Top Towns for 2022: A quick escape to idyllic Port Douglas

Carla Grossetti Carla Grossetti
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A lure for sea-changers, holidaymakers and backpackers alike, this picturesque town in Tropical North Queensland holds timeless appeal that landed Port Douglas second on your list of Top 50 Aussie towns, writes former local Carla Grossetti. 

Find the complete list of the Top 50 Aussie Towns here.

What makes Port Douglas picturesque?

Port Douglas is a vivid place, crayoned in blues and greens and popping with colour from pretty flowers and foliage. It’s where southerners go to be liberated from their heavy coats and boots in winter and to escape their city lives over summer.  

Daintree Rainforest road
Embark on an exhilarating adventure to Daintree Rainforest. (Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland)

It’s where you’ll find colourful livewire characters holding forth at the pubs, sun-kissed backpackers twirling fire sticks on the beach, and wannabe locals trying to manifest a sea change.  

palm trees in Port Douglas
Tropical foliage awaits you at Port Douglas.

This is Yirrganydji Sea Country, where the jungle spills down to the sea, and it’s where you can try forest bathing and wild swimming all in the same day.

The former fishing village was put on the map more than a few decades ago as a destination thanks to its proximity to the Great Barrier Reef and Jurassic-like jungle.  

Here’s where to eat, drink, stay and play in the picturesque Tropical North Queensland town of Port Douglas. 

Where to eat and drink 

Life feels peaceful and unhurried in Port Douglas. You don’t need a superyacht to lean into that pace of life; just time your visit to coincide with the annual Taste Port Douglas event, which celebrates the best of the region’s bounty. 

Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort
An expansive palm-fringed pool at Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort. (Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland)

The festival is held at the newly reimagined Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, also home to Harrisons By Spencer Patrick, the most acclaimed restaurant in Port Douglas. 

British-born chef Spencer Patrick has been at the helm since 2007 and his restaurant remains a huge draw on either side of the festival. It’s the done thing to order signature dishes such as spaghetti with squid and nduja and painted crayfish in garlic butter.  

Jungle Fowl is inspired by Southeast Asian flavours and ingredients. Jungle Fowl  is named in honour of a bird that is prevalent around the tropics, and you’ll find it roosting in Wharf Street. It’s one of the best places to eat in Port Douglas.

It’s the town’s latest and greatest hotspot: feast on dishes such as green papaya salad and ma hor, caramelised pork and prawn on pineapple.

Green Curry served at Jungle Fowl restaurant
Satisfy your palate with Green Curry. (Image: Jungle Fowl)

Hi Tide by the Beach is the only licensed restaurant near to Four Mile Beach. The beachside eatery is celebrated for its signature seafood chowder.  The Tin Shed, built in 1877, is a top spot to perch for a bucket of prawns and bevvy. Nautilus, Watergate, Osprey’s and Aluco also tap into the tropics for inspiration. 

meal at Osprey's Restaurant
A mouthwatering seafood platter at the Osprey’s Restaurant. (Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland)

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Where to stay 

It’s easy to rack up a few lazy days in five-star comfort while in TNQ. Book a stay at the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort for its sparkling lagoon pool, and return for its proximity to the 18-hole golf course, and world-class restaurants.

Take a catamaran cruise to the outer reef, then unwind to the sound of waves kissing the shore from your swim-out suite at Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort and Spa, which is backed by palm trees on Four Mile Beach.

Niramaya Villas & Spa is also suited to the type of traveller who is looking for rest and a reset. Only leave your sun lounger by the infinity-edge pool to indulge in a massage at the day spa or a snooze on your villa’s day bed.

Niramaya Villas & Spa 5-bedroom villa
Soak up scenic views at Niramaya Villas & Spa. (Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland)

On either side of Port Douglas you’ll find Thala Beach Nature Reserve to the south or the newly revitalised Silky Oaks Lodge to the north, both captivating and immersive places to stay.  

Silky Oaks Lodge treehouse
A luxury treehouse for those who want to immerse in the wilderness. (Image: Silky Oaks Lodge)

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Where to play 

Want to live like a local? You can do just that by following in their footsteps along the Flag Staff Hill Walking Trail that links Four Mile Beach to Rex Smeal Park, or along the sand, which stretches from Flagstaff Hill all the way to the mouth of the mighty Mowbray River.

Flagstaff Hill Lookout
Catch sweeping views of the Coral Sea and Low Isles at the Flagstaff Hill Lookout. (Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland)

This emphatically emerald-green corner of the TNQ coast is known as a safe haven for writers and artists and that creativity is on show everywhere from the Sunday markets to the galleries dotted along the main strip.

The resort town is a playground for eco travellers, divers and snorkellers, and an equally popular slice of paradise for cruise ships that lay anchor offshore and the catamarans setting sail for the Great Barrier Reef.  

sunset sail with Sail Away
A romantic sunset cruise with Sail Away. (Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland)

Explore the Daintree on a River Drift Snorkelling adventure with Back Country Bliss and learn about caring for Country with Juan Walker, of Walk About Cultural Adventures. Meanwhile, add a sunset sail with Sailaway and see abundant wildlife at the Wild Life Habitat, where you can swim with saltwater crocs, and meander around Mossman Gorge with a cultural guide.

