Port Douglas: 67km (42 miles) N of Cairns; Mossman: 19km (12 miles) N of Port Douglas; Daintree: 49km (30 miles) N of Port Douglas; Cape Tribulation: 34km (21 miles) N of Daintree
The tiny fishing village of Port Douglas is where the rainforest meets the Reef. Just over an hour's drive from Cairns, through rainforest and along the sea, Port Douglas may be small, but stylish shops and seriously trendy restaurants line the main street, and beautiful Four Mile Beach is not to be missed. This is a favorite spot with celebrities big and small -- you may find yourself dining next to anyone from Bill Clinton to Kylie Minogue, Sean Penn to rock bands or minor Aussie soap stars.
Travelers often base themselves in "Port," as the locals call it, rather than in Cairns, because they like the rural surroundings, the uncrowded beach, and the absence of tacky development (so far, anyway). Don't think you will be isolated -- many Reef and rainforest tours originate in Port Douglas, and many of the tours discussed in the Cairns section above pick up from Port Douglas.
Daintree National Park lies just north of Port Douglas; that is just north of Cape Tribulation National Park, another wild tract of rainforest and hilly headlands sweeping down to the sea. Exploring these two national parks is easy on a four-wheel-drive day safari from Port Douglas.
