The best (and safest) Port Douglas beaches and swimming spots

Stunning Port Douglas beaches and swimming spots to cool off year-round.

One of the most popular things to do in Port Douglas is to go for a swim to beat the heat. While swimming in the Wet Tropics isn’t without its dangers, you can take extra care to mitigate those risks by swimming between the flags (on Four Mile Beach), reading safety signs, talking to the famously friendly locals and checking the daily beach reports . Here are some of the best Port Douglas beaches and swimming spots.

Mossman Gorge

The Mossman River is unpatrolled, so those who swim here do so at their own risk. Although Mossman Gorge Centre advises against swimming in the river during the wet season, there are a few spots preferred by locals who exercise caution and avoid the area if there has been significant rainfall.  During the dry season (from April to October), you will find a sheltered swimming hole at Mossman Gorge where the pristine rainforest water flows around the giant boulders.

Look out for the Hippy Hole along the way, which also has a sandy riverbank where you will often find the prerequisite knot of locals with tie-dyed t-shirts and dreadlocks who may well have inspired the name. It costs about $8.90 for adults and $4.45 for children to enter Mossman Gorge, which is an Indigenous ecotourism experience managed by the Kuku Yalanji people.

The swimming hole is for strong swimmers only. Join a Windswell Port Douglas tour to paddleboard along the Mossman River through the pristine rainforest or go wakeboarding, foilboarding or tube riding off Four Mile Beach. The company specialises in watersports and has added new Fliteboard Sessions for novices or experienced surfers. You can also dive headfirst into a River Drift Experience with Back Country Bliss Adventures , one of the best tours on offer in Port Douglas.

Four Mile Beach

If you’re pining for some sweet relief from the heat, you should follow the locals beating a path down to Four Mile Beach to swim between the flags. The beach, which is calm and protected, is just minutes from Macrossan Street and is shallow enough for the kids to splash around. Hire a sun bed and beach umbrella from Port Douglas Water Sports and stake out a spot near the surf club, where you can dip in and out of the water each day.

Walk the length of the strollable beach to where the mountains meet the sea, or hire some cricket gear, a kayak or an inner tube from Port Douglas Watersports . Take your copy of Field Guide to Birds of North Queensland by Phil Gregory to the beach and keep an eye out for osprey and sea eagles as well as scarlet honeyeaters. Oak Beach, 10 minutes’ south of Port Douglas, is also a popular spot for paddle-boarding over the fringing reef.

Mowbray Falls

During the dry season (April to October), it’s worth heading out from the Black Mountain Road Trailhead for a hike along the 3.2-kilometre trail to Big Mowbray Falls. In wet weather, the rocks are slippery and the area is best avoided. But on a sunny day, after a spell of dry weather, it’s worth the effort to get to the emerald-green swimming spot.  The secluded swimming hole is like a natural plunge pool located at the top of the waterfall, so it’s good for the ‘gram. Don’t dive here, as the water is shallow. But do feel smug about making the trek to the top of the waterfall, as it is a bit of a scene-stealer.

The deep rock pools near Spring Creek Falls are another popular swimming spot in Port Douglas, also located in the Mowbray Valley. The trek takes about two hours each way, so active types will be rewarded with a dunk in the deep, rock pools, which sit in a basin amid the Tropical North Queensland wilderness. We recommend booking a stay at a resort in Port Douglas so you can unwind at the end of the day.

Emmagen Creek

Proponents of wild swimming will enjoy a day trip from Port Douglas to the Daintree to have a dip in the stunning swimming hole at Emmagen Creek. The creek is located some five kilometres north of Cape Tribulation, in the heart of the Daintree National Park. The creek is particularly beguiling in the dappled light that filters through the rainforest, and a swim here is feel-good forest bathing at its best.

For full rainforest immersion, head west and walk upstream to the larger swimming hole, which is the most enchanting place to swim. Please note: crocodiles are present in the lower, muddy brackish waters of the creek, so only swim in the swimming hole itself. The pool is in a pocket of Wet Tropics wilderness, so bring insect repellent, sunscreen and water. While it’s not recommended to dive here, there is a rope swing so you can break out a few inspired boomerangs on Instagram.

Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort & Plantation Resort

a couple relaxing in the pool at Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Port Douglas — The saltwater lagoon pool invites easy dips between lazy sun lounging sessions. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

On a sun-drenched day, you can treat yourself by paying for a cabana and having lunch by the pool at the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Port Douglas . The resort is built around its pool, which blends seamlessly into its emerald-green golf course surrounds. Who says blue and green should never be seen? Set back from Four Mile Beach, the pool with the green-on-blue botanical colour theme is the perfect place to relax, cocktail in hand, in the manner in which you’re accustomed. Families looking for a more wallet-friendly option can head to Plantation Resort , where you can enjoy the tropical resort-style lagoon pool. The resort-style setting has a tiki bar that opens in the afternoon, serving really great Japanese food.

Exploring the world’s largest sand island starts with the perfect K’gari homebase.

The morning light is still soft, but it’s already a perfect sunny day. We left our K’gari homebase at Kingfisher Bay Resort with our guide, Peter Meyer, at 9 am to make the most of our time to explore all that the world’s largest sand island holds. The size of K’gari is hard to grasp until you arrive here. This is no sandbar. Stretching 120 kilometres, unique lakes, mangrove systems, rainforest, 75 Miles of beach, historic shipwrecks, small townships and even one of Queensland’s best bakeries are all hidden within its bounds.

