Port Douglas, a quaint and beautiful fishing village is the home to two World Heritage Sites: the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef.
After spending a good 3 days in Cairns, we’re eager to explore the Port Douglas region with our little rented Camry Hybrid.
With just an hour drive north of Cairns, you’ll find yourself in this picturesque town.
Driving from Cairns, following the Captain Cook Highway through the Coral Sea coastline is easy and filled with gorgeous ocean views on your right and lush green rainforest on your left-hand side.
With a bevy of beautiful spots along the way, probably you’d find yourself make multiple pit stops for incredible views and magnificent beaches. Some of the beautiful spots that we stopped along the route are Trinity Beach, Palm Cove Beach, Ellis Beach and Rex Lookout.
A worthwhile stop off to get sweeping panoramic views of the gorgeous Coral Sea, the sandy coastline below, the distant mountains.
It’s not until we got to Port Douglas that we realized most visitors here are white, upper middle class! It’s a famous vacation spot for Aussies. That being said, almost everything here is overpriced. On average, food costs at least 2 times more than in a major city like Melbourne.
But we definitely can make do with that. After all, it’s free to explore the spectacular natural wonders.
If you want to get the most out of Port Douglas without breaking the budget, here’s a list of things to do for free that we’ve done or are planning to do.
1. Take a stroll along the expansive Four Mile Beach
As its name suggests, Four Mile Beach is the most iconic beach in Tropical North Queensland spanning a robust four-mile length.
Unlike many other beaches in Queensland, Four Mile Beach has been well preserved, no commercialized storefront and no high-rise building.
With just a 5-minute walk from the centre of Port Douglas, you’ll see a few access points at the end of the Macrossan Street (main street).
Following the smell of salt, within minutes we’re standing on the sandy white sand, admiring the vast blue ocean and enjoying the gentle breeze.
This long, flat sandy white sand is lined with endless rows of palm trees make it an enjoyable beach for kids and adults alike.
You can swim between the patrolled flags, surf the waves, walk along the beach or simply lie down, relax and soak up the Sun on the beach.
2. Explore the Flagstaff Hill Walking Trail
Whether you’re looking for a run in nature, Insta-worthy photo spots, or leisurely walk, Flagstaff Hill Walking Trail has it all.
You can easily access this track via steps at the north end of Four Mile Beach.
Spanning about 1km long, this coastal trail is a fairly easy uphill walk from the beach and link to Rex Smeal Park at the other end.
Take some time to wander through the track. There’s one must stop location: the Trinity Bay Lookout.
Stand at the edge of this hovering viewing platform, I was awe-struck by the view- a breathtaking view overlooking the Coral Sea and Low Isles, all the way to the distant rainforest.
It’s definitely worth a walk up here.
3. Get a scenic view at Flagstaff Hill Lookout
Following the Flagstaff Hill Walking Trail, walk past the Trinity Bay Lookout, keep to your left path, it will lead you all the way up to the Flagstaff Hill Lookout.
You can also take a short drive up to this scenic viewpoint.
It’s well known as the ultimate viewing platform of Port Douglas, providing a majestic view of the sandy Four Mile Beach and the surrounding mountains.
If you want to catch a beautiful sunrise, go there in the early morning. Otherwise, you can visit anytime of the day.
4. Peruse the chic boutiques and galleries along Macrossan Street
Macrossan Street is the main street in Port Douglas, oozing a relaxed and friendly village vibe in a calming tropical atmosphere.
This shopping precinct is home to a vibrant array of local galleries, chic boutiques as well as lively bars and cafes. Here you can find trendy clothing, designer outfits, accessories and more.
Browsing is of course free.
It’s also the place where we grabbed our breakfast, lunch and dinner. From Vietnam cuisine, Chinese food, Mexican tapas to Domino’s pizza take away. There’re lots of eateries here.
5. Meander through the Port Douglas Sunday Markets
Photo: Flickr
Located at Anzac Park, end of Macrossan Street, this weekly Sunday market is a great place to meet the locals and get a taste of local food.
Meandering through this open market on the waterfront, you’ll find a huge selection of fresh local produce, clothes and fashion, authentic souvenirs, handcrafted arts as well as locally flavored ice creams and some hot food too.
