There are beautiful coastal towns all around Australia.

There are luxury resorts.

There are tropical beaches.

There are sophisticated restaurants and small-town main streets.

There are places surrounded by extraordinary natural environments.

Port Douglas somehow brings all of those things together.

About an hour north of Cairns, this relatively small tropical town occupies an extraordinary position between two of Australia's greatest natural treasures — the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics rainforest.

But geography only partly explains the attraction.

Port Douglas has developed a personality of its own.

It can be luxurious without feeling like a manufactured resort.

It can be busy without feeling like a city.

It has expensive accommodation and restaurants alongside pubs, apartments, cafés and places where the dress code could reasonably be described as shorts and thongs.

And at the end of town there is Four Mile Beach.

There really is nothing quite like Port Douglas in Australia.

Getting there is part of the experience

If you are staying in Cairns, Port Douglas is approximately 65 kilometres to the north.

The obvious way to get there is by road.

And this is one occasion when the journey should not simply be regarded as transportation.

The Captain Cook Highway north from Cairns passes the northern beaches before reaching one of Queensland's great coastal drives.

In places, rainforest-covered mountains rise on one side while the Coral Sea stretches away on the other.

Don't rush it.

Stop safely at one of the designated lookouts if you want photographs.

Palm Cove can also make an excellent stop along the way.

Depending upon traffic and conditions, allow roughly an hour between Cairns and Port Douglas — and more if you intend to enjoy the journey.

Do I need a car?

No.

Transfers and tour services operate between Cairns, Cairns Airport and Port Douglas.

That makes Port Douglas perfectly feasible for travellers who do not want to drive.

Once you arrive, much of central Port Douglas can be explored on foot.

However, a car provides considerable freedom if you want to explore the surrounding region or continue north towards Mossman and the Daintree.

For a day trip from Cairns, either option works.

For a longer stay, the decision depends on how much exploring you intend to do.

Macrossan Street

Macrossan Street is the commercial heart of Port Douglas.

It runs through the centre of town towards the sea and is one of the reasons Port Douglas feels more like a genuine tropical town than an isolated resort development.

You can walk it.

That sounds unremarkable until you compare it with holiday destinations where every activity requires getting back into a car.

Macrossan Street contains restaurants, cafés, bars, boutiques, galleries, shops and tourism businesses.

Morning coffee can turn into shopping.

Shopping can become lunch.

Lunch can become a walk to Four Mile Beach.

And somehow the afternoon disappears.

The shops

Port Douglas shopping is another part of its character.

Don't come expecting a major suburban shopping centre.

That isn't the attraction.

The central shopping experience is built around smaller businesses.

There are fashion boutiques, resort wear, jewellery, gifts, galleries, homewares and businesses catering to visitors.

The shopping fits the destination.

You can browse without necessarily setting out to buy anything.

It also gives visitors something to do when tropical weather temporarily interrupts plans for the beach or reef.

Four Mile Beach

Then there is the beach.

Four Mile Beach is one of the defining images of Port Douglas — a broad sweep of sand extending south from the town.

Early morning is particularly attractive.

Walkers appear on the beach.

The temperature can be more comfortable.

The day has not yet gathered momentum.

It is easy to understand why people who come to Port Douglas for holidays start imagining what it might be like to live there.

Despite its name, Four Mile Beach isn't exactly four miles long. The commonly told explanation is that the name derives from a local family named Fourmile rather than being a precise measurement.

Whatever the origin, the name has become inseparable from Port Douglas.

Can you swim at Four Mile Beach?

Yes, but remember where you are.

This is tropical North Queensland.

Marine stingers are a particular consideration during the warmer months, broadly from November to May, and crocodiles inhabit the wider tropical coastal environment.

Visitors should swim in the designated patrolled area, between the flags when lifeguards are present, use the seasonal stinger enclosure when advised and obey current warnings.

Do not treat an apparently calm tropical sea as an invitation to swim anywhere you choose.

Local advice matters.

The Great Barrier Reef

Port Douglas is one of Australia's great departure points for the Great Barrier Reef.

