Out of all the areas I visited in Australia, there was something about Port Douglas that felt like it could be home to me. I even joked to my party that I felt like I fit in better there than back home.
When our Quicksilver Cruise boat came back, it docked in Port Douglas. We weren't in Cairns anymore. I really liked Cairns, so I was curious as to what Port Douglas had to offer. Read on for my pros and cons of this town.
The Pros
1. It is small town walkable. When I say small town walkable, I mean it is safe and there is stuff around. We stayed at Cayman Villas and one morning walked from the villa to a cafe for breakfast. I enjoyed the breakfast so much, I walked back the next two mornings to get my flat white and pastry. Their main street area is just that - a main street with shops and restaurants.
2. There's peaceful outdoor seating. I really enjoyed eating at the round tables outside the cafe.
3. People there seemed nice and approachable. One evening, I was meeting a couple people in my party at a restaurant but couldn't find it. I asked a few people eating outside at another restaurant and got pointed in the right direction right away. Another example is the cafe employee who remembered my breakfast order when I went back to visit after the first time. I really liked that and it gave me such a friendly small town Gilmore Girls-esque vibe.
4. There is Four Mile Beach and other attractions (Great Barrier Reef arrivals and departures, a neat wildlife habitat, and the Cape Tribulation / Daintree rainforest and park area). So between yummy food, shopping, our relaxing villa, and outdoor experiences, there was a lot to do.
The Cons
1. Surprisingly, many Australia beach areas aren't swimmable due to jellyfish. The Four Mile Beach allows swimming but people are advised to wear jellyfish suits for protection against dangerous jellyfish I was told and look out for crocodiles. I didn't get to visit there due to an all day excursion I went on but a couple others in my party did a hike to and from the beach.
2. As Port Douglas, is a small town, it doesn't have as many amenities as a larger city like Cairns or Adelaide. I would certainly come back to this city to visit the Grant Street Kitchen cafe again (coffee, pastries and seafood pie were out of this world!), stay at the Cayman Villas, check out the beach, and repeat any of the excursions.