Stay in Port Douglas/transportation

[ddaniel337]

Can someone recommend the best way to travel to and from the airport in Cairns to Port Douglas and then a mid-range accommodation ($150 to 175)to stay for a couple of nights within walking distance of restaurants and snorkeling trips to the reef? Also if someone has a good recommendation on a snorkle trip that would be just snorklers that would take us to a good site and get the most of our one day out on the reef?

 

deb

[Tripmaven]

We flew into Cairns three years ago and stayed in Port Douglas. We used the airport shuttle service in Cairns. The website is www.sunpalmtransport.com The website gives you the current schedule and fare information. It was fairly reasonable for a round trip shuttle. We just bought the tickets at the airport on arrival.

 

We stayed at the Rydges Treetop Resort. The rooms weren't bad, but I don't remember the exact price. You could try to find the hotel on line. The Resort is out of town, but they had a complimentary shuttle into town that we used and it worked well for restaurants. Hope this helps.

[maxx]

I'd recommend the sun palm transport also. We were in Cairns in Sept and drove to Palm Cove, it's not the best road at times so if you're not used to driving on the left it can be tricky. It's a picturesque coastal drive so best to sit back and enjoy the scenery.

Have a look at www.cairns.qld.fov.au for more info.

You can also get to the reef from Cairns.

[Janman]

We stayed 4 nights in Port Douglas in Sept. There are a number of apartment-like accommodations in town that have kitchens and even washers and dryers. Any search on Port Douglas will bring them up. We stayed at The Beaches. We were able to fix our own breakfast and catch up on laundry. It was within walking distance of a number of restaurants. We went with Wavelength ( http://www.wavelength.com.au) for our day trip to the reef. The max they take is 30, will pick you up and they served a nice buffet.

Janet

[cands]

Hi,

I agree with Janman about apartment accomodation. It's great fun. Lots of space and the flexibility to 'do your own thing'. Most provide fresh linen at the start of your stay, and that's it, there's no services for the rest of your stay. The apartments are fully cleaned before each hiring.

 

If you're game to drive, renting a car is really the best way to get to Pt Douglas, just pick up and drop off at Cairns Airport. Cairns to Pt Douglas is a straighforward 1 hour drive through some lovely coastal scenery.

Once in Port Douglas, you can self tour to Daintree and visit one of my favourites - Mossman Gorge, for swimming in the pristine mountain river - not to be missed.

 

Regards,

Steve.

[Jane110]

I also recommend renting a car at Cairns airport so you can have it to drive around the area as Steve suggested. There are some lovely spots to visit nearby that you won't be able to go to without having a car at your disposal.

 

It's a really lovely and easy drive from the airport to Port Douglas.

 

We never stay in Port Douglas - we stay in the Daintree about a half hour away - so I can't recommend any specific hotels in PD, but there are many small and inexpensive ones.