Reef cruises operate from the marina, with options ranging from snorkelling and diving trips to experiences designed for people who prefer to see the reef without spending much time in the water.

This creates an interesting question for visitors staying in Cairns:

Should I visit the reef from Cairns or Port Douglas?

There isn't a universal answer.

Both are established reef gateways and individual operators visit different sites.

Rather than deciding solely according to which city is "better", compare the actual reef locations, vessel, travel time and activities offered by individual tours.

If you are already staying in Port Douglas, departing from there makes obvious sense.

Reef on one side, rainforest on the other

This is where Port Douglas becomes extraordinary.

The Great Barrier Reef lies offshore.

Travel north and you are heading towards the Daintree Rainforest.

Port Douglas effectively sits between two World Heritage-listed natural environments.

Few holiday destinations anywhere can make a comparable claim.

You can spend one day on a coral reef and the next surrounded by ancient tropical rainforest.

That combination is central to the Port Douglas experience.

Port Douglas as the gateway to the Daintree

Visitors staying in Port Douglas are particularly well placed for trips north.

Mossman is only a relatively short drive away, and beyond it lies the Daintree River and the road towards Cape Tribulation.

Organised tours are available for travellers who prefer not to drive.

If you're exploring independently, Port Douglas can make an excellent base.

It is considerably closer to the Daintree than Cairns, which can make the day feel less rushed.

The marina

The marina is another important part of Port Douglas.

This is where many reef trips and marine activities begin.

But you don't have to be boarding a boat to visit.

The waterfront environment, vessels, restaurants and surrounding businesses are all part of the town.

It also illustrates something important about Port Douglas.

Tourism here isn't merely an addition to the local economy.

It is woven through it.

Boats need crews.

Resorts need employees.

Restaurants need suppliers.

Tours need guides.

Visitors support shops and services.

Port Douglas is a sophisticated tourism economy operating inside a relatively small tropical town.

Sunday markets

If your visit coincides with Sunday, the Port Douglas markets are worth including.

The markets are traditionally held at Market Park near the waterfront.

They add another dimension to the town, with local products, arts, crafts, food and other stalls.

Markets can sometimes become generic tourist attractions.

Port Douglas' setting helps enormously.

A Sunday morning wandering through the markets followed by lunch and a walk through town is a particularly easy way to spend several hours.

Where can I stay?

Almost anywhere on the accommodation spectrum.

Port Douglas became famous partly as an upmarket tropical destination, and luxury remains an important part of its identity.

There are premium resorts and sophisticated boutique accommodation.

But Port Douglas isn't exclusively for luxury travellers.

Options include:

• major resorts
• boutique hotels
• serviced apartments
• self-contained holiday apartments
• villas
• family accommodation
• holiday rentals
• motel-style accommodation
• backpacker and budget choices.

For travellers staying several days, self-contained accommodation can be particularly useful.

For a short indulgent break, one of the resorts may be exactly the point.

Is Port Douglas expensive?

It certainly can be.

It is one of Australia's recognised premium holiday destinations and there are accommodation, restaurant and tourism experiences priced accordingly.

But you don't need a large budget to enjoy Port Douglas itself.

Walking Four Mile Beach costs nothing.

Exploring Macrossan Street costs nothing unless something in a shop catches your attention.

Looking around the marina costs nothing.

The coastal drive from Cairns is an attraction in itself.

A visitor can drive up from Cairns, spend most of a day exploring Port Douglas, have lunch and return without turning the excursion into an extravagant exercise.

Luxury is available.

It isn't compulsory.

What about the restaurants?

Food is a significant part of the Port Douglas experience.

The town's visitor economy supports considerably more dining variety than you might expect from its permanent population.

There are cafés, pubs and casual eateries alongside restaurants suited to a special night out.

Seafood naturally features prominently.

The tropical climate also lends itself to outdoor dining.

One of the pleasures of staying in central Port Douglas is being able to walk to dinner rather than drive.

That seemingly small detail changes the atmosphere of a holiday.

Is Port Douglas just for couples?

