Great Barrier Reef and the Ancient Daintree Forest (which is even older than the Amazon!)

It is official. We love Port Douglas in far North Queensland, Australia – a delightful village only one hour’s drive north of Cairns.

• Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef…Poseidon Outer Reef Cruises offers a five star cruise on their 24metre, ultra modern, high-speed catamaran.  They depart daily, visiting three spectacular sites on the outer edge of the Agincourt Ribbon Reefs. These Reefs are renowned as being the best reefs accessible in a day trip. The crystal-clear waters, beautiful corals and incredible fish life found at the Agincourts, 70 kilometres North East of Port Douglas are amazing. We really enjoyed exploring the shallow lagoons and spectacular drop-offs, with an unbelievable variety of fragile corals and colourful fish life – some of which came unbelievably close! What sets this boat apart from the rest is the individual attention from their fun and highly qualified crew.  They love their jobs and it shows, they really made everyone’s day.  All you need for a great day out is included: Courtesy transfer in the Port Douglas area; Morning tea/coffee with fresh muffins; Afternoon tea/coffee with cake & tropical fruit platter; Delicious tropical buffet lunch with prawns; Reef interpretation talk; Guided snorkel tour with marine naturalist; All snorkel equipment & tuition (Incl. prescription masks); Lycra suits & flotation devices; Fresh water showers; 3 spectacular reef sites; Professional photographer onboard. Poseidon Outer Reef Cruises Ph: (07) 4099 4772 Website:Poseidon
• Catch the nightly cane toad races…it’s as local as a mango tree but so much fun – you can even have a great meal or catch some live entertainment here too.  Races are Mon, Wed, Fri & Sat nights at 8pm sharp at the Iron Bar Restaurant 5 Macrossan St, Port Douglas Ph: (07) 4099 4776
• Dine at the award-winning ‘On The Inlet’ restaurant and meet George the giant Grouper…they offer modern Australian cuisine and fantastic views. Its deck over the water is the perfect site to watch the sunset and savior a cocktail and amazing food,. Plus if you’re there around 5pm, George the Grouper will turn up for his evening meal of leftover seafood. He is about 250kg Grouper and attends usually with his equally large friends. On The Inlet restaurant 3 Inlet Street Port Douglas Ph: (07) 4099 5255 or Website: On the Inlet
• Visit the markets…Sunday Markets are held in Rex Smeal Park at the end of Macrossan Street. Established 20 years ago, goods for sale are made or grown by the stallholders. You’ll find great artwork, fashion, jewellery and there is plenty of fresh produce, perfect for a picnic on the beach. The market opens between 8am and 1:30pm, and with the mountain ranges and Coral Sea as a backdrop, it’s a pleasurable outing.
• Hire a bike and take a ride around…the firm sands of 4-mile beach are a perfect place to start and a wonderful way to take in the surrounds and work off some of the great food you will be tempted to eat. Port Douglas Bikeworks 2/46 Macrossan Street, Port Douglas Ph: (07) 4099 6144
• Enjoy the thrill of pure sailing…relax with an exhilarating twilight sail onboard the new luxury ‘Lagoon’ sailed from France. Soak up the peace and tranquillity of a tropical Sunset over the Coral Sea with spectacular mountain views, bubbles and delicious nibbles. Website: Sailaway

Alison Carmichael-Rulten

Hi, I'm Alison Carmichael-Rulten the Publisher of Vacation Goddess, and I want to thank you for visiting Vacation Goddess – the one-stop shop for insider travel news, deals, 'Guest Goddes's stories, and of course our personal travel experiences. Plus, as we love to cruise we also try to find some amazing cruise deals for you too. From luxury, longer escapes right down to weekend breaks we know you love everything travel related. Here at Vacation Goddess, we hope you will find loads of inspiration and of course some amazing travel deals. We love a holiday at a great price and that's why we seek out what we call 'Champagne Experiences, on a Sparkling Wine Budget.' We constantly showcase a variety of special deals and offers and from time to time some very special competitions. Our recent 'Win a Trip to London' competition received over 24,00 entries. We invite you to visit us often, join our mailing list and please tell your friends