Explore more of Port Douglas in our travel guide or find out which other towns made it into your Top 50.
Carla Grossetti
Carla Grossetti has written across print and digital for Australian Traveller and International Traveller for more than a decade and has spent more than two decades finding excuses to eat well and travel far. A prestigious News Corp cadetship launched her career at The Cairns Post, before a stint at The Canberra Times and The Sydney Morning Herald gave way to extended wanders through Canada, the US, Mexico, Central America, Asia and Europe. Carla was chief sub editor at delicious and has contributed to Good Food, Travel & Luxury, Explore Travel, Escape. While living in London, Carla was on staff at Condé Nast Traveller and The Sunday Times Travel desk and was part of the pioneering digital team at The Guardian UK.
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A gourmand’s guide to eating your way around Hamilton Island

(Credit: Nikki To)

    Eleanor Edström Eleanor Edström
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    From poolside bites and tasting flights to seafood plates and dry-aged steaks, a foodie adventure on Hamilton Island is worth every bite.

    Hamilton Island’s sun-lacquered shores have long magnetised travellers craving an escape from reality. But what’s less expected – and more interesting – is just how assuredly this Whitsundays idyll delivers on the culinary front. Dialling up the flavour as much as the barefoot allure, the Hamilton Island food scene offers world-class dining and drinking options, spanning slick fine-dining moments to just-caught seafood served within sight of the sea. Let’s dig in.

    Catseye Pool Club

    Catseye Pool Club
    Catseye Pool Club offers stunning beach views. (Image: Kara Rosenlund)

    Framing the electric blues of Catseye Beach from The Sundays hotel, Catseye Pool Club is Hamilton Island’s latest culinary prodigy. Shown to our table, we thread through rattan chairs, Zellige tiles and tumbling greenery that opens up to Coral Sea shimmer.

    The poolside restaurant is the brainchild of Sydney-based chef duo Josh and Julie Niland, who have brought their relaxed yet elevated dining ethos north. The menu – designed to bring people together – is made for sharing, each hero ingredient orbited by a palette of sides to mix, match and layer as you please.

    My thyme cocktail – woody with scotch, lifted by lime leaf – pairs perfectly with the charcoal grilled prawns entree, which is served with tumeric and lemongrass marinade, macadamia satay sauce and a thai-leaning sour green mango salad. Each forkful lands differently, but all are a delight. Then comes the coral trout. True to Josh Niland’s ‘scale-to-tail’ philosophy, the fish is presented whole in a theatrical crescent, a tiny fork stuck into its cheek in a nod to Niland’s declared prize cut. Ribbons of zucchini resembling gauzy curtains bring brightness and snap, while kasundi lends depth and warmth. It’s tongue-tantalising, special occasion dining with humanity.

    Sails Restaurant

    Sails Restaurant hamilton island
    Settle into casual poolside dining. (Credit: Nikki To)

    A more casual poolside dining scene awaits at nearby Sails Restaurant, where Eastern Mediterranean flavours are dished up with an island twist. Chermoula chicken skewers and barramundi souvlaki lie on the more filling side of the menu, while the sumac squid and stone-bread flatbread with za’atar – arriving alongside pomegranate molasses, beetroot hummus and crushed macadamias – are perfect light bites after a dip in the pool. And don’t miss the garlic lemon scallops.

    The setting is equally part of the draw. Sunlight floods the high-ceilinged dining room, while outdoor tables look out across the glittering expanse of Catseye Beach. Holidaymakers in oversized sunglasses sip spritzes beneath umbrellas, the gentle clink of plates mixing with splashes from the adjacent pool. It’s the kind of place you’ll want to linger long after lunch.

    Bommie

    cuttlefish dish at Bommie restaurant Hamilton Island Yacht Club
    Head to the Hamilton Island Yacht Club for a taste of Bommie. (Credit: Nikki To)

    Tucked into a sleek curved wing of the Hamilton Island Yacht Club, Bommie delivers experiential fine dining with a sense of occasion. Led by award-winning Executive Chef Ryan Locke, the seasonal menu champions local and native Australian ingredients whipped up into a modern display of creative precision.

    Inside the dim-lit dining room, guests can choose between the Tasting Menu or Chef’s Signature Degustation. Sourdough with pine oil sets the tone for the six-course tasting menu, beautifully presented in a bed of pine needles alongside smoked paperbark butter. I love how the squid ink choux pastry is served with flavour-popping native finger lime, which our waiter encourages us to eat caviar-style. Standout moments continue with the wattle-seed-crusted venison elevated by red fruit and pickled beetroot swirls; the meat is perfectly pink in the middle and an homage to the island’s history as a deer farm.

