Daintree and Cape Tribulation

The area of the northern cape of Queensland is some of the most beautiful land we have set our eyes on. Our journey began from Cairns and we planned to head to our most northerly destination first, followed by stops along the route as we travelled south back to Cairns. As we drove along the highway we were overwhelmed by the massive beauty around us. This section of the highway remains tight to the coastline which makes for spectacular views across the ocean and along the pristine, unspoiled beaches scattered on the shore. As we drove, we couldn’t resist stopping at the popular Rex Lookout. We couldn’t have asked for a clearer day, the skies were impeccably blue and the sun was shining. This spot is bursting with the kind of scenery that leaves you jaw dropped. You find yourself looking away in disbelief only to refocus on the absolutely flawless backdrop. I think what keeps this area looking so pristine is that the region is World Heritage Listed for the Great Barrier Reef as well as the Rainforests which meet the shores. Development has been backed off the “absolute beachfront” here leaving a buffer of rich greenery along every beach. After being blown away by some of the first views, we stopped at the Port Douglas lookout which must be one of the loveliest views overlooking a beach town. After stocking up on supplies in Port “Dougy”, we set out for Cape Trib. In order to get to Cape Tribulation, we had to travel across the Daintree River on the car ferry. This is essentially a platform which transports vehicles from one side of the river to the other, back and forth every 15 minutes. After our 2 minute putt across the mangrove-lined river we were ready to start our adventures through the oldest rainforest in the world, the Daintree Rainforest. Conventional vehicles (those lacking 4WD) can only drive as far as Cape Tribulation even though dirt roads continue all the way to the north shore. This area was discovered by Captain James Cook in 1770 and incredibly enough, the views remain true to what he first explored so many years ago. Although there are a few accommodations and common conveniences none of these properties have compromised the natural area and therefore the coastline remains seamless. We stopped for the night at Myall Beach at Cape Tribulation Camping. We spent the day on the untouched white sands of Myall Beach but decided to check out the following morning since the place was way overpriced and the facilities here were very much sub-pare. We checked into the Rainforest Jungle Lodge where we were able to get power for the van and adequate facilities. We walked along Myall Beach taking in the incredible sights around us. We decided we would embark on a small hike in order to take a look at Cape Tribulation Beach. Yet another unspoiled area with top notch views. After another peaceful sleep deep in the rainforest we woke to a rather gloomy day which inspired us to venture elsewhere. There were a few places which had sparked our interest so we decided to make a couple stops before venturing back to Cairns to hand over our baby.