Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation guide to the best local spots
Guide
By Chelsea Tromans
The Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation are two must-visit places in Queensland for their natural beauty. The ancient Daintree Rainforest has earned itself World Heritage status, and nearby Cape Tribulation’s scenic landscape and remote beaches provide the perfect incentive to get outdoors and explore this untouched slice of tropical paradise.
But if you’ve already ticked off all the must-do experiences and hotspots, like the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, Kuranda Scenic Railway and Mossman Gorge, and want to dive a little deeper, then you need to go where the locals go.
This Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation guide will show you all the top local-loved things to do and places to go.
Can’t-beat-it breakfast
There’s nothing quite like a home-cooked breakfast with local produce and just-laid eggs, so it’s hard to beat the sumptuous spreads at some of the local B&Bs. Digby’s banana pancakes with black sapote sauce are legendary at Cape Trib Farm.
If you’ve only got time for a day trip, then Breakfast with the Birds at Wildlife Habitat in Port Douglas on your way north will set you up for the day.
Best coffee
At Daintree Village, Croc Xpresso Café is the locals’ favourite coffee in the Daintree. Just north of Cow Bay, you can hang with Doris the croc while you have a coffee at Daintree Siesta. And in Cape Tribulation, The Turtle Rock Café is great for people-watching.
Local favourite restaurants
Silky Oaks Lodge, Mossman, Cairns & Great Barrier Reef
If you’re up for a culinary adventure, you’ll also find some unusual dishes at the local cafes. The crocodile burgers at Croc Xpresso Café are a revelation and Masons Café has croc and roo pies on the menu.
Alternatively, dine in the open-air Treehouse Restaurant at Silky Oaks Lodge amongst the sights and sounds of the rainforest, enjoying fine cuisine in a contemporary Australian style. Or Daintree Siesta Restaurant has an open-air tropical dining area, perfect for a relaxing meal and cold drink.
Best nightlife
For locals, the Daintree nightlife tends to involve more frogs, snakes and dragons than clubs and partying. But if you’re looking for a good night out, The Sandbar at Cape Tribulation Camping has charm, character and a fantastic laid-back vibe. They serve delicious wood-fired pizzas and attract the most interesting travellers and locals with many a great tale to tell over a few drinks.
Best activities for under $60
Daintree River, Cairns & Great Barrier Reef
You’re spoilt for choice for great value activities. Take a cruise on the Daintree River (Solar Whisper’s tours are small and personalised and use an eco-friendly solar electric boat) or on Cooper Creek, where two World Heritage sites meet (the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef). Not only will you be looking out for the fearsome saltwater crocodiles that inhabit the region’s waterways, but you’ll also get to see amazing birdlife and explore the magnificent mangrove ecosystems.
Foodies will love learning about (and tasting) Australian-origin cocoa and vanilla and discovering the ins and outs of a working sugarcane farm at Sweet Farm Tours. During a guided tour, you’ll get to wander through a working cocoa and SmartCane Accredited sugarcane farm all while sampling the delicious goodies that are made on-site.
Favourite way to spend a Sunday
To work up an appetite for breakfast, kayak up to Cape Trib Beach House for brunch, then take a leisurely paddle back, maybe throwing in a line to see if you can catch anything on the way home.
No day is complete without a visit to the beach. Here’s a local’s secret: The Strangler Fig by the side of the road just south of Emmagen Creek marks the start of the path to the deserted Emmagen Beach.
Best shopping
Daintree Ice Cream Company, Cairns & Great Barrier Reef
Don’t go home without some locally-produced goodies. Daintree Estates is the only chocolate produced in Australia from Australian cocoa, and it’s grown right here in the Daintree and blended with sugar from the Mossman Sugar Mill. It’s so good, even the Belgians can’t get enough of it!
As you drive north to Cape Tribulation, you’ll also see the distinctive rows of the Daintree Tea Company, with a roadside stall and displays where you can pick up this delicious brew. Pesticide-free and unblended, it’s a perfect little gift and a great way to bring a bit of the Daintree into your everyday life.
And of course, in this tropical climate, every day is an ice-cream day! Both the Daintree Ice Cream Company and Floravilla Biodynamic Ice Cream Factory create fabulous flavours with local ingredients to keep you cool on your travels.
Must-do activity
Walkabout Cultural Tour, Cairns & Great Barrier Reef
The Daintree Rainforest is steeped in Aboriginal history, and the Walkabout Cultural Tour is one of the best ways to gain an insight into the region’s Indigenous heritage.
Learn the traditional hunting techniques of the Kuku Yalanji people of the Daintree region, such as spearfishing and catching crabs, and foraging for native ingredients that have been used as medicine by the tribe for over 9,000 years. You’ll also get to sample bush foods and hear ancient stories as you wander around the Mossman with your local Indigenous guide.
And of course, you’ve got to explore one of the oldest tropical rainforests in the world. By day, check out the Daintree Discovery Centre; and by night, immerse yourself in the lush canopy as you dine on an innovative, contemporary Australian menu before falling asleep in the treetops at the Silky Oak Lodge.
Now that you’ve ticked off all of these local favourites in our Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation guide, make your way down to Port Douglas and fill your itinerary with these top 30 things to do. If you’re travelling with kids, check out these ideas.
