On a walk around Low Island, our guide mentions the caretaker role is currently being advertised. I may have just stumbled upon my dream job.

I’m sure it comes with its challenges, but my fairytale radar is going off. Living on a four-acre sandy coral cay on the Great Barrier Reef, with a tangle of tropical vegetation for shade, the odd coconut palm, a pristine fringe of squeaky white sand, and surrounding waters of turquoise blue rich in marine life? Yes, please. Bonus points for the heritage-listed 1878 lighthouse, decked out in classic red and white stripes.

But with many responsibilities to return home to, a single day in paradise will have to do—and what a memorable day it is. This island wander comes after an invigorating one-hour sail across the Coral Sea from Port Douglas aboard the handsome Sailaway catamaran. We anchor beside Low Isles (comprising Low Island and mangrove-covered Woody Island) for a fruitful snorkelling session on the outer reef. Spotted: hundreds of darting fish in all sizes and colours, and two big Green Sea Turtles, as close as can be and completely unfazed by our presence.

Excursions like this highlight why Port Douglas was recently singled out by Booking.com as one of its top global trending destinations. Travel trends are shifting decisively toward places that blend environmental stewardship, considered cultural connections, and slow-paced living. As the natural gateway to both the Great Barrier Reef and the ancient Daintree Rainforest, this tropical port town hits those marks with aplomb. Plus, the quaint town, where no building is permitted to be taller than a coconut palm, is made for mooching—a slow travel activity I am very here for.

Here are my highlights from four days exploring Port Douglas and its surrounds:

1. Mooching on Macrossan Street

Starting down by the old wharf on the waterfront, we take a peek inside St Mary’s by the Sea, an achingly pretty historic chapel. A large window behind the communion table captures an iconic view of swaying coconut palms, the ocean, and hazy headlands beyond.

Along the town’s main drag, Macrossan Street, we duck in and out of stores, browsing gift shops, clothing boutiques, and art galleries. We pick up the odd little item while mentally shopping the striking large-scale paintings by Indigenous artists from the local Kuku Yalanji peoples. Discovering that the excellent Whileaway Bookshop & Cafe doubles as a taco and tequila joint after hours triggers another urge in me to run away, settle here, and start my own whimsical-but-brilliant tropical business.

2. Oysters at the Push of a Button

Our friendly transfer driver, who transported us from Cairns Airport to Port Douglas along the scenic coastal highway, divulged one of the town’s best-kept secrets: an oyster vending machine right outside Coles supermarket.

You bet I hightailed it there, picking up a half dozen oysters on the half shell. These come from a temperature-controlled bivalve library of sorts, packed in airtight, sealed trays with a slice of lemon. (I repeat: with lemon. You do not need to buy a lemon from Coles and attempt to ‘cut’ it in half using your teeth like I did). The oysters are actually sourced from the cool waters of Coffin Bay in South Australia—Queensland being more of a prawny paradise—but nevertheless, the briny goodness feels very right going down in this seaside town.

3. Rainforest Bathing at Mossman Gorge

Being guided through the world’s oldest living tropical rainforest by members of the world’s oldest living culture is a truly unique experience. Following a traditional smoke ceremony that cleanses and welcomes us to country, Kuku Yalanji women Emily Kulka and Vanya Palmer-Geia lead our Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk in Mossman Gorge.

Along the trail, they impart deep knowledge about traditional medicines, bush foods, and native crafts, woven seamlessly with ancestral storytelling. Thousands of years before we were logging into email to communicate, Kulka and Palmer-Geia’s ancestors were striking the dense trunks of the Red Cedar trees in this 180-million-year-old forest to send messages up to five kilometres away.

4. Up-Close Encounters with Tropical Wildlife

At the eco-certified Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas, our animal encounters range from cute and quirky to a little more thrilling. Having petted a koala, dodged an impassioned, mate-seeking emu named Kevin, and fed both thrashing barramundi and long-lashed kangaroos, we finally come as close as you’d ever want to get with wild crocodiles.

A clear acrylic panel separates human from reptile in Wildlife Habitat’s Swim With the Salties experience. Seeing Ton and Goliath, two massive male estuarine crocs, up close underwater offers a completely new perspective: I can count every territorial scar on their strange, armour-like hides and clock Goliath’s unique extra toe webbing. I wonder if it helps propel him even more efficiently—these salties can lunge explosively to surprise prey on a riverbank.

5. Savouring the Best Port Douglas Restaurants

Exceptional food and tropical dining are central to the Port Douglas experience:

Silky Oaks Lodge: This stunning setting is reminiscent of a luxury treehouse, set high above the Mossman River and surrounded by dense rainforest canopy. Tropical rainfall on the day we visited for lunch added to the atmosphere, the raindrops adding extra sparkle to the gigantic web where a Golden Orb spider watched over the dining room. The kitchen garden here grows more than 100 ingredients—from passionfruit to pandan leaf—lending hyper-local cred to the menu. Our group dined family-style, sharing a plethora of delicious dishes presented in a way that was unfussy yet elegant.
Jungle Fowl: Located on Wharf Street’s impressive lineup of easy-breezy bars and eateries, Jungle Fowl came recommended by a friend and delivered on atmosphere (buzzy but relaxed), service, drinks, and food. Tropical Thai is the overarching theme, with dishes making the most of fresh produce grown on the restaurant’s own four-acre farm nearby.
Nautilus Restaurant: There’s still something special about white linen tablecloths and candlelight. When accompanied by lantern-lit palms framing the indigo night sky, the open-air dinner setting feels dream-like. It’s the perfect backdrop for a five-course degustation meal. You needn't worry about burger-shopping afterwards; portions are generous at this iconic restaurant that dates back to 1954.

6. Unwinding in Style at Four Mile Beach

For a luxury base, Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort & Spa offers the perfect sanctuary. Located right on Four Mile Beach and found on Booking.com, this five-star property boasts Ecotourism Australia’s Sustainable Tourism Certification. In one of many green initiatives, guests are rewarded with a $20 food and beverage credit for every day they opt to skip daily room servicing.

Between making the most of a private rooftop garden with its own hot tub and floating in the gigantic central lagoon pool, it’s an ideal place to ground yourself after a day of exploring Tropical North Queensland.

The writer was hosted by Booking.com.

4 Days in Port Douglas: Reef, Rainforest, and Slow Travel in Tropical North Queensland