Best places to stay:
The standard dress code in Australia is ‘smart casual’ and this term applies perfectly to the Shantara Resort, a contemporary apartment hotel in the heart of Port Douglas.
There are no Balinese flourishes here, just workmanlike modern architecture – and a slightly austere swimming pool. Apartments are well-equipped and decorated in the Aussie beach style, in blues, fawns and taupe.
With its adults-only policy, this immaculate mid-size property will certainly appeal to couples.
Just five minutes’ walk from Four Mile Beach, Shantara Resort is the quintessential laid-back Queensland hideaway.
The property is located several streets away from Port Douglas’s main shopping and dining precinct around Macrossan Street – so your evenings are unlikely to be disturbed by partygoers. Generally, this part of town is leafy, affluent, and very quiet.
Several of the town’s best eateries are located on the same street.
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Bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first
Cooya Beach, Queensland, Australia[7.5 miles]
Discover the secrets of Queensland’s coastal landscape and learn traditional aboriginal skills such as spear-throwing, mud-crabbing and fishing on an immersive tour with a Kuku Yalanji guide.
Best for ages: 4+ | £48 | 3 hours
Mossman, Queensland, Australia[11.9 miles]
Discover aboriginal customs and culture along with the secrets of one of the worlds’ oldest rainforests on a guided Dreamtime walk through the Daintree.
Best for ages: 13+ | £44 | 1 hour
Mossman, Queensland, Australia[12.9 miles]
Discover a different perspective on the Daintree Rainforest by drifting along the Mossman river on an inflatable raft, with turtles and waterdragons under the water and soaring mountains above.
Best for ages: 4+ | £65 | 3.5+ hours
Other worthwhile experiences in this destination if you have the time or the interest, closest first
Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia[0.7 miles]
This celebrated restaurant showcases local specialities like Moreton Bay Bugs, kingfish and mud crab, on the atmospheric wooden deck. Five- and seven-course degustation menus available.
Best for ages: 13+ | £35
Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia[0.8 miles]
This buzzy local market, held every Sunday from 8am to 1.30pm, is a great place to catch up with some colourful personalities, pick up some local artwork or sample some fresh local produce.
Best for ages: 13+ | Free
Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia[1.8 miles]
Queensland’s most northerly craft brewery, which occupies a prime location at the marina, produces a range of lighter style lagers, pilsners and wheat beers, while the restaurant serves up satisfying fare.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia[3.8 miles]
This evening performance features didgeridoo playing, dreamtime stories and a tropical tasting menu. The set menu features tiger prawns, kangaroo and other local produce. A vegetarian option is available.
Best for ages: 8+ | Free | 4 hours
Destination guides including or relevant to this place to stay
Queensland, Australia
Swish, cosmopolitan and delightfully laid-back, Port Douglas is an ideal stepping off point for trips to the Daintree and the Great Barrier Reef, and to connect with authentic indigenous culture.
