held at the newly reimagined Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort , also home to Harrisons By Spencer Patrick , the most acclaimed restaurant in Port Douglas. 

British-born chef Spencer Patrick has been at the helm since 2007 and his restaurant remains a huge draw on either side of the festival. It’s the done thing to order signature dishes such as spaghetti with squid and nduja and painted crayfish in garlic butter.  

Jungle Fowl is inspired by Southeast Asian flavours and ingredients. Jungle Fowl  is named in honour of a bird that is prevalent around the tropics, and you’ll find it roosting in Wharf Street. It’s one of the best places to eat in Port Douglas.

It’s the town’s latest and greatest hotspot: feast on dishes such as green papaya salad and ma hor, caramelised pork and prawn on pineapple.

Green Curry served at Jungle Fowl restaurant
Satisfy your palate with Green Curry. (Image: Jungle Fowl)

Hi Tide by the Beach is the only licensed restaurant near to Four Mile Beach. The beachside eatery is celebrated for its signature seafood chowder.  The Tin Shed , built in 1877, is a top spot to perch for a bucket of prawns and bevvy. Nautilus, Watergate, Osprey’s and Aluco also tap into the tropics for inspiration. 

meal at Osprey's Restaurant
A mouthwatering seafood platter at the Osprey’s Restaurant. (Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland)

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Where to stay 

It’s easy to rack up a few lazy days in five-star comfort while in TNQ. Book a stay at the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort for its sparkling lagoon pool, and return for its proximity to the 18-hole golf course, and world-class restaurants.

Take a catamaran cruise to the outer reef, then unwind to the sound of waves kissing the shore from your swim-out suite at Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort and Spa , which is backed by palm trees on Four Mile Beach.

Niramaya Villas & Spa is also suited to the type of traveller who is looking for rest and a reset. Only leave your sun lounger by the infinity-edge pool to indulge in a massage at the day spa or a snooze on your villa’s day bed.

Niramaya Villas & Spa 5-bedroom villa
Soak up scenic views at Niramaya Villas & Spa. (Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland)

On either side of Port Douglas you’ll find Thala Beach Nature Reserve to the south or the newly revitalised Silky Oaks Lodge to the north, both captivating and immersive places to stay.  

Silky Oaks Lodge treehouse
A luxury treehouse for those who want to immerse in the wilderness. (Image: Silky Oaks Lodge)

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Where to play 

Want to live like a local? You can do just that by following in their footsteps along the Flag Staff Hill Walking Trail that links Four Mile Beach to Rex Smeal Park, or along the sand, which stretches from Flagstaff Hill all the way to the mouth of the mighty Mowbray River.

Flagstaff Hill Lookout
Catch sweeping views of the Coral Sea and Low Isles at the Flagstaff Hill Lookout. (Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland)

This emphatically emerald-green corner of the TNQ coast is known as a safe haven for writers and artists and that creativity is on show everywhere from the Sunday markets to the galleries dotted along the main strip.

The resort town is a playground for eco travellers, divers and snorkellers, and an equally popular slice of paradise for cruise ships that lay anchor offshore and the catamarans setting sail for the Great Barrier Reef.  

sunset sail with Sail Away
A romantic sunset cruise with Sail Away. (Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland)

Explore the Daintree on a River Drift Snorkelling adventure with Back Country Bliss and learn about caring for Country with Juan Walker, of Walk About Cultural Adventures . Meanwhile, add a sunset sail with Sailaway and see abundant wildlife at the Wild Life Habitat , where you can swim with saltwater crocs, and meander around Mossman Gorge with a cultural guide.

Explore more of Port Douglas in our travel guide or find out which other towns made it into your Top 50.
Carla Grossetti
Carla Grossetti avoided accruing a HECS debt by accepting a cadetship with News Corp. at the age of 18. After completing her cadetship at The Cairns Post Carla moved south to accept a position at The Canberra Times before heading off on a jaunt around Canada, the US, Mexico and Central America. During her career as a journalist, Carla has successfully combined her two loves – of writing and travel – and has more than two decades experience switch-footing between digital and print media. Carla’s CV also includes stints at delicious., The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Australian, where she specialises in food and travel. Carla also based herself in the UK where she worked at Conde Nast Traveller, and The Sunday Times’ Travel section before accepting a fulltime role as part of the pioneering digital team at The Guardian UK. Carla and has been freelancing for Australian Traveller for more than a decade, where she works as both a writer and a sub editor.
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What it’s really like to stay on the world’s largest sand island

    Kassia Byrnes Kassia Byrnes
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    Exploring the world’s largest sand island starts with the perfect K’gari homebase.

    The morning light is still soft, but it’s already a perfect sunny day. We left our K’gari homebase at Kingfisher Bay Resort  with our guide, Peter Meyer, at 9 am to make the most of our time to explore all that the world’s largest sand island holds. The size of K’gari is hard to grasp until you arrive here. This is no sandbar. Stretching 120 kilometres, unique lakes, mangrove systems, rainforest, 75 Miles of beach, historic shipwrecks, small townships and even one of Queensland’s best bakeries are all hidden within its bounds.

    But first, one of the island’s most iconic sights: the pure silica sand and crystal clear waters of Lake McKenzie.