We spent a lovely Sunday morning wandering around the market, soaking in the vibrant atmosphere and admiring stunning ocean views.
6. Discover St Mary’s By The Sea Chapel
Photo: Wikipedia
Looking for a lovely little chapel for a wedding or wedding photography?
Situated on the foreshore at Wharf Street, St Mary’s by the Sea is a small historic wooden church now used for non-denominational services.
We discovered this little charming church when visiting the Sunday Market. It’s just located next to the market. Once you step inside the church, you’ll see a church bell, stained glass windows, vintage timber pews, and a huge glass altar window overlooking the majestic Coral Sea.
Or you can simply sit on a bench outside the church, appreciating the gothic style architecture, incredible panoramic views of the surrounding mountain and sea.
I’ve to admit this is sort of my ideal location for my special day.
7. Watch Groper Feeding at On the Inlet
In Gold Coast you can watch pelican feeding at Labrador and in Port Douglas, head to On the Inlet for groper feeding.
On the Inlet, a local restaurant serving fresh local seafood by the water is a very popular spot to watch groper feeding for both locals and tourists alike.
They have a very special resident groper called George. For the past 30+years, George the groper is fed every day at On the Inlet.
For those who don’t know Giant Queensland Groper, it is the biggest bony fish found in the reefs. It grows up to 3m long and probably can weigh up to an astounding 600kg. That’s a very huge fish!
To get a good view of the groper feeding, you may want to go there early.
While waiting for the “show”, you can have some drink and a bite to eat.
Everyday afternoon at 5 pm sharp, a friendly staff will carry a bucket filled with tuna frame heading to the jetty in front of the restaurant. George along with many other smaller fishes will come out for their feed and give you a real show!
It’s so much fun watching George the groper wrestle with his fish and best of all, it’s FREE!
8. Watch the sunrise/sunset at Rex Smeal Park
Photo: Expedia
Situated right on the waterfront, Rex Smeal Park is a lovely park fringed with swaying palm trees. With magnificent background views of the Coral Sea and Daintree rainforest, it’s the perfect place to catch a romantic sunrise and sunset in Port Douglas.
If you’re an early rise, you can see boats departing from the Marina and head out to the Great Barrier Reef as the sunlight fills the sky.
Or do what we did and watch the sun go down.
Sit on the grassy cliff’s edge, see the boats make their returns from the reef as the sun set over the ocean.
Rays of sunlight cast over the moving sea, painting the sky in beautiful color.
It’s absolutely stunning!
9. Walk in the rainforest at Mossman Gorge
Looking to experience the beauty of nature first hand?
Head to the Mossman Gorge, which is part of the ancient Daintree National Park.
With just a short 20-minute drive north from Port Douglas, you’ll reach the entrance to the oldest and unspoiled rainforest on the planet- the Mossman George.
Mossman Gorge is free to enter. But preferably you buy a $20 shuttle bus ticket, which will bring you straight to the main walking area.
Otherwise, you have to walk for 2km. Be sure to respect the locals if you choose to go on your own, as you’ll walk pass through an indigenous community.
There are two main walking tracks that you can take from Mossman Gorge:
(a) River Circuit Track (400m) – this easy short walking track takes about 10 minutes to complete.
(b) Rainforest Circuit Track (2.7km) –take 1-hour hour return.
Both walking trails are easy and well signed. During our trip there, we stumbled upon a snake hiding in a bush. We have a close look at it but not sure what species it’s.
To cool off the heat from all the walking, you can have a dip or swim at the Mossman Gorge Swimming Hole. The water is so clear that you see straight to the bottom. I was truly amazed.
Amber slowly, breathing the fresh crispy air, appreciating the ancient rainforest and simply living at the moment.
That’s a wonderful day well spent in the tranquil, well-preserved Mossman Gorge.
Conclusion
Lush green rainforest, clear blue waters, remote sandy beach and a friendly village vibe make Port Douglas an ideal place for all holidaymakers and nature lovers!
We spent 4 days in Port Douglas and barely scratched the surface of adventures Port Douglas has to offer. I hope this guide will help you in planning your trip and ticking off these free things to do in Port Douglas.
What’s your favorite free thing to do in Port Douglas?
Do you have any favorite place or thing to do in Port Douglas that I didn’t mention in this post?
Feel free to share with us in the comment below.
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