    Pebble Beach

    qualia Resort Pebble Beach
    qualia Resort guests can dine at Pebble Beach. (Credit: Lean Timms)

    Exclusive to qualia Resort guests for lunch and dinner, Pebble Beach is Hamilton Island’s most serene expression of seasonal island dining. Ocean-facing chairs dot a timber deck that spills straight onto the resort’s private beach, while crystalline turquoise waters stretch to meet distant islands – a scene far prettier than any postcard could capture.

    The recently refreshed menu doubles down on seasonality and bright, layered flavours. While the more substantial T-bone steak with hazelnut honey carrots tempts, we go lighter: Coffin Bay oysters with Champagne foam and keffir lime dust kick us off splendidly, followed by Byron Bay burrata served with balsamic and caramelised figs. The fennel and orange salad topped with succulent grilled chicken is utterly delectable, but it’s the zingy, oh-so-fresh soft shell fish tacos that I can’t stop thinking about. It all goes down a treat with a glass of delicate Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne.

    Beach Club Restaurant

    Beach Club Restaurant hamilton island
    Book in advance for Beach Club Restaurant. (Credit: Nikki To)

    A lunch or dinner table at Beach Club Restaurant is best booked in advance – and it’s easy to see why. Looking out over the hotel’s palm-fringed infinity pool, the restaurant spotlights elegant contemporary Australian cuisine with a stellar (also Aussie-leaning) wine list to match.

    I am completely enamoured by the grilled Queensland prawns, which are brought to life with a smoked compound, local fried curry leaves and lime. Digging into the butter-soft lamb rump served atop pea ragout and parsley Paris mash feels like a warm, nostalgic hug. And dessert – vanilla bean ice cream drizzled with hot salted honey and apple gel – ends the night on a high note.

    Expect warm and discreet service; our waiter Marco tells us that the tiny decorative starfish on our table are there to help the staff remember whether we prefer sparkling or still water, so they don’t need to bother us by asking multiple times.

    Talk & Taste with Courtenay Morgan-Fletcher

    hamilton island Talk & Taste with Courtenay Morgan-Fletcher
    Join this immersive wine experience. (Credit Eleanor Edström)

    There’s more to Hamilton Island’s foodie scene than restaurant reservations alone. For wine-curious travellers seeking something a little more immersive, Beach Club has recently introduced Talk & Taste – a tutored tasting hosted by Bommie Assistant Manager and wine enthusiast Courtenay Morgan-Fletcher. Held twice weekly for a maximum of eight guests, the experience explores Australian wine culture through four thoughtfully selected drops paired with native-inspired bites.

    We opt for the white wine and seafood option. Alongside pours from Eden Valley and Launceston, a nibbling platter arrives featuring sashimi, salmon roe, Mooloolaba prawn ceviche and palate-cleansing ginger. The seafood is pristine and pared back, allowing the wines to take centre stage.

    The real highlight, however, is discovering just how nuanced winemaking can be. Courtenay speaks of viticulture as both art and science: harvest grapes a week too late and ripeness tips into ruin; plant the same varietal on different elevations and the sun, slope and water flow will shape entirely different expressions. Pinot noir, she explains, with its delicate skin and high water content, yields lighter fruit-forward wines, while thicker-skinned shiraz delivers depth and structure. I leave feeling fascinated and inspired by Courtenay’s evident passion.

    coca chu

    table spread at CocaChu
    Get a taste of Southeast Asian flavours. (Credit: Nikki To)

    Sweet and hot. Sour and salty. Dining at ever-popular coca chu is a sensation-swirling experience that’s not to be missed if you’re a sucker for punchy Southeast Asian flavours. Located at the Main Pool end of Catseye Beach, this lively hangout is all swaying lanterns, driftwood, high beamed ceilings and giant open windows that let in the balmy ocean breeze.

    Drawing from hawker traditions, the grilled betel leaf is a neat, vibrant mouthful of chilli fried cashews and spiced beef. The tofu surprises – soft beneath a tumble of dill, mint and coriander, and glossed in moreish peanut sauce. The massaman curry is pure comfort: creamy, fragrant, fall-apart meat. It’s generous and expressive cooking that I, for one, cannot get enough of.

    Marina Cafe

    hamilton island MArina Cafe
    Take in harbour views and comfort food.

    Sometimes, all you crave on holidays is a bacon and egg roll done properly and a creamy fruit smoothie. Boasting harbour views, an easygoing atmosphere and clean modern interiors, Marina Cafe is a popular local haunt for a reason. The casual menu lures families and couples alike with its all-day brekky, seasonal salads and sandwiches – from a roasted pumpkin bowl to prosciutto and rocket on herby focaccia.

    The acai bowl, topped with toasted nuts and berries, is a refreshing start to my day. Whether you sit in or takeaway, it’s a good-vibes-guaranteed place to refuel before or after your Whitsundays adventures.

    Discover your foodie getaway now at hamiltonisland.com.au.