Not at all.

Its luxury reputation sometimes creates that impression.

Couples certainly have plenty of reasons to visit — resorts, restaurants, beaches and tropical surroundings make the attraction obvious.

But families also have access to apartment accommodation, pools, the beach, wildlife experiences, reef tours and rainforest excursions.

The destination works differently depending upon what you want from it.

Cairns or Port Douglas?

This isn't a contest.

They complement one another.

Cairns is a regional city.

It has an international airport, major shopping, hospitals, businesses, a substantial waterfront, the Esplanade Lagoon and an enormous tourism industry.

Port Douglas is a much smaller resort town.

Cairns feels active.

Port Douglas feels slower.

Cairns provides greater urban convenience.

Port Douglas puts a tropical beach and compact holiday village at the centre of the experience.

If you have enough time, experience both.

Can I visit Port Douglas as a day trip from Cairns?

Very easily.

Leave Cairns in the morning.

Take your time driving north.

Stop at Palm Cove or a coastal lookout.

Explore Macrossan Street.

Have lunch.

Walk Four Mile Beach.

Visit the marina.

Have coffee.

Then drive back to Cairns before evening.

That is a perfectly worthwhile day.

But there is a problem.

You may not want to leave.

How long should I stay?

If Port Douglas is merely one component of a Cairns holiday, a day trip gives you a good introduction.

Two nights changes the experience.

Three or four nights lets you slow down properly.

A longer stay makes Port Douglas an excellent base for the reef, Daintree and surrounding region.

The right duration therefore depends upon the holiday you want.

If your priority is seeing as much of Tropical North Queensland as possible, split your time between Cairns and Port Douglas.

If your priority is relaxation, Port Douglas can comfortably occupy much more of the trip.

When is the best time to visit?

The dry season, broadly May through October, is generally the easiest period for many visitors.

Temperatures tend to be more comfortable, humidity is lower and rainfall is generally reduced.

It is also a popular time to visit.

The tropical summer brings heat, humidity and considerably more rain, but also lush vegetation and a completely different atmosphere.

Marine stinger considerations are greater during the warmer months.

As throughout Far North Queensland, visitors travelling during the wet season should remain aware that heavy rainfall can affect roads and tours.

Don't make Port Douglas a checklist

This may be our most important advice.

There are destinations where the objective is to see the attraction, take the photograph and move on.

Port Douglas isn't one of them.

The attraction is partly the pace.

Sit down for coffee.

Walk Macrossan Street.

Spend time on Four Mile Beach.

Look around the marina.

Have lunch without watching the clock.

Stay for dinner if you can.

Port Douglas makes more sense when you stop trying to complete it.

There is nothing quite like it

Australia has more dramatic beaches.

It has larger resort towns.

It has bigger marinas.

It has more extensive shopping districts.

It has extraordinary rainforest and countless beautiful coastal drives.

But Port Douglas doesn't depend upon being the biggest or best at any single thing.

Its strength is the combination.

A sophisticated little tropical town.

Four Mile Beach at one end.

A marina at the other.

The Coral Sea beyond.

The Great Barrier Reef offshore.

Ancient rainforest to the north.

Restaurants and boutiques along a main street you can comfortably explore on foot.

Luxury when you want it and simplicity when you don't.

That combination is difficult to reproduce.

Cairns Times View

If you are visiting Cairns and have enough time, go to Port Douglas.

Don't simply drive through it on the way to the Daintree.

Give it at least half a day and preferably a full one.

Better still, stay overnight.

Walk Four Mile Beach early in the morning.

Explore Macrossan Street.

Visit the marina.

Have lunch somewhere that reminds you that you are in the tropics.

And enjoy the coastal drive getting there.

Cairns, Palm Cove and Port Douglas are geographically close, yet each provides a distinctly different experience.

Port Douglas occupies a particularly unusual place among Australian destinations: sophisticated but relaxed, luxurious but accessible, small but internationally recognised.

And sitting between the Great Barrier Reef and the rainforest, there really is nothing quite like it in Australia.