    Laying eyes on it for the first time, I’m finally able to confirm that the photos don’t lie. The sand is pure white, without the merest hint of yellow. The water fades from a light halo of aqua around the edges to a deeper, royal blue, the deeper it gets (not that it’s particularly deep, six metres at most). The surface remains surprisingly undisturbed, like a mirror.

    Arriving with our guide before 10 am means that no one else is around when we get here. Which means we have the pleasure of breaking the smooth surface with our own ripples as we enter. As a self-confessed wimp with chilly water temperatures, my fears are quickly assuaged. Even in the morning, the water stays around 23 degrees – perfect for lazing about all day. But we have more sights to see.

    Exploring K’gari

    ariel of in lake mckenzie on k'gari fraser island
    Relax in the warm waters of Lake McKenzie. (Image: Ayeisha Sheldon)

    This was the Personalised 4WD tour offered by Kingfisher Bay Resort, and my absolute top pick of experiences. Over the course of the day, we had the freedom to create our own bespoke itinerary (plus a provided picnic lunch along the way), with an expert guide who had plenty of stories and local expertise to give context to what we were looking at. From the history of the SS Maheno shipwreck, which survived the First World War only to be washed ashore by a cyclone in 1935, to a detailed description of how an island made of sand could sustain such diverse flora.

    If it’s your first time to K’gari, the Beauty Spots Tour is another great option. Departing daily from Kingfisher Bay Resort (you’ll start to notice a trend, as many of the tours do start and end here), an air-conditioned, 4WD bus takes guests to the island’s most iconic locations, including the best places to swim, like Lake McKenzie and Eli Creek. The latter offers a gentle current, perfect for riding with a blow-up tyre out towards the ocean.

    The next day, for a look at a completely different side of K’gari, I joined one of Kingfisher Bay Resort’s Immersive Ranger-guided tours to kayak through the mangroves of Dundonga Creek. This long, snake-like stretch of creek winds its way inland from the ocean outlet we entered by, at times too narrow for three kayaks to be side-by-side. Small insects buzz from leaf to leaf, while birds call overhead. Occasional bubbles indicate we’ve passed some fish that call this place home.

    kayak tour through the mangroves at k'gari island
    Learn about the island’s mangroves from your Ranger. (Image: Reuben Nutt/ TEQ)

    If kayaking isn’t for you – or if, like me, you simply want more – other ranger-led experiences include nature walks and a dedicated Junior Eco Ranger Program for kids ages five to 12 (these run every weekend, and daily over the peak December holidays). Just ask for a timetable of upcoming tours when you check in.

    While during whale season, Hervey Bay Whale Watch & Charters operates tours from the hotel’s jetty to get up close to the famous Humpback Highway of Hervey Bay, from 7 November to 31 May, attention turns to the Aqua Oasis Cruise . Departing from the resort every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday for resort guests, adventure along the island’s remote western coast, pointing out wildlife like dolphins, turtles, flying fish and eagles along the way.

    The cruise drops anchor so guests can jump into the water using the boat’s equipment – from SUP boards to inflatable slides and jumping platforms. Then refuel with a provided lunch, of course.

    Unwind at sunset

    two people drinking cocktails at sunset bar, kingfisher bay resort
    Unwind at the Sunset Bar. (Image: Sean Scott)

    As much as days on K’gari can be filled with adventure, to me, the afternoons and evenings there are for unwinding. Sunsets on K’gari are absolutely unbelievable, with Kingfisher Bay on the west side being the best spot to catch the colours.

    The Sunset Bar , located at the start of the resort’s jetty and overlooking the beach, is the ultimate location for sundowners. Let chill beats wash over you as you sip on cool wines, beers and cocktails in a relaxed, friendly vibe. Personally, a cheese board was also absolutely called for. As the sun sinks, the sand, sea and horizon turn a vibrant shade of orange, with the jetty casting a dramatic shadow across the water.

    When the show is over, head back to the hotel for dinner at the Asian-fusion Dune restaurant, or the pub-style Sand + Wood. But if your appetite is still whetted for more lights and colours, the evening isn’t over yet.

    Settle into the Illumina stage for Return to Sky, an immersive light and sound show leading viewers on a captivating journey through K’gari’s stories and landscapes.

    Indulge and disconnect

    woman setting up massage room at kingfisher bay resort Island Day Spa
    Find bliss at Island Day Spa. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

    Of course, there is a type of traveller who knows that balance is important, day or night. While Kingfisher Bay Resort offers more than one pool for guests to spend all day lounging by (they’ll even serve you food and drinks while you do it), you’ll find me at the Island Day Spa.

    The masseuses could match the magic hands of any big city spa, and I felt the warm welcome as I walked into the light, breezy reception. Choose from a range of botanical facials, beauty treatments and soothing massages using traditional techniques (obviously, I couldn’t go past a relaxing massage). All products used contain organic, native botanical ingredients with nutrient-rich plant extracts to soothe skin and mind. To really indulge, try out one of the packages, couples treatment or even a pre-wedding day offering.

    Getting there

    kingfisher bay resort 4wd tour driving passed ss maheno on k'gari island
    The world of K’gari awaits. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

    Getting to K’gari is shockingly easy. Find daily flights into Hervey Bay from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Kingfisher Bay Resort offers a shuttle bus between the airport, their headquarters in Hervey Bay and the ferry to take you to K’gari.