Things to do in the Torres Strait

Want the local lowdown on Torres Strait? Swing by a Visitor Information Centre and have a yarn with someone who knows this place like the back of their hand.

Getting here’s all part of the fun. Fly in via Cairns to Horn Island or ferry across from Cape York. From there, it’s island-hopping by boat, plane, or hooking up with a tour for wild island moments you won’t find on Google Maps.

Culture here isn’t curated, it’s alive. And with each island beating to its own rhythm, every day brings something new to uncover. Wander Thursday Island’s galleries and markets, pick up hand-carved artworks or intricate lino prints, and dive deeper into Torres Strait stories at the Gab Titui Cultural Centre. Traditional techniques meet modern creativity, and you can yarn with artists to learn the meaning behind every piece.

On Horn Island, WWII history lives on in bunkers, airstrips and air raid relics. Join a local tour and hear how this small island stood strong during one of the war’s fiercest chapters.

Then there’s all that sparkling blue water. Swim, snorkel, fish, or toast the day with a cold one at the Torres Hotel, Australia’s northernmost pub and the kind of place where adventure winds down with a laugh and a schooner.

Ready to go truly off-grid? Wade ashore on uninhabited islands like Prince of Wales or Goode with Torres Strait Eco Adventures. Take a private pearl farm tour on Friday Island, where fresh sashimi and Japanese flavours meet island life. Glamp in wild-at-heart comfort on Roko Island, a former pearl station turned secret retreat, or experience three days on Masig Island with Strait Experience for remote island living like you’ve never known it.

This is the Torres Strait: untouched, unforgettable, and overflowing with soul.