Top 5 Reasons Why Port Douglas is the Place to be this Summer
Summer in the Tropical North is lush, green, and laidback. From November to April, when our southern neighbours are baking in 40-degree heat, we’re enjoying overnight showers, perfect snorkelling and diving conditions, a flourishing rainforest and cool waterfalls and swimming holes.
There’s still plenty of sunshine during the day, as the rain doesn’t usually arrive until late in the afternoon or overnight. So, while you’ll have plenty of time to lounge by the pool during daylight hours, there’s more to summer than that in the tropics.
Here are a few reasons why we love summer in Port Douglas.
Sunset sails and the iconic Sugar Wharf.
1. Kaleidoscope of Colours
It’s a spectacular time of year. Replenishing showers mean the plants are more vibrant and with the rainforest bathed in flowers, fruit, and new growth, the animals are more active – think green tree frogs and plenty of bird life. We recommend joining a tour of the Daintree, which will see you venturing to Cape Tribulation; where the rainforest meets the fringing reef. A guided tour also means you’ll have an expert on hand to point things out you’d most likely walk straight past on your own, such as a Boyd’s forest dragon or even a prehistoric cassowary if you’re lucky.
Where rainforest meets fringing reef at Cape Tribulation.
2. Coral Spawning
The simultaneous mass spawning of corals is an annual phenomenon that is at the top of the bucket list for many SCUBA divers. First discovered in 1981, the spawning is when millions of tiny egg and sperm bundles pour out of living corals. What looks like champagne bubbles, or an underwater snowstorm of red, yellow and orange, is the coral’s way of regenerating. And while a few factors contribute to the exact time of the spawning – including temperature, location, and the lunar cycle – local dive operators such as Deep Sea Divers Den are tipping early November as the time it’ll happen.
3. Waterfalls and Rock Pools
The warm tropical rain that has this region glistening in summer is the reason our waterfalls and rainforest rock pools are at their best this time of year. A day trip to the famous waterfall circuit of the Atherton Tablelands is imperative. Not only because it’s a few degrees cooler in the highlands with slightly less humidity, but you’ll see a different side to the tropics. The landscape ranges from arid, dry stretches, dotted with huge anthills, to rolling hills of pastures and fruit farms. Closer to Port Douglas is Mossman Gorge where the swimming holes of cool, clear mountain waters are a regular for the locals and the boardwalks mean you can venture through the lush rainforest at your own pace.
Millaa Millaa Falls in the Atherton Tablelands.
4. Non-Existent Trade Winds
The trade winds ease up in the summer months which means the water is calm and flat, perfect for exploring the waters of the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef. And if it does happen to rain, you’re already wet! You’ll need to don a full-body lycra suit, as marine stingers are more prevalent during this time of year, but you’d most likely wear a wetsuit in the other months too – especially in winter when the waters of the outer reef are noticeably cooler.
5. Mango Season
You’ll see the streets littered with them, trees dripping with them, and this year is set to be a bumper year thanks to good conditions during our winter months. So, there’s no need to hold back, go ahead and gorge yourself on the sweet, golden goodness of mangoes.
So if mango daiquiris by the pool after a day of exploring the Daintree, reef, or picturesque waterfalls sounds like bliss to you, check out our special ‘Summer Deals’ and treat yourself to some serious R&R.
