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AustraliaDestinations

Unmissable Things To Do In Port Douglas: A Local’s Guide

Posted on 11 May, 202015 November, 2020 0 Comments Location: Australia 12 min read
Rex Smeal Park in Port Douglas, Queensland // Travel Mermaid

From rainforest to reef, waterfalls, remote waterholes & adrenaline sports, here’s a two-years-in-the-making list of my favourite adventures in Port Douglas.

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AustraliaDestinations

Port Douglas Accommodation | Best Places To Stay

Posted on 30 April, 202015 September, 2020 0 Comments Location: Australia 8 min read
Four Mile Beach in Port Douglas from the top of Flagstaff Hill, Queensland // Travel Mermaid

As a local I’ve come to know many hotels in town. So to help you plan your trip, here are my top places to stay in Port Douglas for a range of budgets.

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AustraliaDestinations

The Best Hikes and Walks In Port Douglas

Posted on 23 April, 202014 November, 2020 0 Comments Location: Australia 12 min read
Hartley's Creek Falls near Port Douglas in North Queensland // Travel Mermaid

Waterfalls, mossy rainforests and some epic reef & coastal views. Here are my top 6 walks in and around Port Douglas for novice hikers and adventure seekers!

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AustraliaDestinations

The Devil’s Thumb Hike in Mossman, Queensland : All You Need To Know

Posted on 20 April, 202025 October, 2020 0 Comments Location: Australia 9 min read
View from the coral fern patch along the Devils Thumb hiking trail in Tropical North Queensland, Australia // Travel Mermaid

Unrelenting, unending and utterly euphoric – are just a few words I’d used to describe The Devil’s Thumb hike! Here’s how to nail the trail like a boss.

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Meet Travel Mermaid

About Me | TravelMermaid.com

Ahoy! I’m Shezz, a London-born School Teacher who left England 9 years ago with my Sailor to explore the world. After stints in Prague, Thailand, Melbourne & Malaysia, I’m now based in Australia’s Tropical North.

On the blog I write about adventure travel & expat life, focusing on places I live in and know well. Through my travel stories, destination guides & photography, I hope to inspire your next adventure in Australia & Southeast Asia!

Find out more about me here, or stalk my social media channels below.

