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Palm Cove

Palm Cove is a super relaxed resort town that’s closer to Cairns and smaller than nearby Port Douglas, making it the perfect place for a longer break or a short weekend away when you don’t have much time.

Popular Things to do in and near Palm Cove

This is just the tip of the iceberg of Popular things to do and places to visit around Palm Cove and Tropical North Queensland:

  • Hang out at your resort pool and relax for once in your life!! 😉
  • Explore Kuranda Village and nearby areas
  • Road trip to see incredible Giant Fig Trees
  • Do the Great Barrier Reef Drive to the north and book a wildlife and croc spotting cruise on an electric boat up at the Daintree river (I loved this tour and it is rated 5 stars from 866 reviews on Viator)
  • Road trip or book a tour to explore the Daintree Rainforest or Parts of the Wet Tropics UNESCO region
  • Do a food and drinks roadtrip through the Atherton Tablelands

Tours open on Viator Website (owned by Tripadvisor)



Accommodation Guides & Notes that include Palm Cove

Adults only Accommodation in TNQ including Port Douglas & Palm Cove

Adults only Accommodation in TNQ including Port Douglas & Palm Cove

Nothing is bliss quite like adults-only accommodation and it’s a great option for a relaxing holiday regardless of if you…

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Places to Eat & Drink in Palm Cove

Because Palm Cove is such a popular tourist destination it has a wide range of restaurants to choose from and honestly nearly all of them have great ratings from visitors so it really just comes down to what you feel like eating that day because it will take you weeks to eat your way through all the options!

Nu Nu – Gourmet

An extremely popular and well-reviewed (4.5 starts out of 1868 google reviews) restaurant, Nu Nu has absolute beachfront dining and gorgeous views over the Palm Cove Palms. This much loved restaurant serves unique gourmet meals, many inspired by local ingredients, for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Chill at Portofino – Casual

A good choice for casual dining, Portofino is great for those looking for traditional breakfast, lunch and dinner favourites without being in a pub and it has great views over the iconic stand of Palm Cove palms.


National Parks, Bushwalks & Wildlife near Palm Cove

Palm Cove is in a convenient location for exploring the nearby rainforest and Atherton Tablelands. Here are a few parks however there are many many more accessible in the region.

Barron Gorge National Park

Home to the popular Barron Falls, a waterfall famous for becoming a pounding torrent of water post rain in the wet season.

The falls are viewed at a lookout on a 1.2km return walk graded easy by Queensland Parks (see on the parks website) and there are also many other short and long walks to explore the mountains and rainforest in the park.

Daintree National Park

The Ferry to cross the river to the Daintree National Park on the north side of the river is an hour and 5 minutes from Palm Cove. It’s a big day trip, but worth the effort if you choose not to stay nearby as part of your itinerary.

This section of the park from the river to the Cape Tribulation is generally what people are referring to when ‘visiting the Daintree’ though there is much more to see.

This area has a great selection of short walks, longer walking options, the Daintree Discovery Centre (a tree top walk where you can learn more about the plants and animals before exploring the rest of the region) and some fun stops in the section outside the park like the Daintree Icecream Co serving Fruit Gelato and Sorbet with locally grown fruit and produce.

Of course, if time permits, you may want to fit a night or two in this region into your itinerary before or after palm cove so you have less driving and more exploring time.


All Guides, Blog Posts & Notes about things to do and places to stay around Palm Cove

Cafes and Restaurants with a view around Sandstone Point & Bribie Island

There is so many places to eat with a view around Bribie Island and Sandstone Point that I didn’t get to visit all of them, but here are some good ones to get you started! Near Sandstone Point Spinnaker Sound Cafe This tranquil cafe is tucked away on the Marina between apartments and the water. […]

Boondall Wetlands Environment Centre & Walks – Notes and Photos

This nice easy circuit walk was an awesome accidental find, with lots of birds to spot, plenty of shade and bird hide mid way round the circuit. Quick Fact Box – Boondall Wetlands Environment Centre & Walks Track notes and photos are for supplementary information to help you see what a walk and experience may […]

Where to see Crocodiles around Cairns, Palm Cove & Port Douglas

You can see Crocodiles both in the wild and in captivity around the Cairns Region. Where to see Crocodiles in the Wild near Cairns Daintree River Wildlife and Crocodile Cruises The best way to see Crocodiles in the wild near Cairns is to go on a guided boat tour. While spotting wildlife is never guaranteed […]

4 Stunning Luxury Resorts in Palm Cove

If Port Douglas is the resort capital of Australia, Palm Cove is its little sister with the added benefit of everything within walking distance, and it’s closer to the airport for a quick weekend away. There are plenty of luxury resorts in Palm Cove to choose from as well as many restaurants to enjoy the […]

Adults only accommodation Port Douglas

There are some great choices for adults only accommodation in Port Douglas. Since the adults-only hotels and resorts in Port Douglas are only a 40 minute drive from the Cairns airport, it’s the perfect destination to escape real life for a quick weekend away or longer holiday. Adults only Accommodation in Port Douglas Shantara Resort […]