Port Douglas/Cape Tribulation

GiJo

Hubby and I are off to Oz next year. We want to spend 6 nights in northern Queensland but can't decide whether to have 2 nights in Cape Tribulation and 4 nights in Port Douglas, or stay the 6 nights in PD and do trips up to the north. Any advice/comments will be most welcome.

Thomsongolfer

Hi Gijo,

Fantastic part of Australia. Been up there a few times. Will depend on what you like to do and the time of year.

Port Douglas is a lovely wee town and has lots of nice little shops, bars (the courthouse) and restaurants. The Cape is a couple of hours drive from PD. It is awesome and the only place on the planet where two two nature wonders meet, the Daintree rain forest and the Barrier Reef. We went on a day trip all round the forest and the cape with a great guide I will look out the company name. Depends what you are looking for.

From PD you need to go to the Reef as well.

T

nej

Definately worth a stay at Cape Trib for a couple of nights. Awesome place, just absolutely amazing.

Also, PM me if you are looking for car-hire so I can recommend a firm to you in proper MSE spirit. I won't post the link as I don't think it's allowed, especially as it's owned by relatives of mine, but they will be cheaper.

GiJo

Thomsongolfer wrote:

Hi Gijo,

Fantastic part of Australia. Been up there a few times. Will depend on what you like to do and the time of year.

Port Douglas is a lovely wee town and has lots of nice little shops, bars (the courthouse) and restaurants. The Cape is a couple of hours drive from PD. It is awesome and the only place on the planet where two two nature wonders meet, the Daintree rain forest and the Barrier Reef. We went on a day trip all round the forest and the cape with a great guide I will look out the company name. Depends what you are looking for.

From PD you need to go to the Reef as well.

T

Thanks, I would appreciate info on any day trips.

We weren't sure how much further Cape Trib was from PD. Will have to think a bit more about whether to do a 2-centre trip.

GiJo

nej wrote:

Definately worth a stay at Cape Trib for a couple of nights. Awesome place, just absolutely amazing.

Also, PM me if you are looking for car-hire so I can recommend a firm to you in proper MSE spirit. I won't post the link as I don't think it's allowed, especially as it's owned by relatives of mine, but they will be cheaper.

If we were to stay at Cape Trib, are all the "attractions" within walking distance or would we need transport?

Epiphone

Cape Trib! Go to Daintree. Truly magnificant.

GiJo

Sounds like Cape Trib is getting the thumbs up.

Thomsongolfer

When you are in the Daintree forest, watch out for the Gimpy Gimpy trees!

nej

GiJo wrote:

If we were to stay at Cape Trib, are all the "attractions" within walking distance or would we need transport?

You need a car to get anywhere in Oz - it's huge! That said, it might be worth investigating whether they have coaches or minibuses or something going from wherever you stay to whatever you want to go see.

I take it you are intending to get a coach or something from Cairns to PD and then to Cape Trib?

IIRC it took about 4 hours drive from Cairns (well, Palm Cove) to Cape Trib.

Counting_Pennies_2

I personally would say stay in Port Douglas and do a day trip to Cape Tribulation.

There are tour guides able to do trips from Port Douglas, bookable via your hotel or in the middle of the town.

That way you can have a base and do things in your own time when you get there, instead of knowing that you have to keep packing and unpacking

We originally booked to have 2 nights in Cape and 4 in Port Douglas, but when we arrived in our accommodation in Port Douglas, we were so settled, and hated the thought of living out of a suitcase more than we needed to, so decided to alter our arrangements.

We took a day trip to Cape in a small minibus seating 6 people, it was very knowledgeable, they took us to many places we wouldn't otherwise have been to and it was great fun.

We stayed in the Rydges, in a self contained two bedroom town house, I believe the place has been refurbished this year, when I went before refurbishment it was a little tired but still in good enough condition for the price we paid.

GiJo

Thomsongolfer wrote:

When you are in the Daintree forest, watch out for the Gimpy Gimpy trees!

OK, I'm going to take the bait - what the h**l is a Gimpy Gimpy tree?