Want a frosty schooner or a tangy cocktail? Enjoy the tropical sunshine and long, warm afternoons at these top Port Douglas pubs and bars.

When average daily temperatures hover around the mid-20s and the ocean constantly laps lovingly at the shore, it’s only logical that you make the most of your days with good food, great drinks and stunning views.

Whether you’re after a frosty schooner or a tangy cocktail, you can enjoy the tropical sunshine and long, warm afternoons at these top Port Douglas pubs and bars.

1. Bam Pow

This funky plant-based eatery is only open from 4–9 pm, but the first two hours of service are dedicated to the happy hour specials: refreshing $12 margaritas (watermelon, spicy and classic), $7 beers and a banh-mi-and-beer combo for $24. Neon lights, board games and a fully vegan menu of chilli-topped dumplings, fresh ramen and crispy banh xeo make this eatery a must-hit hot spot in paradise.

2. Barbados

Watch the sky turn from fairy-floss pink to bright orange from a generous lounger at the beachy Barbados bar, a coconut chilli margarita in hand. Once the sun sets, chase it with a plate of crispy Peking duck spring rolls, delivered while you’re comfortably supine in paradise. (Barbados is also home to over 80 different rums from around the world, best experienced in a “signature tiki" cocktail that comes out in the glass shaped like, you guessed it, a tiki.)

3. Jimmy Rums

Tropical North Queensland is home to hectares and hectares of sugarcane farms, and the rum history is deeply interwoven here, too. Late-night cocktail haunt Jimmy Rums operates until 1 am, serving up fiery and flavourful drinks in an assortment of zany goblets (looking at you, skull glasses crowned with flames) and libations topped with dried rounds of banana. Go the “Where’s Wattle", which pairs rum with a nutty wattleseed reduction and chocolate bitters, for a different taste of the region. 

4. Jungle Fowl

The fun starts on the walls of this Thai fusion restaurant, where colourful murals reflect the buoyant buzz of beach life. Outdoor seating on Wharf Street looks out over the water and leafy trees, while indoor seats get just about the same when the accordion doors are stacked open. Happy hour runs from 5–6 pm and includes $12 cocktails such as the makrut lime-spiked mojito or zesty Thai-twisted margaritas alongside $10 ginger-topped beef-brisket bao. “Thrifty Thursdays", though, are where things get really interesting: $20 curry and rice, plus $12 margs and $10 wines all night long. 

5. Port Douglas Yacht Club

On Wednesdays, this yacht club offers a “WAGS" (Wednesday Afternoon Go Sailing) event, where visitors and locals are invited to join boat-owning members of the club for an afternoon sail. Whether or not you snag a spot (rock up at 3:30 pm for a shot), everyone is invited to take part in arvo tipples by the water, with festoon lights above and grass beneath your toes. Plus, if you become a club member, you’ll gain access to cheaper prices in the bar and restaurant. 

6. The Tin Shed

Technically a not-for-profit community organisation, this eatery and bar enjoys exceptional ocean views from its perch on Dickson Inlet. On the second level is the “Bacardi Bar", from where waving to passing yachts is almost compulsory. Happy hour runs from 4–5 pm Monday through Saturday, and 3–4 pm on Sundays, where you’ll enjoy 20 per cent off drinks that can be paired with a $30 bucket of local tiger prawns.

7. Hemingway’s Brewpub

This two-storey establishment overlooking the mega-yachts at the marina buzzes with visitors, young and old, many of the latter who flock for the cheerful ambience and schooners of locally made draft beer as they do the coconut prawns, mushroom pizza and Thursday night trivia. Extra-long picnic tables out on the boardwalk make boat-spotting and balmy Port Douglas evenings extra enjoyable. 

8. Daintree Bar, Sheraton Mirage

Located within the expansive grounds of the luxurious Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas Resort, this rum-friendly bar is known for its tasting flights and cocktails. Three shelves of spirits are stacked behind the bar, and happy hour runs from 5–6 pm (and again from 8:30–10 pm for a “nightcap") with $15 cocktails and $10 wines for Marriott Bonvoy members. (If you’re not already one, you can sign up for free from your perch at the bar.) Whether you’re a guest at the resort or a visitor for the afternoon, you can munch on barramundi fish fingers while sipping espresso martinis or Aperol spritzes – plural. 

9. The Court House Hotel

This family-friendly establishment – the oldest pub in Port Douglas, to be exact – serves up fish tacos, chicken schnitzels and rump steaks for lunch and dinner, then turns into a sports bar after 10 pm. Bring the whole crew and enjoy the live music in the beer garden five nights a week, plus Sunday strumming sessions until 9 pm.

Discover the best places to stay in Port Dogulas