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Shezz 🧜🏻‍♀️ Travel Mermaid

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Beach life 🦀 ⁠ ⁠ For my birthday a few week Beach life 🦀 ⁠⁠For my birthday a few weeks ago we took a mini vacay to Mission Beach, just 3 hours south of Port Douglas. ⁠⁠I loved the vibes. It's uber chilled, beachy, a bit hippy and the locals are so friendly, it reminded us a lot of being in Thailand! ⁠⁠Pictured first is Kurrimine Beach which we visited for the morning. I read that it has the largest fringing reef on the Great Barrier Reef so during king low tides you can take a 40-minute walk to see the coral which is pretty cool.⁠⁠I didn't realise it was only between June & September so we missed out, but there was still so much life here to gawp over.⁠⁠Next time we'll be back for the reef walk, more rainforest strolls and kiteboarding - how awesome would this flatwater spot be?!⁠⁠.⁠⁠#kurriminebeach #cassowarycoast #farnorthqueensland #exploretnq #beachlife #downbythesea #australia #australianbeaches #queenslandcaptures #seeaustralia #travelmermaid 🧜🏼‍♀️ #travel_mermaid
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A hidden gem near home 🦞⁠ .⁠ ⁠ After two A hidden gem near home 🦞⁠.⁠⁠After two years living in Port Douglas, I love that we're still finding gorgeous spots such as this. At the end of a peaceful nature trail are multiple mini-falls and croc-free rock pools.⁠It was our third attempt at reaching this waterfall (it takes some navigation and climbing) and we nearly lost out again! Thanks to a fellow hiker for the tip off. ⁠⁠Easily my favourite local hike, though it may not be for everyone. More deets in bio folks 🤟🏼⁠.⁠⁠#⁠portdouglas #tropicalnorthqueensland #australia #hikeaustralia #modernwild #exploretnq #queenslandcaptures #seeaustralia #portdouglasdaintree #travelmermaid 🧜🏼‍♀️ #travel_mermaid⁠
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Had an eventful weekend in Cooktown for a kiteboar Had an eventful weekend in Cooktown for a kiteboarding/camping shindig a couple of weeks ago. Sadly that wasn't me flying through the air and it turned out to be way too windy for us newbies! But the spot at Archer Point was awesome. ⁠⁠A huge area of shallow water and a wide white-sandy beach. We'll definitely return on a week when the east coast isn't being battered by storms and gale force winds (unless we're pro by then 😄⁠).⁠We also stayed in Cookie on the 2nd night as our second blow-up bed by OZtrail decided to get a puncture (tip: avoid their velour mattress!). And not sure if bush camping without a toilet or shower is my thing for longer than one night! 🙈 Have you tried it? ⁠⁠Cookie was a great surprise though, a really historic and scenic town with lovely old Queenslander buildings. It's famously the spot where Captain James Cook beached his ship for repairs and made first contact with Indigenous Australians.⁠⁠We struggled to get room as loads of people are doing road trips up the coast but managed to get lucky. Look forward to exploring the hiking trails and museums when we're next up!⁠.⁠#kiteboarding #kitesurfing #poweredbythewind #cooktown #queensland #fnq #kitespot #australia #ig_australia
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One of my favourite ways to end the day in Port Do One of my favourite ways to end the day in Port Douglas is to walk the Flagstaff Hill trail before pitching up a spot at Rex Smeal Park, cracking open a cold one and watching a sunset as the boats pass by.⁠ ⁠⁠This spot has always been a favourite with locals & visitors and even though there's fewer people in town compared to pre-Rona days, it's no less busy. I guess you just can't beat a good ole sunset.⁠⁠Swipe right 👉 for when it was deserted just a few months ago. 🐦.⁠.⁠⁠#portdouglas #thisisqueensland #myportdouglas #australia #exoloretnq #portdouglasdaintree #queenslandcaptures #ig_australia
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"If it feels like hell, keep going" ⁠💪🏼⁠ "If it feels like hell, keep going" ⁠💪🏼⁠.⁠The Sailor and I were never big hikers until we moved to Kuala Lumpur. We were lucky to live opposite the jungle and it quickly became a space we'd retreat to for exercise or a nature escape. ⁠⁠Then it was a place I'd dream about and couldn't live without. I never realised the power of green spaces until I moved there. Jungle therapy is real! ⁠⁠I also love how hiking pushes limits and makes me take risks, like last year when we climbed the Devil's Thumb. It was by far the hardest hike I've ever done and still makes my knees quiver to think about it!⁠⁠Nothing since then has been remotely as challenging but since a year has passed already, I'm ready for our next beast... ⁠⁠Queensland's highest Mountain! 😱⁠⁠It'll be a tough 16 hour trek in remote rainforest with an overnight stay bush camping near the summit at 1,611 metres. ⁠It's not quite Everest, lol, but will be our biggest hike so far and it's only 2 hours from here.⁠⁠If we didn't do the Thumb then we wouldn't have even contemplated it. I know it won't be easy but I'm excited!⁠⁠What's been your favourite/most daunting hike?⁠ 🤔⁠⁠.⁠.⁠⁠#hiking #hike_australia #devilsthumb 😈 #poweredbyadventure #welivetoexplore #portdouglasdaintree #myportdouglas #queensland #australia
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We stayed at Wildwood to celebrate my birthday las We stayed at Wildwood to celebrate my birthday last year - it was so jungly and remote. If you drive up about 85k north of Port Douglas then you'll reach the end of the coastal road in Cape Tribulation, which is where this place is situated. ⁠⁠There was no phone reception, no internet, just acres of virgin rainforest and a crackling fire under the stars. I⁠'m clearly not much of a party animal these days! 😄⁠⁠.⁠A real zen den if you're ever in the area, or an interesting stop to see their exotic fruit farm (ever heard of miracle fruit?). More to read on the blog, link in bio.⁠⁠.⁠.⁠⁠#ecoretreat #naturetherapy #jungly #capetribulation #daintreenationalpark #wildescapes #thisisqueensland #ig_australia #portdouglasdaintree
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