Cape Tribulation

Stepping straight on to the beach from the rainforest is a very special experience at Cape Tribulation. This extraordinarily pretty stretch of the Daintree National Park is where you can climb aboard a fast boat to explore the Great Barrier Reef or take a kayak to nearby islands.

Marvel at empty beaches where driftwood and shells wash up to form natural sculptures, feel the wind in your hair as you ride a horse from the beach to the rainforest or pitch your tent so you can gaze at the ocean as soon as you wake. Taste exotic tropical fruits on a farm tour, try them in a locally made ice cream, refresh in a swimming hole or soar through the rainforest canopy on a flying fox.

Cape Tribulation is a bushwalking paradise with many short walks taking in the beaches or rainforest. The experienced can spend a day hiking to admire spectacular views from Mount Sorrow. Guided walks on private properties show you animals and plants you may otherwise miss or join a night tour to see nocturnal animals.

Australia's richest diversity of flora and fauna is found in this region, so a guided tour will explain the intricacies of this ancient environment and introduce you to the likes of the peppermint stick insect or the Boyd's forest dragon.

Cape Tribulation is popular with backpackers who enjoy the jungle setting and party atmosphere of the hostels. Accommodation options vary from camping grounds to resorts, bed and breakfasts and holiday houses.

Just 35 kilometres north of the Daintree River, Cape Tribulation is where the bitumen ends and a Four Wheel Drive is needed to venture further north.