Everything you need to know about Four Mile Beach in Port Douglas

No Port Douglas holiday would be complete without experiencing the exceptional natural beauty of Four Mile Beach. One of Far North Queensland's most recognisable beaches and renowned for its four miles of golden sands fringed by swaying palms and mountainous backdrop, Four Mile Beach offers a unique remote beach experience with amazing swimming and stunning natural views.

Whether it’s strolling the length of the beach at sunrise, exploring the rock pools at the southern end or looking down from above on a helicopter tour of the Great Barrier Reef, there are many ways to immerse yourself in the charms of Four Mile Beach while holidaying in Port Douglas, Queensland.  

Things to do at Four Mile Beach

Four Mile Beach perfectly encapsulates the tranquil seaside beauty of Tropical North Queensland, with its spacious, uncommercialised shorefront and lack of built-up development making for a postcard-worthy scene from sunrise to sunset. Unlike some seaside destinations, there are no high-rise hotels or apartments towering overhead here, just endless rows of swaying palm trees overlooking calm waters that provide family-friendly swimming conditions all year-round. 

A water sports paradise

Along with swimming – there’s a designated swimming area with a netted section to keep out nasties during stinger season – beach activities at Four Mile Beach include standup paddle boarding, a popular way to spend a morning, and kite surfing, a popular way to spend an afternoon. With its consistent south-east trade winds, clear skies and stunning natural beauty, Four Mile Beach is north Queensland's premier kitesurfing destination and is renowned for delivering exhilarating, wind-propelled thrills. Standup paddle boarding and kitesurfing hire is available, with experienced and certified instructors offering lessons for those keen to master the basics and develop good habits right from the start.

Take in magnificent sea views

With an elevated platform and prime location, Flagstaff Hill Lookout is renowned for its breathtaking sunrise views over the Coral Sea, with its gentle, meandering trail a great way to visit the beach from the main area of Port Douglas and catch views of Snapper Island, the Low Isles and the Daintree Rainforest. However, while there are spectacular views to behold at this stunning vantage point, be sure to experience Four Mile Beach in its exquisite tropical splendour when the morning light spreads from the east and showers the beach in a variety of red, orange and yellow hues. 

The annual Port Douglas Carnivale

Held annually across an action-packed week and weekend in May, the Port Douglas Carnivale celebrates the very best of Tropical North Queensland. Events held on Four Mile Beach include the Family Beach Day, a great day for families with food trucks, a wide range of beach activities and entertainment, community markets and the day’s main event, the Sand Sculpting Competition.  

Experience the Great Barrier Reef on a tour

With its proximity to the Great Barrier Reef, day trips departing from Port Douglas are a popular holiday activity for visitors to Four Mile Beach. Sailaway offers a Low Isles Tour that sets sail from Port Douglas and offers a day’s Coral Sea adventure, with the highlight a visit to a coral cay with white sandy beaches and coconut palms, and snorkelling among colourful corals and tropical fish.

Quicksilver Cruises offers snorkelling, scuba and non-swimming tour options, including day trips departing from Reef Marina to Agincourt Reef, the most accessible outer reef location from Port Douglas with 16 different dive sites on offer. Inland adventures are also accessible, with Nautilus Aviation offering tours of Daintree National Park – including a private picnic at Stewarts Creek Waterfall, a magical spot accessible only by helicopter – as well as the magnificent Great Barrier Reef. 

Accommodation near Four Mile Beach

With its proximity to Port Douglas, most hotels, resorts and other accommodation options are a short walk or drive from Four Mile Beach, with some offering sea views or direct beach access, and some, like the Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort, offering both. Blending seamlessly with the majestic natural beauty of Four Mile Beach, Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort and Spa provides direct beach access and a range of boutique-style accommodation options, with something for every group size, from singles and couples to large families and groups, and budget. 

As is to be expected of a five-star resort renowned for the superlative holiday experiences it delivers, there are more than a few luxury accommodation options awaiting Port Douglas holidaymakers. Luxury swim-out apartments, penthouses with rooftop spas and ocean views, and villas with exclusive plunge pools are just some of the luxurious offerings available, with most centred around the acclaimed resort’s expansive lagoon pool. 

The Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, a stunning five-star beachfront resort just a stone’s throw from the northern end of Four Mile Beach, is set among 147 hectares of lush tropical gardens and offers a range of rooms, suites and villas to suit all needs. Other accommodation highlights a stone’s throw from Four Mile Beach include the Balinese-inspired Niramaya Villas & Spa with its extensive luxury self-contained accommodation selection. Nestled in lush tropical surrounds, Niramaya is a boutique sanctuary of exclusive villas set amongst 15 hectares of lush gardens providing a luxurious and intensely private experience. 

While holidaymakers with access needs will find plenty of accommodation options in Port Douglas to suit, including  a wide range of hotels and resorts, Macrossan House is a top choice. Although this specially-designed apartment for accessible travellers is located at the Flagstaff Hill Lighthouse end of Port Douglas, it not only offers ramp access check-in and every amenity you’d need, but also offers guests the use of a beach-accessible wheelchair so they can access beautiful Four Mile Beach.

Getting there and away

Four Mile Beach is just five to 10 minutes walk from the centre of Port Douglas, so wherever you’re staying in this renowned beachside paradise with its boutique resorts and exceptional dining scene, you’re only ever a short stroll away from one of the most popular beaches in Far North Queensland. As Four Mile Beach is just an hour’s drive from Cairns, getting a fix of golden sands and swaying palms is definitely doable as a day trip, but to really experience the stunning natural beauty and immerse yourself in its many charms, you’ll need – and undoubtedly want – to stay a little longer.