But first, one of the island’s most iconic sights: the pure silica sand and crystal clear waters of Lake McKenzie.

Laying eyes on it for the first time, I’m finally able to confirm that the photos don’t lie. The sand is pure white, without the merest hint of yellow. The water fades from a light halo of aqua around the edges to a deeper, royal blue, the deeper it gets (not that it’s particularly deep, six metres at most). The surface remains surprisingly undisturbed, like a mirror.

Arriving with our guide before 10 am means that no one else is around when we get here. Which means we have the pleasure of breaking the smooth surface with our own ripples as we enter. As a self-confessed wimp with chilly water temperatures, my fears are quickly assuaged. Even in the morning, the water stays around 23 degrees – perfect for lazing about all day. But we have more sights to see.

Exploring K’gari

ariel of in lake mckenzie on k'gari fraser island — Relax in the warm waters of Lake McKenzie. (Image: Ayeisha Sheldon)

This was the Personalised 4WD tour offered by Kingfisher Bay Resort, and my absolute top pick of experiences. Over the course of the day, we had the freedom to create our own bespoke itinerary (plus a provided picnic lunch along the way), with an expert guide who had plenty of stories and local expertise to give context to what we were looking at. From the history of the SS Maheno shipwreck, which survived the First World War only to be washed ashore by a cyclone in 1935, to a detailed description of how an island made of sand could sustain such diverse flora.

If it’s your first time to K’gari, the Beauty Spots Tour is another great option. Departing daily from Kingfisher Bay Resort (you’ll start to notice a trend, as many of the tours do start and end here), an air-conditioned, 4WD bus takes guests to the island’s most iconic locations, including the best places to swim, like Lake McKenzie and Eli Creek. The latter offers a gentle current, perfect for riding with a blow-up tyre out towards the ocean.

The next day, for a look at a completely different side of K’gari, I joined one of Kingfisher Bay Resort’s Immersive Ranger-guided tours to kayak through the mangroves of Dundonga Creek. This long, snake-like stretch of creek winds its way inland from the ocean outlet we entered by, at times too narrow for three kayaks to be side-by-side. Small insects buzz from leaf to leaf, while birds call overhead. Occasional bubbles indicate we’ve passed some fish that call this place home.

kayak tour through the mangroves at k'gari island — Learn about the island’s mangroves from your Ranger. (Image: Reuben Nutt/ TEQ)

If kayaking isn’t for you – or if, like me, you simply want more – other ranger-led experiences include nature walks and a dedicated Junior Eco Ranger Program for kids ages five to 12 (these run every weekend, and daily over the peak December holidays). Just ask for a timetable of upcoming tours when you check in.

While during whale season, Hervey Bay Whale Watch & Charters operates tours from the hotel’s jetty to get up close to the famous Humpback Highway of Hervey Bay, from 7 November to 31 May, attention turns to the Aqua Oasis Cruise . Departing from the resort every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday for resort guests, adventure along the island’s remote western coast, pointing out wildlife like dolphins, turtles, flying fish and eagles along the way.

The cruise drops anchor so guests can jump into the water using the boat’s equipment – from SUP boards to inflatable slides and jumping platforms. Then refuel with a provided lunch, of course.

Unwind at sunset

two people drinking cocktails at sunset bar, kingfisher bay resort — Unwind at the Sunset Bar. (Image: Sean Scott)

As much as days on K’gari can be filled with adventure, to me, the afternoons and evenings there are for unwinding. Sunsets on K’gari are absolutely unbelievable, with Kingfisher Bay on the west side being the best spot to catch the colours.

The Sunset Bar , located at the start of the resort’s jetty and overlooking the beach, is the ultimate location for sundowners. Let chill beats wash over you as you sip on cool wines, beers and cocktails in a relaxed, friendly vibe. Personally, a cheese board was also absolutely called for. As the sun sinks, the sand, sea and horizon turn a vibrant shade of orange, with the jetty casting a dramatic shadow across the water.

When the show is over, head back to the hotel for dinner at the Asian-fusion Dune restaurant, or the pub-style Sand + Wood. But if your appetite is still whetted for more lights and colours, the evening isn’t over yet.

Settle into the Illumina stage for Return to Sky, an immersive light and sound show leading viewers on a captivating journey through K’gari’s stories and landscapes.

Indulge and disconnect

woman setting up massage room at kingfisher bay resort Island Day Spa — Find bliss at Island Day Spa. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

Of course, there is a type of traveller who knows that balance is important, day or night. While Kingfisher Bay Resort offers more than one pool for guests to spend all day lounging by (they’ll even serve you food and drinks while you do it), you’ll find me at the Island Day Spa.

The masseuses could match the magic hands of any big city spa, and I felt the warm welcome as I walked into the light, breezy reception. Choose from a range of botanical facials, beauty treatments and soothing massages using traditional techniques (obviously, I couldn’t go past a relaxing massage). All products used contain organic, native botanical ingredients with nutrient-rich plant extracts to soothe skin and mind. To really indulge, try out one of the packages, couples treatment or even a pre-wedding day offering.

Getting there

kingfisher bay resort 4wd tour driving passed ss maheno on k'gari island — The world of K’gari awaits. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

Getting to K’gari is shockingly easy. Find daily flights into Hervey Bay from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Kingfisher Bay Resort offers a shuttle bus between the airport, their headquarters in Hervey Bay and the ferry to take you to K’gari.