Cairns to Port Douglas road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops

The Cairns to Port Douglas drive is 67km long and takes about an hour. Road trip attractions on the way include Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures, the Rex Lookout and Thala Beach Nature Reserve.

The Cairns to Port Douglas road trip is a leg of the longer Cairns to Cape Tribulation drive. It’s one that many visitors will undertake on their way to the Great Barrier Reef. Cairns is close to the Reef, but Port Douglas is closer, meaning many of the major reef tours leave from Port Douglas.

9 Port Douglas experiences to boost your holiday

Great Barrier Reef snorkelling tour – visiting three amazing snorkelling sites on the Outer Reef. This is the one for seeing the very best of the Reef.
Visit Agincourt Reef – with a cruise, underwater observatory and coral viewing in a semi-submersible. This is the best Port Douglas Reef tour for less confident swimmers.
Half-day Low Isles snorkelling tour – ideal for those with less time.
Daintree River wildlife cruise combo – see lots of crocs, then visit the cascades of Mossman Gorge.
Sunset sailing cruise – with welcome drinks and appetisers aboard a luxury catamaran.
Scenic helicopter flight – see the Great Barrier Reef from above.
Go fishing at a barramundi farm – with lunch included.
Aboriginal cultural walk – including bush tucker tasting and traditional hunting techniques.
Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas – meet all manner of native Australian animals.

Cairns does, however, bring Great Barrier Reef snorkelling cruises, World Heritage-listed rainforest adventures, glass bottom boat tours at Green Island and the Kuranda Scenic Railway into the mountains. To choose from a wide range of memorable Cairns tours and experiences, look here. To pick the Cairns accommodation best suited to you, book here.

Cairns to Port Douglas distance and driving time

The Cairns to Port Douglas drive is 67km in distance, making for a driving time of about one hour and two minutes.

Save time queuing – Book these Cairns attractions in advance

From the air: Outer Reef helicopter flight | Sunrise hot air balloon ride | Skyrail Rainforest Cableway.
At night: Sunset dinner cruise | Pub and club tour | Aquarium by Twilight experience.
For wildlife: Birdworld Kuranda | Kuranda Koala Gardens | Cairns Zoom and Wildlife Dome | Cairns Aquarium | Rainforestation Nature Park
For culture: Cairns Museum tickets | Street art walking tour | City and surrounds highlights bus tour.
For thrills: AJ Hackett giant jungle swing | High speed jet boat tour | Barron Gorge white water rafting | Mulgrave River tubing.

It’s a particularly scenic drive as well, with the Captain Cook Highway hugging the coast. Rainforest and mountains flank the Captain Cook Highway on the other side.

Cairns to Port Douglas road trip stops: Northern suburbs

The Cairns to Port Douglas drive passes through Smithfield before taking in several Cairns beach suburbs. These include Trinity Beach, Clifton Beach and Palm Cove.

Attractions further north include the Macalister Range National Park near Wangetti. Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures is also in Wangetti and the Rex Lookout to the north is one of the best photo stops along the drive.

The Rex Lookout over Wangetti Beach on the Cairns to Port Douglas drive. Photo courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland.

Cairns to Port Douglas drive: Thala Beach Nature Reserve & Big Mowbray Falls

There are plenty of natural attractions on the drive north. These include the Thala Beach Nature Reserve north of Oak Beach, while you can take a short detour at Mowbray to see Big Mowbray Falls.

Shortly afterwards, you turn off the Captain Cook Highway at Craiglie and enter Port Douglas. The Port Douglas Wildlife Habitat is on the way into the resort town, and the Port Douglas Marina is where all the reef cruises depart from.

Aside from the Great Barrier Reef tours, highlights of Port Douglas include river cruises, Four Mile Beach and the Port Douglas Wildlife Habitat.

Trip-booster! 8 great day trips from Cairns to power-up your holiday

Kuranda combo package – take the Kuranda Scenic Railway up and the Skyrail cable car down.
Green Island tours with beach time, glass bottom boat and snorkelling. (Or pick a Fitzroy Island trip instead).
Moore Reef day tour – with underwater observatory, snorkelling gear, glass bottom boat & semi-submersible cruises.
Great Barrier Reef snorkelling cruise – with snorkelling stops at two excellent spots on the Reef.
Cape Tribulation rainforest day tour – with Mossman Gorge Aboriginal cultural experience and Daintree River crocodile-watching cruise.
Atherton Tableland waterfalls and rainforest tour – including wildlife-spotting and a swim in a volcanic lake.
Outback 4WD tour – visiting Chillagoe Caves, Aboriginal rock art and Granite Gorge.

Search for discount deals here