Cairns or Port Douglas?

LBronica on 11/07/2013 - 19:20

I got tickets to Cairns mid February next year for my partner and i, we are only staying for 3 nights and have 3 full days there. Our main purpose is of course to visit the reef, other potential things that we know of are the Daintree Rainforest & the sky car. Looking at Cairns, i know Port Douglas is only about an hour away from Cairns airport? And i assume there will be a shuttle bus from the airport to there.

I guess what i'm asking is, is there any advantages one town has over the other? Apart from the general more stores, shopping etc which we probably won't be doing as our main focus is just sightseeing. Port Douglas is looking better to me as it is much closer to the rainforest and i think the sky car. But obviously i forego any activities near the Cairns region. Or is it even worth it to go up to Port Douglas for a day? Is the reef any better at Port Douglas or Cairns?

Any suggestions welcome!

Travel

Comments

  • buzymum20 on 11/07/2013 - 19:47

    I'm up on holidays there ATM in Trinity Beach. I have been to Port Douglas before and it's beautiful. That time we went to Low Isles and saw some magnificent creatures, including a turtle swimming below us. Was like swimming in a tropical fish tank. Previously have been to Green Island and this time Fitzroy Island using the 'Bookme' website for a half price transfer and found that Low Isles was the best by far- but this was 10 years ago. The cons of Port Douglas is that there is no public transport to and from there. Sure you will get a private bus transfer, but it is costly. Check that bookme site as they have reduced prices for the transfer there, meals in Cairns & other activities and we found it worked just fine. If you are prepared to rent a car or use tour companies, then you'll love Port Douglas. The beach there is amazing. The trip to Low Isles leaves from Port Douglas so that will be fine. Others leave from Cairns and usually around 8am. Cairns isn't much in my opinion so a few days there will be plenty. Have a good time there.

  • pork chop on 11/07/2013 - 19:52

    I've stayed both in Cairns and Port Douglas so here are my thoughts.

    You can catch the shuttlebus from Cairns airport to PD. Takes about 1.5hrs. When we were in PD, we went to the reef, daintree forest, zoo, Sunday market. (Sky car is in Cairns though). PD is pretty much dead at night IMO.

    As for Cairns, there is a lot more to do and see in the evening, more restaurants to choose from, more shops and bars to hop around. Better still, stay in Cairns, hire a car and just drive to PD for a day trip (recommends Sunday for the local market). It's a beautiful coastal drive and I do think it is a more enjoyable than Melbourne's Great Ocean Road (better road definitely)!. As for going to the reef, the boats departs from Cairns and probably pick up more people in PD before they head out to the reef (so I was told when I was in PD). It really does not matter where you get on.

  • bizi on 11/07/2013 - 20:04
    +1

    The coastal drive Cairns->PD is my favourite coastal road in Australia. Just beware of the speed limit, since I've seen police hiding with a radar gun to catch people at the beginning of the fun part.

    Here's a video of the road uploaded from Port Douglas tourism:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hySgdv6rng

  • hello007 on 11/07/2013 - 21:52
    +1

    I have stayed in Cairns multiple times.

    Checklist:

    1. Visit Hartley's Crocodile farm just north of Cairns - the crocodiles are excellent - and the boat tour is fantastic. You see a giant croc leap out of the water right nect to the boat.

    2. Stay at the Beach House - just north of Cape Tribulation. Its right in the rainforest and the night sounds of all the animals is an amazing symphony. Suggest taking ear plugs!

    3. Take the local shuttle bus - from just outside Woolworths in Cairns - to Kuranda for the day. Its much cheaper than the train.

    4. Visit Mosman Gorge just near Port Douglas.

    5. Dougies Backpackers at Port Douglas - if you are ok with a budget night - offers a free shuttle from Cairns to people who book at least one night. There's also a return shuttle back to Cairns.

    6. Consider renting a car - you can get around to most places easily.

    7. Do the croc tour - the one near the ferry crossing - on the Daintree River on the way to Cape Tribulation. The crocs there are much larger saltwater crocs - much more interesting than the smaller freshwater crocs that are further upstream. Follow the croc warnings and dont stand next to waterways.

    8. Cairns has a fantastic beach front free public swimming pool. Well worth a visit.

    9. Checkout the Cairns and Port Douglas yacht clubs - like many Queensland yacht clubs … they will probably have club sailing afternoons that you can join as volunteer crew - just ask at the club. Generally free.

    Most of all - have fun :-)

  • ESEMCE on 12/07/2013 - 08:41

    Cairns is the classic "Gateway to somewhere else" city.
    There's nothing actually in Cairns worth staying in Cairns for unless you like lounging by the side of a pool at your 5 star accommodation, but there's fantastic options in any direction just outside Cairns.
    Port Douglas by contrast is beautiful.

    Port Douglas is great for doing stuff in and around Port Douglas, but it's not really at all ideal for day trips (unless you're heading East!)
    It is however, much easier to do a day trip to Daintree from Port Douglas as you save yourself an hour's travel each way. And the Cairns-Port Douglas road is narrow and very twisty, you don't want to be driving it tired!

  • Foxtail on 12/07/2013 - 12:11

    Good place to eat and watch the boats go by in Port Douglas is the "Tin Shed" its a RSL club left of waterfront park where the markets are held every Sunday.

  • ExperienceOz on 09/01/2014 - 12:34

    Hi Darkilluzion,

    We've recently published a highly detailed article on this very topic comparing the pros and cons of Cairns vs. Port Douglas in terms of things to do, price, nightlife, food/drink, etc. that you may find useful. You can find it here: http://www.experienceoz.com.au/cairns-vs-port-douglas

    Reducing it all to a single sentence pretty much ends up as: Cairns if you're under 30 or looking to do it as cheap as possible, but Port Douglas if you don't mind spending a bit more and aren't an adrenaline junkie.

    Hope it helps, cheers.

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