You’re either a rainforest or reef person if you come up here,” says my driver, Michael, as he takes me from Cairns airport to Port Douglas, a 70-minute drive north along the iconic Captain Cook Highway. Michael relocated here from my home city of Melbourne 25 years ago, and the reasoning behind his decision to stay is obvious enough on this beautiful day.

It’s June, and I’ve leaned into Far North Queensland’s dry season by swapping heavy coats for breezy resort linen. As we drive north, the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef sit to my right, but it’s knowing that the world’s oldest surviving rainforest, the Daintree, is a mere tree hug away on my left that fills me with all the emotions.

I’ve been avoiding mirrors, selfies and Insta posts since I arrived because the humidity has made my hair unruly, but once I quit the straighteners and embrace my curls, Port Douglas showers me with its greatest offering: a total unwinding that pulls at all the parts of you wrapped in city knots. No wonder it appeals to so many Australians from the southern states, especially during the cooler months.

At first, Port Douglas comes across like a less showy, more laid-back offshoot of Noosa or Byron Bay. Sure, Christopher Skase made the town famous in the 1980s, but in 2026 it’s still attracting foreign travellers and younger Australians who’ve never heard of him, with FIFO workers and backpackers on working holidays only adding to the town’s hustle and bustle.

I’m staying at the Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort & Spa, a village of rooms and apartments, many with the added allure of their own outdoor hot tub, set around a lagoon-style pool. My fellow guests are a mix of baby-mooning couples, adventurers seeking reef thrills and families soaking up an off-peak break.

In keeping with its pristine surrounds, the resort champions such sustainable practices as composting its coffee grounds, offering reef-friendly sunscreen by the pool and serving locally caught barramundi. There are refillable containers in the rooms, electric buggies to zip you around, and a hop-on, hop-off bus shuttle into town.

As we arrive, low-lying storm clouds dissolve into torrential rain, but by the time the share plates are served on the verandah it’s back to normal programming.JANE ROCCA

On day two, a group of us drive 30 minutes north for a stroll through Mossman Gorge. Dreamtime Walks was founded by Aboriginal elder Roy Gibson in 1986, and while visitors can go on self-guided hikes, having a connection to Country through storytelling adds an extra dimension.

We are led by two Kuku Yalanji women on an enlightening dance through the forest, noting where their ancestors have walked, revealing sacred burial and birthing sites, and pointing out old red cedar trees that hold many secrets. We learn about trees that sting and plants that can leave you paralysed, and when I mistake a thunderous clap as a sign of tempestuous weather on its way, the guides tell me it’s actually the sound of a tree falling nearby.

A luxe lunch at the five-star Silky Oaks Lodge, set amid the rainforest, only adds to the day’s romance. As we arrive, low-lying storm clouds dissolve into torrential rain, but by the time the share plates are served on the verandah it’s back to normal programming.

With the rainforest ticked off our list, we enjoy a late afternoon catamaran tour with Sailaway to the Low Isles – ideal for those who love to snorkel (you might even get the chance to swim with turtles) and with a picturesque sunset on the way back to the mainland an added bonus.

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Back in town, a 60-minute Rainforest Relaxation massage with mini facial at Kaia Day Spa is one of the best I’ve had thanks to clinician Teresa, who moved here from Taiwan to embrace the tropics. (Kaia Day Spa will move to the Sheraton Grand Mirage in the next 12 to 18 months, but for the moment it’s a mere 350-metre walk from Sea Temple.)

Macrossan Street is the town’s main drag and it leads to Four Mile Beach, though it should be noted that it’s named after the Fourmile family rather than its length. The beach is a natural focal point for the town, and while swimming between the flags and within the area enclosed by a stinger-proof net is fine, most visitors opt for the pool at their resort.

Port Douglas also boasts plenty of coastal-inspired shops and Indigenous art galleries: perfect for sourcing a souvenir as well as investing in community projects. And when you’re done, go to the oyster vending machine near the main supermarket. You might have filled your social media with spectacular rainforest and reef pics, but eating a freshly shucked oyster straight from a machine is equally guaranteed to get a reaction.

The writer travelled to Port Douglas as a guest of booking.com.