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With the opening of the Queensland border to fully vaccinated travelers starting Monday, December 13, it’s time to explore what the state has to offer. And it’s hard to go through Port Douglas in search of delicious weather, food, and experiences.
If you’ve been a bit disappointed in Canberra’s attempt at ‘summer’, then it’s time to book a flight. Port Douglas has enough blue skies and bright sunshine for all of us. It also seems to emit a tropical breeze that is vaguely felt abroad, without having to leave the country.
There is no language barrier, there is so much to see and do, and a food scene worthy of any major city in Australia or even Europe. So we say embrace the holidays in Australia.
Here’s a handy guide on where to stay, play and eat from two members of the HerCanberra team who met in Far North Queensland on the July school holidays, basking together on a daybed with a cold bottle of chardonnay and getting engaged. to share everything they collected with the readers at home. # take us back.
To stay
Port Douglas offers almost every variant of luxury family hotels, backpackers, and resorts. The Freestyle Resort offers affordable apartments surrounded by tropical gardens and with access to a large swimming pool. Located across from Four Mile Beach, you can walk pretty much everywhere and self catering if you bring kids. There is a supermarket just down the street and weekend markets for fresh fruits and vegetables and if you are lucky you can schedule your visit with the local seafood trawler that comes to the pier once a month full of fresh seafood.
Niramaya is like a Balinese town that offers luxury villas to tourists. You get a complete home, including your own pool, outdoor kitchen and shower, sofa bed, and you can access the hotel’s huge pool, restaurant, and day spa. In other words, the best of both worlds.
The Oakes Port Douglas Resort is a mid-range place and if you rate a hotel by its pool, this one has a high rating. There is also the Oak and Vine restaurant and a day spa for those who want to stay in one place.
The Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort allows you to get up in the morning, get out of bed, get out of your room and jump right into the pool. Really. This opulent venue has everything you need to make you feel like you’ve won the tropical island jackpot and, like all major hotels, is located on Four Mile Beach.
Eat
You will not go hungry. In fact, Port Douglas is as much about its restaurant scene and access to seafood and tropical fruits and vegetables as it is about its beachfront and palm trees. But since Port Douglas is literally packed with tourists, we can only advise you to book everything in advance if you plan to get away.
Be aware that the staff in many places is overloaded and patience may be required even for coffee if the line is long (who really cares, when you’re probably standing under a palm tree while waiting, right?) .
Nautilus is a local institution with a proud 65-year history. Set al fresco on large terraces in the middle of the rainforest on a hillside and serving fine-dining tastings, it naturally focuses on seafood. If you can get a reservation (as Mick Jagger, Bill Clinton, and David Bowie might), try the Moreton Bay Bug with Santiego prawns, young coconut, and green papaya.
A visit to the Salsa Bar and Grill is also worth planning. Located on the boardwalk, it’s always packed and the tabletop red claw pepperincino linguine, garlic, chili, and shaved parmesan is a good reason.
Maman is an outdoor cafe that looks French but tastes Middle Eastern. Try their Prawn Fattoush for a Port Douglas version of the classic Lebanese salad.
Sassi La Cucina and Bar is also an idyllic place for a long lunch, facing the ocean and with plenty of outdoor seating to maximize your vitamin D intake. You must eat the oysters and drink the champagne for the full effect.
Sassi La Cucina and Bar, the perfect place to dine next to the beach.
The Little Larder does a bustling trade with Toby’s Estate Cafe and offers delicious lunches and lunches in the cafes when you might want something simple after a big night out.
Similarly, Toast Sandwich Bar is perfect for those times when you just want a fresh sandwich or wrap, packed with good combinations (the smashed avo has Persian feta, chilli, cherry tomatoes, pepitas, and balsamic glaze) and washed down with a iced coffee.
Mocka’s Pies and Bakehouse is also a must for simply exceptional baked goods and a wide variety of cake flavors including Rueben, Kangaroo, and Seafood.
Play
If the slightest possibility that eating, drinking, and lounging on a pristine beach isn’t enough to keep you busy, Port Douglas has daytime adventures for everyone.
Emma and Amanda from HerCanberra do the toughest investigation on Port Douglas. Self-portrait with chardonnay.
Mossman Gorge is an example of ecotourism well done, celebrating indigenous culture and pristine fresh waters nestled among the most lush rainforest. About a 20 minute drive from Port Douglas, access to the gorge is via buses and you can choose any number of walking trails to suit your fitness level. Pack a picnic and find a shady, sandy spot next to the gorge swimming spot. Stay still long enough for the desire to swim up close or climb a rock and take a nap. It is nature at its finest.
Mossman Gorge is worth a day of exploring, swimming, and picnicking on the rocks.
Oakes Kitchen and Garden is the home of chef Ben Wallace and his partner, avid gardener Rachael Boon, nestled among four acres of lush greenery about 15 minutes south of Port Douglas. They just won the Best Dining Destination award at the Gourmet Traveler Awards, so you’ll need to book well in advance.
Tour their stunning, completely organic garden before grabbing a cutting board in their pavilion-style outdoor kitchen. Ben is an expert on Southeast Asian cuisine and will guide you through everything from betel crab leaves to Shan tofu and jungle curries. The ingredients are diverse and are picked fresh every day. This is the ultimate food lover experience and Ben is patient and knowledgeable. Also, it is unlikely that you have ever come across some of these herbs and vegetables, let alone chop and cook with your own hands.
Crab betel leaves that I cooked (and quickly devoured) after a cooking class at Oakes Kitchen and Garden.
Kuku Yalanji Cultural Habitat Tours are a must-see, especially for families. Daintree’s traditional owners are the people of eastern Kuku Yalanji and if you want to take advantage of 50,000 years of connection and stewardship of this extraordinary slice of Australia, book a tour with brothers Linc and Brandon Walker.
Hunting for mud crabs on Cooya Beach
They know every inch of their country at Cooya Beach and wander slowly through the mangroves and shallows to point out bush medicine, wildlife and all the variety of livelihoods. We spent hours scouring the sandbars looking for mud crabs our kids happily jabbed (a lesson in the food chain right there) before taking our loot back to camp. In no time, Linc had cooked our crab swag with butter, garlic, and chili while answering a million questions about the local crocodile population. It was truly an unforgettable experience.
Half an hour after catching them we are eating them.