Palm Cove is the perfect destination if you’re looking to relax and get away from the city, while also still be close to fun activities, like exploring the Great Barrier Reef. It’s located in the tropics of North Queensland, between Cairns and Port Douglas.
This Palm Cove Travel Guide will help you plan your trip to the quaint beachside town, with my recommendations for the best things to do, where to eat, and how to get around.
I will warn you, prepare yourself for the heat when you travel up to Palm Cove. I visited in December, which is the start of the Australian summer, and the weather was comparable to Miami in June.
A lot of restaurants had mainly outdoor seating, with no air conditioning, just fans. I love the warmth so I was okay, but if extreme humidity and heat is not your thing I would recommend coming in the cooler months (April – October).
If this is your first time traveling to Australia, make sure you know what else to expect. These tips will help you be prepared for your travels!
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1.The Great Barrier Reef
Obviously had to start off with the most popular destination and reason why people travel all the way up to North Queensland! You will need to travel to Cairns in the morning to catch the cruise you choose, but it is only about a 20 – 30 minute drive.
I suggest one of these three experiences:
1. Great Barrier Reef Snorkeling and Diving Cruise
This is a full day excursion that will take you to 2 outer reef locations, with 5 hours of reef time. You can choose to snorkel or scuba dive (or both), and ALSO take a 10-minute scenic flight above the Reef.
Lunch, stinger suits, snacks, wine, and snorkeling and scuba equipment are all included. Book your tour here.
2. Passions of Paradise Great Barrier Reef Cruise by Catamaran
This is also a full day excursion that will take you to 2 reef locations in the Great Barrier Reef, with 5 hours of reef time. What makes this excursion unique is its marine naturalist presentation, and underwater camera gear available to rent for the day.
Coffee, buffet lunch, snacks, stinger suits, and snorkeling and scuba equipment are all included. Book the Catamaran Cruise here.
3. Ocean Freedom Great Barrier Reef Luxury Snorkel and Dive Cruise
This cruise is a full day excursion that will take you to 2 reef locations, with 6 hours of reef time, the most time on the reef out of all the options. What makes it different is the informative glass bottom boat tour and guided interpretative adventure drift snorkel tour.
Coffee, smorgasbord lunch, fruit and cheese platters, stinger suits, and snorkeling and scuba equipment are all included. Book the luxury cruise here.
2. Kuranda Scenic Railway
The Kuranda Scenic Railway is another great day trip activity from Palm Cove. It was constructed in 1891, and connects Kuranda to Cairns.
The train ride is about 2 hours long, and stops at the Barron Falls Lookout. Book your Kuranda Scenic Railway tickets here.
Pro-tip: Ask for a seat in one of the last railcars so you can get the iconic photo of the train going past the waterfall.
3. Palm Tree Tunnel
Make sure to stop by the Palm Tree Tunnel in Palm Cove to take a nice photo in the palm trees! I had never seen so many palm trees lined up so beautifully along the beach, it’s really quite a sight to see.
4. Kuranda Koala Gardens
At the Kuranda Koala Gardens you get an up-close look at many of Australia’s native animals. Plus, you can even hold a koala and pet a kangaroo!
To be honest, I’m not sure how I felt about visiting the Gardens; I often worry zoos or anywhere where they have animals on display is not good for the animals. It was also pretty crazy to be able to pet a kangaroo; in the wild they are fairly dangerous and I would never recommend getting too close to one.
However, if this is something you are wanting to do while you’re in Australia, you can book your tickets to the Koala Gardens here.
If you also want to visit Birdworld to see birds like Amazonian macaws, cassowary, lorikeets, galahs and cockatoos, you can book the discounted Koala Gardens and Birdworld tickets here.
5. Skyrail Rainforest Cableway
What we ended up doing was taking the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway on the way up to Kuranda, and took the Scenic Railway back to Cairns!
You’ll get really amazing views of the Daintree Rainforest, and are able to stop along the way at Barron Falls.
You can book your Skyrail Cableway tickets here, and customize your trip if you are looking to also take the Scenic Railway one way.
Where to eat and drink
1. Miguel’s
Miguel’s is a phenomenal tapas restaurant that we unfortunately visited on our last night in Palm Cove. Had we visited sooner, we absolutely would have returned to dine here more than once!
I highly recommend getting the empanadas – the flavour was short rib when we were there, but it changes every week! We also got a Gran Portero – Porterhouse Steak that we split between two people and it was delicious.
2. Kushi Yakitori Bar & Japanese Restaurant
Kushi Yakitori is the spot to go if you’re in the mood for sushi. The fish was fresh and delicious, and make sure to try the oysters! They were some of the best oysters I have ever had.
3. El Greko Greek Taverna
El Greko is a yummy greek spot with really cute decor; you’ll feel like you’ve been transported straight to Santorini. The waitstaff was so friendly, and the food was classic Greek food and tasted great.
4. Big forest cafe
Big forest cafe is a unique asian fusion spot with gluten free rice burgers. The owner was working there when we visited, so I asked her for her recommendation on the best burger to get!
She suggested the Pork Ginger Kimchi, which is the most popular order. My fiancé got the Chicken Teriyaki burger and said that it was also really delicious. I highly recommend coming here if you come to visit Kuranda!
5. Vivo Palm Cove
I can only speak to the breakfast at Vivo, but it was really good. The atmosphere is really cute as well, with a view of the beach!
6. 27 Degrees Palm Cove
27 Degrees is a must if you’re looking for good, healthy food in Palm Cove. We came here multiple times during our stay to get the Chicken Protein Bowl, which was perfect to sustain us for the day.
7. Espresso & Co Cafe Palm Cove
Espresso & Co Cafe is a great spot to get coffee and breakfast / brunch! I came here multiple times to get a basic egg breakfast to start my day in the best way.
How to get around Palm Cove
By Car
I rented a car for the 4 days I was in Cairns, and would recommend renting a car. Palm Cove itself was a tiny little beach town that is walkable, but if you want to take any day trips you will really need your own car.
Ubers are available in Cairns, but harder to come by in Palm Cove. Especially if you need to be somewhere early in the morning for a cruise, I personally would not rely on Uber.
If you plan to rent a car in Australia, remember that they drive on the left side! This didn’t take long to get used to, and I felt it was easy to navigate the streets.
By Walking / Running
While you’re staying in Palm Cove, it is really easy to walk from your hotel to all of the shops and restaurants along the esplanade! Our hotel had free parking, so we were able to leave our car in the lot and walk all around town.
Palm Cove felt really safe at all hours of the day. However, with the high temperatures I would recommend bringing a water bottle everywhere you go.
There were also tropical storms that occurred every night we were there. The rain would start pouring out of nowhere, and keep going for at least 20 – 30 minutes.
If you’re planning on walking to dinner, I would definitely double check the radar and bring an umbrella to be safe.
By Bus
The Route 110 bus connects Palm Cove to Cairns, and runs regularly every hour starting around 7:30 AM, and ending around 10:30 PM. I personally did not use the bus, since we were renting a car.
However, I found Australia public transit in general to be very reliable, affordable, and easy to use. This is a great option if your days are flexible and you don’t feel comfortable renting a car!
If you’re planning your trip to Australia, be sure to read up on my general Australia travel guidance, including when to go, whether or not you need a visa, and where else should you go.
And feel free to send me an email or DM on Instagram with any questions that this Palm Cove travel guide may not have covered!
mariss
