“An extremely unique part of, not just Australia, but the entire planet, and an area that everyone who loves to travel should visit at least once in their lifetime!”

Paul Webster

Day 1

After a very pleasant flight with Singapore Airlines I checked into the Shangri-La Hotel at Cairns Marina just in time to enjoy watching the sunset from my Marina View Room balcony. This was a great start to a trip that only got better.

After a quick freshen up we enjoyed a fantastic meal in the very impressive backyard restaurant at the hotel. Had an early night to get over jet lag.

Day 2

We were up at 6am this morning for a transfer to Mission Beach where we jumped on a QuickCoast boat to take us over to Dunk Island. We had an hour to explore and take photos here before jumping back on the boat for a 1 hour journey to Beaver Cay and Reef for some fantastic snorkelling. We did two snorkelling safaris which were absolutely incredible. So much life to see under the water. Sharks, turtles, star fish, sting rays and many other fish and corals. I cannot recommend this highly enough. On the journey back to the mainland we were served a delicious Mexican wrap with a beverage to enjoy the journey.

Back at Mission Beach we checked into the Elandra Resort which is an absolutely beautiful property. After a quick freshen up it was time to head to the bar for a cocktail before going for dinner at the hotel restaurant. There aren’t any other restaurants to walk to from here, and the roads shouldn’t be driven on in the dark due to all the wildlife, so it is fortunate that the hotel restaurant served absolutely fantastic food. A relatively small menu ensured that what was served was truly superb.

Discovering the Wonders of Tropical North Queensland

Day 3

Next morning I was up early to have a quick explore of the property before breakfast and to my surprise there was a Cassowary strolling through the resort. Being a wildlife lover I was delighted to see one as they are so rare, but I kept my distance as they are potentially very dangerous birds. This one however seemed quite relaxed as I watched it from behind a fence just picking at flowers and plants for its breakfast. At my own breakfast the waiter told me that they often see them around in the mornings.

After this great start to the day (and a very satisfying breakfast) we were back on our coach for the drive up to Thala Beach Nature Reserve in Port Douglas. This is a beautiful wooden building which blends into the environment around it. It has its own private beach which would be great to spend the day relaxing on, but we had booked to go on a Walkabout Cultural Tour to learn a bit more about the history of the area and the First Nations Australian Aboriginal people. Our guides Juan and Chase were extremely knowledgeable and very welcoming, and we even had a break at Juans home to avoid a tropical thunderstorm that arrived in the afternoon. We walked on the beach and spotted mud crabs and walked through the Mangroves that are along the beach before being driven to Mossman Gorge to learn a bit more about the Daintree Rainforest. We did a short walk at the Gorge which was fantastic as I have wanted to experience the Daintree Rainforest for many years now, but in all my travels of Australia I had never got around to it until now.

The Walkabout Cultural Tour was truly a great way to learn a bit of indigenous culture and I would highly recommend this tour to anyone staying at Port Douglas.

We ate Dinner at Thala Beach Nature Reserve this evening. Like the Elandra at Mission Beach there are no other restaurants within walking distance but the food was excellent so you won’t be disappointed.

Day 4

After a great nights sleep in my Coral Sea Bungalow I enjoyed a delicious breakfast before heading out for a Back Country Bliss River Drift Experience. This is a very unique way to experience the Daintree Rainforest and great fun too. The guides are highly knowledgeable about the Rainforest and some of the plants were truly incredible. You do some walking through the rainforest but also get to float down the Mossman River on a lightweight river sled which is very relaxing but fun at the same time. The whole group loved this tour and would highly recommend it.

After a freshen up back at the hotel we were on the move again, driving 15 minutes down the road from Thala Beach Nature Reserve to the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort in Port Douglas. This is a large and very impressive hotel with many swimming pools and located right next to Four Mile Beach. We walked down Four Mile Beach into Port Douglas and went to visit some of the Sailaway Boats that we regularly sell Great Barrier Reef Trips on.

Dinner at the Hotel this evening was another fantastic feast.

“So much life to see under the water—sharks, turtles, starfish, stingrays, and many other fish and corals. I cannot recommend this highly enough”

Paul Webster

Day 5

Had a relaxing start to the day which was nice after several early starts. We took a transfer to Palm Cove just north of Cairns, a lovely area right next to a beautiful beach. Here we enjoyed a cocktail then had lunch at the highly acclaimed Nunu’s restaurant which lived up to its reputation.

We were due to fly to Mount Mulligan this afternoon but due to some adverse weather we had to take a road transfer instead. This wasn’t a bad thing as the route was very scenic and quite an enjoyable drive.

Mount Mulligan is one of the luxury lodges of Australia and it truly is a great place to stay. On arrival we were greeted with champagne and the managers, the head chef and our tour guide came to greet us to discuss what our stay there would include. After dropping the bags at our rooms and enjoying another glass of champagne on my balcony we went back to the main lodge where the bar staff were making some unique cocktails for us to try. The lodge is beautiful, and I enjoyed feeding the wild turtles that lived on the weir.

After cocktail hour we had an incredible dinner. We were due to have a signature stargazing experience tonight but unfortunately the weather prevented this as it was too cloudy to appreciate the night sky. I don’t think anyone minded too much as we were all enjoying ourselves with the all-inclusive drinks in the main lodge.

Day 6

We had another early start today as we were on an ATV tour of the property. This is really scenic, educational and fun! I couldn’t recommend staying here enough. This type of property does come at a premium but the experience you get by visiting is one that will stay with you forever.

Following our ATV tour we just had time for breakfast before jumping back on our road transfer to Cairns.

In Cairns we visited three luxury yachts which can be chartered for personalized trips to the Great Barrier Reef and Beyond. These are a new product for the Australian Market and would be the most luxurious way imaginable to visit the Reef.

Our flight back was this evening and as we all enjoyed a final drink together at the airport, we reflected on what a fantastic experience the last 6 days had been. An extremely unique part of, not just Australia, but the entire planet, and an area that everyone who loves to travel should visit at least once in their lifetime!