Getting There -- Port Douglas is a scenic 65-minute drive from Cairns, in part along a narrow winding road that skirts the coast. Take Sheridan Street north out of the city as it becomes the Captain Cook Highway; follow the signs to Mossman and Mareeba until you reach the Port Douglas turnoff on your right.
A one-way ticket aboard Sun Palm Express Coaches (tel. 07/4084 2626) to Port Douglas hotels is A$30 (US$24/UK£12) from the Cairns airport. Fares for children 2 to 12 are half price. If you are staying in Cairns but taking a Quicksilver (tel. 07/4087 2100) cruise to the Great Barrier Reef for the day, you can take a bus transfer to Port Douglas for A$16 (US$13/UK£6.40) adults, half price for kids.
A taxi from Cairns runs around A$100 (US$80/UK£40); call Black & White Taxis (tel. 13 10 08 in Cairns).
There is no train to Port Douglas, and no scheduled air service. A small airport handles light aircraft and helicopter charters.
Visitor Information -- There is no official visitor information office in Port Douglas. Instead, visitors should stop into a private tour information and booking center in town. One of the biggest and most centrally located is the Port Douglas Tourist Information Centre, 23 Macrossan St. (tel. 07/4099 5599), open from 7:30am to 6pm daily.
High season in Port Douglas is roughly June 1 through October 31.
Getting Around -- Of the major rental companies, Avis (tel. 07/4099 4331), Budget (tel. 07/4099 5702), and Thrifty (tel. 07/4069 9977) have offices in Port Douglas. Check out the local companies, including Port Douglas Car Rental (tel. 07/4099 4988). All rent regular vehicles as well as four-wheel-drives, which you need if you plan to drive to Cape Tribulation. For a taxi, call Port Douglas Taxis (tel. 07/4084 2650).
A good way to get around the town's flat streets is by bike. Holiday Bike Hire, 40 Macrossan St. (tel. 07/4099 6144), is open daily from 8am to 6pm or later and rents a large range of mountain bikes; prices start at A$11 (US$8.80/UK£4.40) for a half-day, A$17 (US$14/UK£6.80) for a full day. Port Douglas Bike Hire, at the corner of Warner and Wharf streets (tel. 07/4099 5799), rents bikes for A$10 (US$8/UK£4) for a half-day, A$14 (US$11/UK£5.60) for a full day. It's open 9am to 5pm daily.
