How far is Cairns from Port Douglas?

How far is Cairns from Port Douglas?

Written by: Cameron Ward

Published: 02/04/2022

Reading time: 3 mins

Cairns is Australia’s tropical tourist gem, with the Great Barrier Reef, Daintree Rainforest and plenty of fun around town to keep you going for a good while!

Whether you’re launching out to the wondrous Reef, traversing the incredible Daintree or having some fun of the Cairns Esplanade, you will see why people from across the world flock to this town to experience its joys.

Cairns is a town in good company, with the quieter, more laidback Port Douglas just an hour’s drive from Cairns. Or, if you want to fly, it’s a cheeky 15 minute flight – take your pick!

Regardless of how you get there, you’re in for a pretty unforgettable time in vibrant Cairns.

Here are some of the joys that await you:

The Great Barrier Reef

There is nowhere on Earth quite like the Great Barrier Reef and that’s just a given. This magical series of individual tropical reefs have thousands of fish and sea species dodging, ducking and weaving around the stunning corals, and Cairns is probably the best place in the whole of Queensland to get out there.

With the likes of Green Island, Fitzroy Island, Frankland Island and Michaelmas Cay situated just short distances from Cairns, you can be sure that you’re in for a special time regardless of which reef you choose!

The Daintree Rainforest

Okay, the Daintree may be closer to Port Douglas, but you’re going to experience it anyway, so here goes: the Daintree is the world’s oldest rainforest, millions of years older than the mighty Amazon, in fact.

This should give you a cheeky idea of the sheer magnitude of biodiversity that lives in the rainforest, but to truly understand it you just have to check it out for yourself. There is everything from saltwater crocodiles to southern cassowaries, flying foxes and abundant reptiles hanging out in the amazing Daintree – see it all for yourself!

Hanging around town

Cairns is a pretty spectacular place in itself, with plenty of good times around town. There is no better place to experience this fun than at the Cairns Esplanade, home to the likes of the Cairns Aquarium, Esplanade Lagoon (for swimming!) and Cairns ZOOM and Wildlife Dome (for ziplining above some pretty amazing wildlife!).

It’s a pretty fun way to top off what is sure to be an incredible experience in the gorgeous tropical town of Cairns…

Cameron Ward
Cameron Ward
Managing Director at Sightseeing Tours Australia

Cameron Ward turned his travel passion into a thriving Australian tourism business. Before he co-founded his own business, Sightseeing Tours Australia, he was enjoying being a Melbourne tour guide. Even now, Cameron delights in helping visitors from all around the world get the most out of their incredible Australian trip. You’ll see Cameron leading tours or writing about his favourite Australian places where he shares his local insights.